Kurt Kittner
Encyclopedia
Kurt Kittner is a former American football
player for the Chicago Bears
. He was a quarterback for the University of Illinois
during their 2001 Big Ten
Championship.
under then-coach Tom Cerasani.
, Kittner became one of the most prolific passers in Illinois history. He ended his tenure at Illinois as the school's all-time leader in career passing attempts (1,264), career passing touchdown
s (70), passing touchdowns in a single season (27), and victories as a quarterback (24). Kittner wrapped up his collegiate career only 3 yards shy of Jack Trudeau's Illini record for all time passing yards. Entering his senior year, Kurt was considered a possible Heisman
candidate. Kittner and receiver Brandon Lloyd
led Illinois' offense as the Fighting Illini finished with a 7–1 record in the Big Ten and won their first Big Ten championship in 11 years on their way to a berth in the 2002 Sugar Bowl
. Kittner's last collegiate game ended in a 34–47 loss against the LSU Tigers
.
by the Atlanta Falcons
. He saw no action in his rookie year, being third-string quarterback behind Doug Johnson and 2001
first overall pick, Michael Vick
. In 2003
, after a preseason injury sidelined Vick and ineffective play caused second-string quarterback Doug Johnson to be benched, Kittner saw his first regular season action. Playing in seven games (four of which he started), he threw for 391 yards, scoring 2 touchdowns and throwing 6 interceptions. The highlight was an 27-7 win over the New York Giants
at Giants Stadium
where Kittner threw for a touchdown. The Falcons ended the season however with a 5-11 record.
, Giants, Patriots
, and Steelers
) in a 7-month span during the 2004 offseason. He did manage to make headlines in 2005, leading the Amsterdam Admirals
to an NFL Europe
World Bowl
title. His 239 passing yards and two touchdowns in World Bowl XIII
earned him most valuable player
honors for the game. He is the second graduate of Schaumburg High School
to earn the honor; Paul Justin
won the award 10 years earlier for the Frankfurt Galaxy
.
, Kittner was invited to training camp with the Chicago Bears
and coach Turner, then offensive coordinator
for Chicago. He earned a roster spot as the third-string quarterback. After starter Rex Grossman
was injured in camp, journeyman Jeff Blake
was brought in to back up rookie starter Kyle Orton
, leaving Kittner at third string. When Grossman returned from injury on November 23, 2005, Kittner was released without playing a regular season down for the Bears.
.
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...
player for the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was a quarterback for the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
during their 2001 Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
Championship.
High school career
Kittner was quarterback for Schaumburg High SchoolSchaumburg High School
Schaumburg High School, or SHS is a public four-year high school located in Schaumburg, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States.-History:Schaumburg High School opened on September 17th 1970...
under then-coach Tom Cerasani.
College career
Becoming a starter near the end of his freshman year at Illinois under head coach Ron TurnerRon Turner (football coach)
Ron Turner is an American football coach. He is currently the quarterbacks coach for the Indianapolis Colts. He was previously the head coach of the Illinois Fighting Illini football team from 1997 to 2004...
, Kittner became one of the most prolific passers in Illinois history. He ended his tenure at Illinois as the school's all-time leader in career passing attempts (1,264), career passing 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:...
s (70), passing touchdowns in a single season (27), and victories as a quarterback (24). Kittner wrapped up his collegiate career only 3 yards shy of Jack Trudeau's Illini record for all time passing yards. Entering his senior year, Kurt was considered a possible Heisman
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
candidate. Kittner and receiver Brandon Lloyd
Brandon Lloyd
Brandon Matthew Lloyd is an American football wide receiver for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
led Illinois' offense as the Fighting Illini finished with a 7–1 record in the Big Ten and won their first Big Ten championship in 11 years on their way to a berth in the 2002 Sugar Bowl
2002 Sugar Bowl
The 2002 Sugar Bowl a 2001–2002 BCS game was played on January 1, 2002. This 68th edition to the Sugar Bowl featured the Illinois Fighting Illini, and the LSU Tigers...
. Kittner's last collegiate game ended in a 34–47 loss against the LSU Tigers
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
.
Atlanta Falcons
Kittner was drafted in the 5th round of the 2002 NFL Draft2002 NFL Draft
The 2002 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft took place April 20–21, 2002 at the theater at...
by the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He saw no action in his rookie year, being third-string quarterback behind Doug Johnson and 2001
2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
first overall pick, Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
. In 2003
2003 NFL season
-Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *...
, after a preseason injury sidelined Vick and ineffective play caused second-string quarterback Doug Johnson to be benched, Kittner saw his first regular season action. Playing in seven games (four of which he started), he threw for 391 yards, scoring 2 touchdowns and throwing 6 interceptions. The highlight was an 27-7 win over the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
at Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
where Kittner threw for a touchdown. The Falcons ended the season however with a 5-11 record.
Turbulent times
Since then, Kittner has not seen any further playing time in the NFL, having been released from 5 different teams (the Falcons, BengalsCincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
, Giants, 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...
, and Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
) in a 7-month span during the 2004 offseason. He did manage to make headlines in 2005, leading the Amsterdam Admirals
Amsterdam Admirals
The Amsterdam Admirals were a professional American football team in NFL Europe based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.-History:The Admirals were formed in 1995 as part of the NFL's plan to restart the World League of American Football, to be based entirely in Europe...
to an NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
World Bowl
World Bowl
The World Bowl was the American football Championship game of NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the National Football League.The World Bowl trophy itself was a globe made of glass measuring 35.5 cm in diameter and weighing 18.6 kg .-World League of American Football:When NFL Europe was...
title. His 239 passing yards and two touchdowns in World Bowl XIII
World Bowl XIII
World Bowl XIII was NFL Europe's 2005 championship game. It was played at the LTU arena in Düsseldorf, Germany on June 11, 2005. In this match-up, the 6-4 Amsterdam Admirals managed to get back to the World Bowl after losing in World Bowl III and spending nearly a decade being on the outside. ...
earned him most valuable player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
honors for the game. He is the second graduate of Schaumburg High School
Schaumburg High School
Schaumburg High School, or SHS is a public four-year high school located in Schaumburg, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States.-History:Schaumburg High School opened on September 17th 1970...
to earn the honor; Paul Justin
Paul Justin
Paul Donald Justin is a retired National Football League quarterback.Justin, a graduate and football standout at Arizona State University, played with three different teams in his NFL career: the Indianapolis Colts , the Cincinnati Bengals , and the St. Louis Rams...
won the award 10 years earlier for the Frankfurt Galaxy
Frankfurt Galaxy
The Frankfurt Galaxy was a professional American football team that originally played in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. The team was based in Frankfurt, Germany and played in the Commerzbank-Arena, formerly called the Waldstadion.-History:In 1991, the...
.
Chicago Bears
In 20052005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
, Kittner was invited to training camp with the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and coach Turner, then offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
for Chicago. He earned a roster spot as the third-string quarterback. After starter Rex Grossman
Rex Grossman
Rex Daniel Grossman, III is an American football quarterback for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League . Grossman played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he has played professionally for the Chicago Bears, Houston Texans and Washington Redskins of...
was injured in camp, journeyman Jeff Blake
Jeff Blake
Jeff Bertrand Coleman Blake is a retired American football quarterback who played in the National Football League. Although he finished his career with the Chicago Bears, he was formerly a quarterback for the New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, Arizona...
was brought in to back up rookie starter Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, leaving Kittner at third string. When Grossman returned from injury on November 23, 2005, Kittner was released without playing a regular season down for the Bears.
Life after football
Kittner currently resides in Chicago with his wife Leila Cehajic, a former University of Illinois tennis player. He works for Jones Lang LaSalle in Chicago doing commercial real estate. In July 2007, Kittner was named the color analyst for University of Illinois football radio broadcasts, replacing long-time analyst Jim GrabowskiJim Grabowski
James S.Grabowski is a former American football player and broadcaster. Grabowski played collegiately at the University of Illinois and professionally for the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears, and served as an analyst on University of Illinois football radio broadcasts for nearly 30 years,...
.