Kelly Stouffer
Encyclopedia
Kelly Wayne Stouffer is a former American football
quarterback
in the NFL
. He spent most of his career with the Seattle Seahawks
from 1988–1992. He graduated from Rushville High School in Rushville, Nebraska
and attended Colorado State University
. He currently serves as a television
color analyst for Minnesota Vikings
pre-season games, as well as college football
games for Versus
and ESPN Plus
.
At the conclusion of his collegiate career, he achieved notoriety when, after being selected by the St. Louis Cardinals
in the first round of the 1987 NFL Draft
, he sat out what would have been his rookie
year due to an inability to agree on a contract. The following season, the Cardinals traded his rights to the Seattle Seahawks
, who listed Stouffer as third-string behind starter
Dave Krieg
and veteran backup Jeff Kemp
. Krieg would be sidelined with a separated shoulder
, and the following week Kemp was ineffective starting in place of Krieg and was benched in favor of Stouffer by halftime. Stouffer endeared himself to Seattle fans in one play where, after having his nose broken, he threw for a long gain resulting in a touchdown
. For several weeks, Stouffer filled in until Krieg returned to the lineup. Stouffer seemed to regress in the eyes of Seahawk coaches over the next couple of years, and fell back to third string behind Kemp.
Once Seahawk head coach
Chuck Knox
was replaced by Tom Flores
and Dave Krieg was let go, Stouffer won the starting job, beating out Dan McGwire
and Stan Gelbaugh
. Stouffer lost every game he started before being injured and being unable to play for several weeks. After McGwire was quickly injured, journeyman Gelbaugh became the starter, yielding the job to Stouffer once Stouffer recovered. Stouffer, who seemed to have been showing a return to his rookie
form just before his injury, was never the same, however, and Gelbaugh quickly became the established starter. Both of Seattle's victories in the 1992 season came with Gelbaugh on the field. The following season, Stouffer was released.
Stouffer was signed by the Carolina Panthers
to a free agent
contract in May 1996 but lasted less than one season.
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...
in the NFL
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 spent most of his career with the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
from 1988–1992. He graduated from Rushville High School in Rushville, Nebraska
Rushville, Nebraska
Rushville is a city in Sheridan County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 890 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Sheridan County.-Geography:Rushville is located at ....
and attended Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
. He currently serves as a television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
color analyst for Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
pre-season games, as well as college football
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...
games for Versus
Versus (TV channel)
Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...
and ESPN Plus
ESPN Plus
ESPN Plus, the popular name of ESPN Regional Television, is an American television program syndicator. ERT is based along with sister network ESPNU in Charlotte, North Carolina...
.
At the conclusion of his collegiate career, he achieved notoriety when, after being selected by the St. Louis Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the first round of the 1987 NFL Draft
1987 NFL Draft
The 1987 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 28–29, 1987...
, he sat out what would have been his rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
year due to an inability to agree on a contract. The following season, the Cardinals traded his rights to the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
, who listed Stouffer as third-string behind starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
Dave Krieg
Dave Krieg
David Michael Krieg is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He attended Milton College and made the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent...
and veteran backup Jeff Kemp
Jeff Kemp
Jeffrey Allan Kemp is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, and the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at Dartmouth College. In 1984, Kemp led the Rams with 13 touchdowns...
. Krieg would be sidelined with a separated shoulder
Separated shoulder
A separated shoulder , is a common injury to the acromioclavicular joint. This is not the same as a shoulder dislocation as that involves a dislocation of the glenohumeral joint...
, and the following week Kemp was ineffective starting in place of Krieg and was benched in favor of Stouffer by halftime. Stouffer endeared himself to Seattle fans in one play where, after having his nose broken, he threw for a long gain resulting in a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
. For several weeks, Stouffer filled in until Krieg returned to the lineup. Stouffer seemed to regress in the eyes of Seahawk coaches over the next couple of years, and fell back to third string behind Kemp.
Once Seahawk head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Chuck Knox
Chuck Knox
Charles Robert "Chuck" Knox is a former American football coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. He is best remembered as head coach of three National Football League teams, the Seattle Seahawks, the Buffalo Bills, and the Los Angeles Rams, serving two separate stints with...
was replaced by Tom Flores
Tom Flores
Thomas R. "Tom" Flores is a retired American football quarterback and coach. Flores and Mike Ditka are the only two people in the National Football League history to win a Super Bowl as a player, as an assistant coach, and as a head coach...
and Dave Krieg was let go, Stouffer won the starting job, beating out Dan McGwire
Dan McGwire
Daniel Scott McGwire is a former American football quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks and Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.-Early life:...
and Stan Gelbaugh
Stan Gelbaugh
Stanley Morris Gelbaugh is a former professional American football quarterback. Although he played several seasons in the National Football League, he attained his greatest success in the World League of American Football with the London Monarchs, where he was the league's Offensive Most Valuable...
. Stouffer lost every game he started before being injured and being unable to play for several weeks. After McGwire was quickly injured, journeyman Gelbaugh became the starter, yielding the job to Stouffer once Stouffer recovered. Stouffer, who seemed to have been showing a return to his rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
form just before his injury, was never the same, however, and Gelbaugh quickly became the established starter. Both of Seattle's victories in the 1992 season came with Gelbaugh on the field. The following season, Stouffer was released.
Stouffer was signed by the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
to a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
contract in May 1996 but lasted less than one season.