Kellen Clemens
Encyclopedia
Kellen Clemens is an American football
quarterback
who is currently a member of the Houston Texans
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the New York Jets
in the second round (49th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft
. He played collegiately
at Oregon
.
He has also been a member of the Washington Redskins
.
for the Burns Hilanders
and led them to the Oregon state 3A championship game in 1999. In his high school career he threw for a state-record 8,646 yards (610-of-1,112) and 102 TD. He also received USA Today
All-American honors and Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year while in high school, where he completed 218 of 395 passes for 3464 yards (3,167.5 m) and 37 TD with 325 rushing yards and 15 TD in his senior season. He was coached by Terry Graham using the run and shoot offense
.
at the University of Oregon
. He assumed the role of starting QB in all 13 games in 2003 and responded by throwing for more TD passes and yards than any sophomore
in school history, surpassing Dan Fouts
--who had 16 TDs and 2390 yards, in 1970. He posted three rushing TD, three passing TD and a career-best 437 passing yards in a road victory over Washington State
as a junior. As a senior during the 2005 season he broke his ankle while playing against Arizona
. Despite missing remaining three games of the season, he finished 2005 with 2,406 passing yards, 19 TDs, 4 interceptions, and a 152.87 passer efficiency rating. He finished his Oregon career with 7,555 passing yards.
49th overall in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft
to serve as the secondary quarterback to Chad Pennington
. A healthy Pennington resulted in little playing time for Clemens in 2006. He entered in a Game 13 loss to the Buffalo Bills
, rushed once for 8 yards but did not attempt a pass. He then made NFL debut in relief appearance against the Jacksonville Jaguars
, recording his first career pass attempt and rushing once for 2 yards. He recorded only two attempts and 0 completions in his rookie season.
Due to an injury to Chad Pennington in the Jets's 2007-2008 season opener against the New England Patriots
, Clemens recorded his first completed pass in the NFL with a final record for the day of five complete passes on ten attempts.
Clemens made his first career start in Week 2 of the 2007 season. Clemens's effectiveness was minimized by the Ravens's defense for the first three quarters, with the Jets trailing 20-3 at one point. However, in the fourth quarter, Clemens led the Jets on a scoring drive that cut Baltimore's lead to 20-13. On the last drive, Clemens attempted what would have been a game-tying touchdown pass to Jets wide receiver Justin McCareins, but the pass was dropped by McCareins instead of caught, and was then intercepted by the Ravens's Ray Lewis.
His next appearance would come in the Jets's Week 8 match-up against the Buffalo Bills
. A struggling Pennington was pulled by head coach Eric Mangini
in the middle of the fourth quarter and replaced by Clemens. Clemens led two drives against the Buffalo defense. Down 13-3 and pressed for time, Clemens attempted to quickly move the Jets offense down the field but was intercepted twice. The following day, on October 29, 2007, Clemens was named the starting quarterback for the next game against the Washington Redskins
.
In 2008, Clemens was only on the field to attempt five passes as the backup to Brett Favre
. When Mike Nugent
, the Jets's kicker, injured his thigh in the September 7th game against the Miami Dolphins
, Clemens filled in as the team's placekicker, but was not called upon to kick.
On August 26, 2009, Jet's head coach Rex Ryan
announced that Mark Sanchez
would be the starting quarterback for the 2009 season, a position left vacant after Brett Favre
was released from the Jets in February. On December 3, 2009, Clemens was forced to come in against the Buffalo Bills
after Mark Sanchez sprained his PCL. Clemens started the Jets's next game against the 1-11 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
. Despite an unexceptional personal performance by Clemens, the Jets were still able to pick up an important 26-3 victory.
Clemens threw for 125 yards with no touchdowns in 2009. He played mostly when Mark Sanchez
was injured.
Clemens was re-signed to a one-year contract on April 13, 2010. The only action he saw was in the week 17 game against the Buffalo Bills
.
where he competed for a backup role during the 2011 season. The Redskins released Clemens on September 3, 2011.
was placed on injured reserve.
. He grew up herding cattle on his family's 3500 acres (14.2 km²) ranch in Burns, Oregon
, where they own over 100 head of cattle
. In his spare time, Kellen enjoys horseback riding.
Clemens has four sisters and majored in Business Administration at the University of Oregon. Clemens is an active member of Catholic Athletes for Christ. He and his wife Nicole reside in Whippany, NJ. Pope Benedict
blessed and kissed their four-week-old baby girl at the final procession of the Papal Mass
on April 17, 2008 at Nationals Park in Washington D.C.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
who is currently a member of the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the second round (49th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
. He played collegiately
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Oregon
Oregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
.
He has also been a member of the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
.
Early years
Clemens played high school footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
for the Burns Hilanders
Burns High School (Oregon)
-Academics:In 1987 and 1991, Burns High School was honored in the Blue Ribbon Schools Program, the highest honor a school can receive in the United States.In 2008, 82% of the school's seniors received their high school diploma...
and led them to the Oregon state 3A championship game in 1999. In his high school career he threw for a state-record 8,646 yards (610-of-1,112) and 102 TD. He also received USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
All-American honors and Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year while in high school, where he completed 218 of 395 passes for 3464 yards (3,167.5 m) and 37 TD with 325 rushing yards and 15 TD in his senior season. He was coached by Terry Graham using the run and shoot offense
Run and shoot offense
The run and shoot offense is an offensive system for American football which emphasizes receiver motion and on-the-fly adjustments of receivers' routes in response to different defenses...
.
College career
Clemens played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
. He assumed the role of starting QB in all 13 games in 2003 and responded by throwing for more TD passes and yards than any sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
in school history, surpassing Dan Fouts
Dan Fouts
Daniel Francis Fouts is a retired Hall of Fame American football quarterback in the National Football League. Fouts played his entire professional career with the San Diego Chargers from 1973 through 1987...
--who had 16 TDs and 2390 yards, in 1970. He posted three rushing TD, three passing TD and a career-best 437 passing yards in a road victory over Washington State
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
as a junior. As a senior during the 2005 season he broke his ankle while playing against Arizona
Arizona Wildcats
-Athletic program:The University of Arizona participates in the NCAA's Division I-A in the Pacific-12 Conference Arizona participates in the conference's South Division, along with Arizona State, Colorado, UCLA, USC, and Utah...
. Despite missing remaining three games of the season, he finished 2005 with 2,406 passing yards, 19 TDs, 4 interceptions, and a 152.87 passer efficiency rating. He finished his Oregon career with 7,555 passing yards.
New York Jets
Clemens was selected by the New York JetsNew York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
49th overall in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
to serve as the secondary quarterback to Chad Pennington
Chad Pennington
James Chadwick "Chad" Pennington is an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for ten years. He is currently a football analyst with FOX Sports though he plans to return to playing after recovering from an injury...
. A healthy Pennington resulted in little playing time for Clemens in 2006. He entered in a Game 13 loss to the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, rushed once for 8 yards but did not attempt a pass. He then made NFL debut in relief appearance against the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, recording his first career pass attempt and rushing once for 2 yards. He recorded only two attempts and 0 completions in his rookie season.
Due to an injury to Chad Pennington in the Jets's 2007-2008 season opener against the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, Clemens recorded his first completed pass in the NFL with a final record for the day of five complete passes on ten attempts.
Clemens made his first career start in Week 2 of the 2007 season. Clemens's effectiveness was minimized by the Ravens's defense for the first three quarters, with the Jets trailing 20-3 at one point. However, in the fourth quarter, Clemens led the Jets on a scoring drive that cut Baltimore's lead to 20-13. On the last drive, Clemens attempted what would have been a game-tying touchdown pass to Jets wide receiver Justin McCareins, but the pass was dropped by McCareins instead of caught, and was then intercepted by the Ravens's Ray Lewis.
His next appearance would come in the Jets's Week 8 match-up against the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. A struggling Pennington was pulled by head coach Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini is the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets of the National Football League and current NFL analyst for ESPN.-College:...
in the middle of the fourth quarter and replaced by Clemens. Clemens led two drives against the Buffalo defense. Down 13-3 and pressed for time, Clemens attempted to quickly move the Jets offense down the field but was intercepted twice. The following day, on October 29, 2007, Clemens was named the starting quarterback for the next game against the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
.
In 2008, Clemens was only on the field to attempt five passes as the backup to Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
. When Mike Nugent
Mike Nugent
Mike Nugent is an American football placekicker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, the Jets's kicker, injured his thigh in the September 7th game against the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Clemens filled in as the team's placekicker, but was not called upon to kick.
On August 26, 2009, Jet's head coach Rex Ryan
Rex Ryan
Rex Ryan is an American football head coach for the New York Jets of the National Football League . After serving as an assistant coach for twenty-two years, Ryan attained his first head coaching job in the NFL with the Jets in 2009...
announced that Mark Sanchez
Mark Sanchez
Mark Travis John Sanchez is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the fifth overall selection by the Jets and the second quarterback taken overall...
would be the starting quarterback for the 2009 season, a position left vacant after Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
was released from the Jets in February. On December 3, 2009, Clemens was forced to come in against the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
after Mark Sanchez sprained his PCL. Clemens started the Jets's next game against the 1-11 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
. Despite an unexceptional personal performance by Clemens, the Jets were still able to pick up an important 26-3 victory.
Clemens threw for 125 yards with no touchdowns in 2009. He played mostly when Mark Sanchez
Mark Sanchez
Mark Travis John Sanchez is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the fifth overall selection by the Jets and the second quarterback taken overall...
was injured.
Clemens was re-signed to a one-year contract on April 13, 2010. The only action he saw was in the week 17 game against the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Washington Redskins
On July 27, 2011, Clemens signed a one-year contract with the Washington RedskinsWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
where he competed for a backup role during the 2011 season. The Redskins released Clemens on September 3, 2011.
Houston Texans
Clemens was signed by the Texans on November 23, 2011 after starting quarterback Matt SchaubMatt Schaub
Matthew Rutledge Schaub is the starting quarterback for the Houston Texans. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia.-College career:...
was placed on injured reserve.
Personal
Clemens is a sixth generation cattle rancherRanch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
. He grew up herding cattle on his family's 3500 acres (14.2 km²) ranch in Burns, Oregon
Burns, Oregon
Burns is a city in and the county seat of Harney County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 2,806.-History:Burns was established in the early 1880s and incorporated upon Harney county's creation in 1889...
, where they own over 100 head of cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
. In his spare time, Kellen enjoys horseback riding.
Clemens has four sisters and majored in Business Administration at the University of Oregon. Clemens is an active member of Catholic Athletes for Christ. He and his wife Nicole reside in Whippany, NJ. Pope Benedict
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
blessed and kissed their four-week-old baby girl at the final procession of the Papal Mass
Papal Mass
A Papal Mass is the Solemn Pontifical High Mass when offered by the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church.There are numerous special ceremonials which are particular to the pope...
on April 17, 2008 at Nationals Park in Washington D.C.