Michael Bishop (football player)
Encyclopedia
Michael Paul Bishop is a professional football
quarterback
who is currently on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Practice Squad. He was drafted in the seventh round (227th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft
by the New England Patriots
.
Bishop was a member of the CFL's Toronto Argonauts
from 2002 to 2008. He also previously played with the National Football League
's New England Patriots
during the 2000
season and also played in the Arena Football League, most recently with the Grand Rapids Rampage
. He was also one of the best college
quarterbacks in the country during his career at Kansas State
, beating out UCLA's
Cade McNown
for the 1998
Davey O'Brien Award
. Academy Award winning actor Jamie Foxx
(Eric Bishop) is Michael Bishop's first cousin.
and baseball player at Willis High School in Willis, Texas
. A two-year starter who averaged 221.2 yards-per-game passing as a senior
, he was an All-Montgomery County
, all-city and all-state selection in football. In baseball, he was drafted by the Cleveland Indians
in the 28th round of the 1995 Major League Baseball Draft.
in Brenham, Texas
where as a freshman, he led the Buccaneers to a 12–0 record and the NJCAA National Championship. He rushed for 387 yards including three scores and passed for 1,712 yards and 18 touchdowns. His sophomore year, he once again led Blinn to a 12–0 record and an NJCAA National Championship. He was voted honorable mention All-Conference and controlled an offense which recorded 3,086 yards rushing, including 47 touchdowns and scored a total of 438 points (36.5 avg. per game). He passed for 972 yards and nine touchdowns, and rushed for 265 yards and four scores. After his two years at Blinn, he played baseball for one season at Independence Community College
in Independence, Kansas
in the spring of 1997.
, but decided upon Kansas State University
, as head coach
Bill Snyder
was the only coach to offer Bishop the opportunity to play the quarterback position.
In 1997
, his first year at Kansas State, Bishop started all 11 regular season games and completed 80-of-185 passes for 1,557 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also rushed for 556 yards and added nine rushing touchdowns. Bishop was voted second-team All-Big 12 Conference
by the league’s coaches and Big 12 Newcomer of the year by Associated Press
. During the 1997 season, Kansas State won 11 games including a 1997 Fiesta Bowl
victory over Syracuse
lead by Donovan McNabb
by a score of 35–18. Kansas State's only loss in the 1997 season came to the eventual national champion Nebraska Cornhuskers
. The loss was the first of only three in Bishop's collegiate career.
In Bishop's senior year, Kansas State was considered a contender for the 1998 National Championship. That year, he broke school season records with 2,844 yards passing and 23 touchdowns with only four interceptions, He led the team with 14 rushing touchdowns and finished second with 748 yards on 177 attempts. He passed for 440 yards and four touchdowns on 23-of-40 passes vs. Northeast Louisiana, his four touchdown passes tying a school record and his 440 passing yards ranking him second in school history. He passed for 306 yards and a pair of touchdowns and rushed 25 times for 140 yards (5.6 avg.) with two scores and was voted Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week as the Wildcats defeated Nebraska for the first time in 30 years. Bishop led the Wildcats to an undefeated regular season and the Big 12 North title, putting Kansas State in 1st place in the Associated Press poll and 2nd in the Coaches Poll. Just two weeks later, the Wildcats' national championship dreams were put to an end. In the 1998 Big 12 Championship Game
on December 5, 1998
, Kansas State lost in double overtime to No. 10 Texas A&M
team 36–33. Bishop ran for one touchdown in the game and threw for two more scores.
Bishop started in all 25 games (including bowl games) during his two seasons at Kansas State and posted a 22–3 (.880) record. He received 792 votes, including 41 first place votes, but finished second in the 1998 Heisman Trophy
voting to Ricky Williams
. He finished his Wildcat career fourth on the all-time passing list with 4,401 yards and broke Chad May’s career record with 36 touchdown passes despite playing only two seasons. He ranks second only behind Lynn Dickey
in Kansas State history with 5,715 yards of total offense. Also established a Kansas State record with 59 total touchdowns (rushing and passing). After his senior season, he was voted a consensus All-American and All-Big 12 Conference selection and was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.
The Wildcats finished ranked third in the BCS, and lost in the Alamo Bowl to Purdue, 37–34.
in the seventh round (227th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft
. However, he was inactive for all but one game. It was not until the 2000
season that he played in his first ever professional game. During that season, he saw only limited playing time, passing nine times with just three completions. During a game against the Indianapolis Colts
he threw a 44-yard Hail Mary
touchdown at the end of the first half in his first career attempt. Afterwards, several Patriots fans, upset with the poor play of starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe
throughout the season, demanded that coach Bill Belichick
name Bishop the starter, though this never happened.
In 2001
, Bishop played for the Frankfurt Galaxy
of NFL Europe. He started six games for the Galaxy, and completed 76-of-153 passes for 1,090 yards, including 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also gained 244 yards on 35 carries (7.0 avg.) and scored one rushing touchdown. Bishop was released by the Patriots in August, 2001. He was then signed by the Green Bay Packers
but was cut before the regular season.
, Bishop seldom saw any playing time with the Grand Rapids Rampage
, playing in only five games. In 2005
, he started in 15 games for the Rampage and led the league in rushing
yards, rushing attempts, yards-per-rush, and rushing touchdowns. He also set a record for most rushing yards in a single game on February 5, 2005 against the Colorado Crush
by becoming the first player to ever rush for 100 yards in an AFL game. In addition to this record, he also holds the AFL record for most rushing yards in a season with 459. Because of his rushing statistics as a quarterback combined with his strong arm, comparisons between him and NFL quarterback Michael Vick
were made. Some fans and sports writers have labeled him the "Michael Vick of the AFL".
In 2006
, Bishop signed with the Chicago Rush
. Despite the buzz he created in 2005, he was relegated to sharing the backup quarterback role behind Matt D'Orazio
with Asad Abdul-Khaliq
. Bishop received very little playing time since joining the Rush in 2006, though some of that was a result of a leave of absence he took from the team due to the passing of his mother. The Rush went on to win ArenaBowl XX
that season.
On October 31, 2006, Bishop signed with the Kansas City Brigade
. However, on March 13, 2007, he was traded to the Rampage, marking his second stint with the team since 2005. On May 15, 2007, he was placed on the Rampage's reserve list under the "left squad" category. This move was done to clear the way for his return to the Canadian Football League
.
, Bishop was traded from the Calgary Stampeders
(who owned his CFL rights) to the Toronto Argonauts
along with two 2002 late round draft picks for Michel Dupuis, a 2003 First-round CFL draft
pick, and a conditional 2003 CFL draft pick. He had some brief stints as a starting quarterback with the Argonauts, but was predominantly a backup. Between 2002–2005, he completed 206-of-446 passes for 3,192 yards, 17 touchdowns and 32 interceptions for a quarterback rating of 53.2. He also rushed for 768 yards and seven touchdowns.
In 2003
, Bishop was put in with just seconds left in a playoff game against the Montreal Alouettes
. Since the Argonauts were not within field goal range, he was to throw a Hail Mary pass in hope of a miracle. He did not receive his miracle but, he was seen throwing the ball approximately 70 yards down the field, thus showing he has one of the stronger arms in professional football.
With his propensity for throwing more interceptions than touchdown passes and an inclination to run with the football, Bishop's quarterback intelligence came into question by many CFL fans. Despite the criticism, he performed satisfactorily while Damon Allen
was injured during the 2004
season and helped the Argonauts win the 92nd Grey Cup
championship that season.
On April 21, 2006, the Argonauts released Bishop only to re-acquire him four months later on August 11, more than halfway into the season. During that season, the bulk of his playing time involved being inserted into the game exclusively during short yardage situations. During the 2006 East Division
semi-final, however, he came in to replace Allen late in the fourth quarter and threw two touchdown passes to Arland Bruce III
and R. Jay Soward
, sending the Argonauts to the East Division Final.
In the 2006 Eastern Final
against the Alouettes, Bishop again found himself replacing Damon Allen in the third quarter. Down 23–3, Bishop threw touchdown passes to Arland Bruce III and Michael Palmer, and was able to guide the Argonauts to within a touchdown of a comeback, however they fell short, losing 33–24. Bishop's play in the playoffs has led some to believe that he may have finally turned the corner in his CFL career.
During the offseason, it was learned that the Arena Football League's schedule had been shifted later into the year, thereby creating an overlap of the AFL's post-season with the CFL's training camp period. With Bishop signed to an AFL team, there were concerns throughout the CFL's offseason about whether or not he would report to the Argonauts' 2007 training camp. However on May 14, 2007, he returned to Toronto and participated in an informal workout with some of his Argonauts teammates at the University of Toronto at Mississauga after being placed on the exempt list by his AFL team, the Grand Rapids Rampage
for the purpose of leaving the team.
Bishop backed up Damon Allen in the Argonaut's Week One loss to the BC Lions
and came into the game in the fourth quarter throwing a touchdown to Michael Palmer and having another touchdown to Andre Talbot
called back due to a penalty
. Bishop's performance and Allen's struggles led to Bishop being named the Week Two starter against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
on July 7, 2007
marking his first start since November, 2005. He threw three touchdown passes to help lead the Argonauts to a 30–5 win over the Tiger-Cats. In a July 12], 2007 game against the Calgary Stampeders
, while enjoying a second straight solid start, Bishop fractured his distal radius while being tackled on a run to the Stampeders' one-yard line and was scheduled to miss 6–8 weeks of the season.
The Argonauts went 0–6 with Bishop out of the lineup, however after his return the Argonauts went 9–1 and finished in first place in the CFL's Eastern Division. He finished the 2007 regular season with 2,920 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Bishop helped lead the Argonauts into the 2007 CFL Eastern Division final where they were defeated 19–9 by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
. He completed under 50% of his passes and while throwing for over 300 passing yards, he also failed to connect on multiple passes in crunch time. He went 11–1 as a starter in the regular season.
Before the start of the 2008 season
, The Argonauts acquired the reigning CFL Most Outstanding Player
, Kerry Joseph, from the Saskatchewan Roughriders
. This was a surprise considering Bishop's record as a starter the previous season. Despite the perceived quarterback controversy, the Argonauts started the season with both quarterbacks. While Bishop did get some playing time, Joseph played the majority of the games.
On August 23, 2008 Bishop was traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders for a conditional draft-pick. He was immediately named the starter and won his first game for the team, against the Blue Bombers. He also won his second game with a fourth quarter rally, where the Roughriders scored 20 unanswered points to defeat the Blue Bombers. Bishop was named the CFL's Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in the Winnipeg comeback. In the 2008 West Semifinal game against the BC Lions, he threw three interceptions and fumbled twice.
On November 10, 2008, it was reported in the Regina Leader Post that the Roughriders had placed Bishop on waivers, leaving to doubt about his future in Saskatchewan. Roughriders head coach Ken Miller confirmed that he and General Manager
Eric Tillman had met on November 9 and agreed to release Bishop. Miller himself informed Bishop of the decision the next evening.
On July 26, 2009, Bishop was signed by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
and returned to the Canadian Football League. In his first game back in the CFL as a starting quarterback, he led the Blue Bombers to a 13–12 victory completing 16 of his 30 pass attempts for 213 yards, including 1 touchdown and 1 interception.
On February 23, 2010, Bishop was released by the Blue Bombers.
After second-stringer Drew Tate
was injured in a preseason game, the Calgary Stampeders
signed Bishop as a backup for incumbent starter Henry Burris
. Bishop was officially signed on June 29, 2011. Once Tate was healthy enough to return, Bishop was released after five games on August 3, 2011.
On September 27, 2011, Bishop was signed by the Blue Bombers.
and once to the Abilene Ruff Riders. He was traded to a team in the SIFL for the rest of the Indoor Football summer season.
and was their starting QB. The Hurricanes went 0–3 with Bishop behind center and 0–4 when he was on the roster, losing to the Louisiana Swashbucklers
, Houma Conquerors
and Austin Turfcats
.
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
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 on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
Practice Squad. He was drafted in the seventh round (227th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft
1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 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 17-18, 1999...
by 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...
.
Bishop was a member of the CFL's Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
from 2002 to 2008. He also previously played with 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...
's 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...
during the 2000
2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
season and also played in the Arena Football League, most recently with the Grand Rapids Rampage
Grand Rapids Rampage
The Grand Rapids Rampage was an Arena Football League team that began playing as a 1998 expansion team. They were coached by Steve Thonn.-History:...
. He was also one of the best college
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...
quarterbacks in the country during his career at Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats football
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...
, beating out UCLA's
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
Cade McNown
Cade McNown
Cade B. McNown is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League...
for the 1998
1998 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season was the first of the Bowl Championship Series, which saw Tennessee win the national championship, one year after star quarterback Peyton Manning left for the NFL...
Davey O'Brien Award
Davey O'Brien Award
The Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. The...
. Academy Award winning actor Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx
Eric Marlon Bishop , professionally known as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, singer-songwriter, stand-up comedian, and talk radio host. As an actor, his work in the film Ray earned him the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Actor as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a...
(Eric Bishop) is Michael Bishop's first cousin.
High school career
Bishop was an outstanding 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....
and baseball player at Willis High School in Willis, Texas
Willis, Texas
Willis is a city in Montgomery County, Texas, United States, located on the Missouri Pacific Railroad eight miles north of Conroe in north central Montgomery County.-Geography:Willis is located at ....
. A two-year starter who averaged 221.2 yards-per-game passing as a senior
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
, he was an All-Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Texas
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The county was created by an act of the Congress of the Republic of Texas on December 14, 1837. The county was named for the town of Montgomery, Texas. In 2000, its...
, all-city and all-state selection in football. In baseball, he was drafted by the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
in the 28th round of the 1995 Major League Baseball Draft.
Blinn Junior College
Bishop initially attended Blinn Junior CollegeBlinn College
Blinn College is a two-year academic institution based in Brenham, Texas with campuses in Brenham, Bryan, Schulenburg, and Sealy. While the Brenham campus is Blinn's main campus, more than 70% of students attend the Bryan campus....
in Brenham, Texas
Brenham, Texas
Brenham is a city in east-central Texas in Washington County, Texas, United States, with a population of 16,147 according to the 2009 census. It is the county seat of Washington County...
where as a freshman, he led the Buccaneers to a 12–0 record and the NJCAA National Championship. He rushed for 387 yards including three scores and passed for 1,712 yards and 18 touchdowns. His sophomore year, he once again led Blinn to a 12–0 record and an NJCAA National Championship. He was voted honorable mention All-Conference and controlled an offense which recorded 3,086 yards rushing, including 47 touchdowns and scored a total of 438 points (36.5 avg. per game). He passed for 972 yards and nine touchdowns, and rushed for 265 yards and four scores. After his two years at Blinn, he played baseball for one season at Independence Community College
Independence Community College
Independence Community College is a community college in Independence, Kansas, United States. It is located between Tulsa, Kansas City, Wichita, Kansas and Joplin, Missouri and was formerly known as Independence Community Junior College....
in Independence, Kansas
Independence, Kansas
Independence is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 9,483.-Geography:...
in the spring of 1997.
Kansas State
He was heavily recruited by a number of Division I programs as a defensive backDefensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
, but decided upon Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
, as 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...
Bill Snyder
Bill Snyder
Bill Snyder is the head football coach at Kansas State University. He was rehired to the position on November 24, 2008, making Snyder one of the rare college football head coaches to have non-consecutive tenure at the same school. Snyder previously served as head coach at the school from 1989 to...
was the only coach to offer Bishop the opportunity to play the quarterback position.
In 1997
1997 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season, play of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-A level, began in late summer 1997 and culminated with the major bowl games in early January 1998. The national championship was...
, his first year at Kansas State, Bishop started all 11 regular season games and completed 80-of-185 passes for 1,557 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also rushed for 556 yards and added nine rushing touchdowns. Bishop was voted second-team All-Big 12 Conference
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
by the league’s coaches and Big 12 Newcomer of the year by Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
. During the 1997 season, Kansas State won 11 games including a 1997 Fiesta Bowl
1997 Fiesta Bowl (December)
The 1997 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Kansas State Wildcats and the on December 31, 1997, at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Kansas State defeated Syracuse, 35-18...
victory over Syracuse
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
lead by Donovan McNabb
Donovan McNabb
Donovan Jamal McNabb is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback from 1999 to 2009 and spent the 2010 season with the Washington Redskins and a portion of the 2011 season with the Minnesota Vikings. In college, McNabb played...
by a score of 35–18. Kansas State's only loss in the 1997 season came to the eventual national champion Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Nebraska Cornhuskers is the name given to several sports teams of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference...
. The loss was the first of only three in Bishop's collegiate career.
In Bishop's senior year, Kansas State was considered a contender for the 1998 National Championship. That year, he broke school season records with 2,844 yards passing and 23 touchdowns with only four interceptions, He led the team with 14 rushing touchdowns and finished second with 748 yards on 177 attempts. He passed for 440 yards and four touchdowns on 23-of-40 passes vs. Northeast Louisiana, his four touchdown passes tying a school record and his 440 passing yards ranking him second in school history. He passed for 306 yards and a pair of touchdowns and rushed 25 times for 140 yards (5.6 avg.) with two scores and was voted Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week as the Wildcats defeated Nebraska for the first time in 30 years. Bishop led the Wildcats to an undefeated regular season and the Big 12 North title, putting Kansas State in 1st place in the Associated Press poll and 2nd in the Coaches Poll. Just two weeks later, the Wildcats' national championship dreams were put to an end. In the 1998 Big 12 Championship Game
1998 Big 12 Championship Game
The 1998 Big 12 Championship Game was played on December 5, 1998 at The Trans World Dome in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. The game determined the 1998 football champion of the Big 12 Conference. The Texas A&M Aggies, winners of the South division of the Big 12, narrowly beat the Kansas...
on December 5, 1998
1998 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season was the first of the Bowl Championship Series, which saw Tennessee win the national championship, one year after star quarterback Peyton Manning left for the NFL...
, Kansas State lost in double overtime to No. 10 Texas A&M
Texas A&M Aggies
Texas A&M Aggies refers to the students, graduates, and sports teams of Texas A&M University. The nickname "Aggie" is common at land-grant or "Ag" schools in many states. The teams compete in Division I of NCAA sports...
team 36–33. Bishop ran for one touchdown in the game and threw for two more scores.
Bishop started in all 25 games (including bowl games) during his two seasons at Kansas State and posted a 22–3 (.880) record. He received 792 votes, including 41 first place votes, but finished second in the 1998 Heisman Trophy
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...
voting to Ricky Williams
Ricky Williams
Errick Lynne "Ricky" Williams, Jr. is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints fifth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft...
. He finished his Wildcat career fourth on the all-time passing list with 4,401 yards and broke Chad May’s career record with 36 touchdown passes despite playing only two seasons. He ranks second only behind Lynn Dickey
Lynn Dickey
Clifford Lynn Dickey is a retired National Football League quarterback, who played for the Houston Oilers and the Green Bay Packers in the 1970s and 1980s.-High school:...
in Kansas State history with 5,715 yards of total offense. Also established a Kansas State record with 59 total touchdowns (rushing and passing). After his senior season, he was voted a consensus All-American and All-Big 12 Conference selection and was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.
The Wildcats finished ranked third in the BCS, and lost in the Alamo Bowl to Purdue, 37–34.
National Football League career
Bishop was selected by the New England PatriotsNew 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...
in the seventh round (227th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft
1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 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 17-18, 1999...
. However, he was inactive for all but one game. It was not until the 2000
2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
season that he played in his first ever professional game. During that season, he saw only limited playing time, passing nine times with just three completions. During a game against the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
he threw a 44-yard Hail Mary
Hail Mary pass
A Hail Mary pass or Hail Mary route in American football refers to any very long forward pass made in desperation with only a small chance of success, especially at or near the end of a half....
touchdown at the end of the first half in his first career attempt. Afterwards, several Patriots fans, upset with the poor play of starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe
Drew Bledsoe
Drew McQueen Bledsoe is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, best known as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots from 1993-2001. During the 1990s, he was considered the face of the Patriots franchise...
throughout the season, demanded that coach Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick
William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
name Bishop the starter, though this never happened.
In 2001
2001 NFL season
The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day...
, Bishop played 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...
of NFL Europe. He started six games for the Galaxy, and completed 76-of-153 passes for 1,090 yards, including 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also gained 244 yards on 35 carries (7.0 avg.) and scored one rushing touchdown. Bishop was released by the Patriots in August, 2001. He was then signed by the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
but was cut before the regular season.
Arena Football League career
In his first AFL season in 20042004 Arena Football League season
The 2004 Arena Football League season was the 18th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the San Jose SaberCats, who defeated the Arizona Rattlers in ArenaBowl XVIII...
, Bishop seldom saw any playing time with the Grand Rapids Rampage
Grand Rapids Rampage
The Grand Rapids Rampage was an Arena Football League team that began playing as a 1998 expansion team. They were coached by Steve Thonn.-History:...
, playing in only five games. In 2005
2005 Arena Football League season
The 2005 Arena Football League season was the 19th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Colorado Crush, who defeated the Georgia Force in ArenaBowl XIX. The AFL changed its playoff format to allow the top four teams per conference to make the playoffs. Previously, the...
, he started in 15 games for the Rampage and led the league in rushing
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
yards, rushing attempts, yards-per-rush, and rushing touchdowns. He also set a record for most rushing yards in a single game on February 5, 2005 against the Colorado Crush
Colorado Crush
Colorado Crush were an Arena Football League team that began play as a 2003 expansion team. The Crush played in the Central Division of the American Conference until the Arena Football League suspended operations in 2009...
by becoming the first player to ever rush for 100 yards in an AFL game. In addition to this record, he also holds the AFL record for most rushing yards in a season with 459. Because of his rushing statistics as a quarterback combined with his strong arm, comparisons between him and NFL quarterback Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
were made. Some fans and sports writers have labeled him the "Michael Vick of the AFL".
In 2006
2006 Arena Football League season
The 2006 Arena Football League season was the 20th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Chicago Rush, who defeated the Orlando Predators in ArenaBowl XX....
, Bishop signed with the Chicago Rush
Chicago Rush
The Chicago Rush is an arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. It is a member of the Central Division of the National Conference of the Arena Football League. The team was founded in 2001 and is co-owned by Mike Ditka, the Hall of Fame player and coach.The Rush have qualified for the...
. Despite the buzz he created in 2005, he was relegated to sharing the backup quarterback role behind Matt D'Orazio
Matt D'Orazio
Matthew Louis D’Orazio is a professional American football quarterback Free Agent. He played college football at Otterbein College....
with Asad Abdul-Khaliq
Asad Abdul-Khaliq
Asad Tajmmal Abdul-Khaliq is an American arena football quarterback, who is currently a free agent. He was the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team from 2000 to 2003...
. Bishop received very little playing time since joining the Rush in 2006, though some of that was a result of a leave of absence he took from the team due to the passing of his mother. The Rush went on to win ArenaBowl XX
ArenaBowl XX
ArenaBowl XX, held on Sunday, June 11, 2006, was played to determine the championship of the 2006 season of the Arena Football League. For the second consecutive year, the game was played at the neutral site of the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It pitted the National Conference...
that season.
On October 31, 2006, Bishop signed with the Kansas City Brigade
Kansas City Brigade
The Kansas City Command is a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. The team was founded before the 2006 season. Former Kansas City Chiefs Strong safety Kevin Porter served as head coach...
. However, on March 13, 2007, he was traded to the Rampage, marking his second stint with the team since 2005. On May 15, 2007, he was placed on the Rampage's reserve list under the "left squad" category. This move was done to clear the way for his return to the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
.
Canadian Football League career
In 20022002 CFL season
The 2002 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 49th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 45th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2002:...
, Bishop was traded from the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
(who owned his CFL rights) to the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
along with two 2002 late round draft picks for Michel Dupuis, a 2003 First-round CFL draft
Canadian College Draft
The Canadian College Draft is an annual sports draft in which the teams of the Canadian Football League select eligible Canadian/non-import players, typically from the ranks of CIS football or NCAA college football...
pick, and a conditional 2003 CFL draft pick. He had some brief stints as a starting quarterback with the Argonauts, but was predominantly a backup. Between 2002–2005, he completed 206-of-446 passes for 3,192 yards, 17 touchdowns and 32 interceptions for a quarterback rating of 53.2. He also rushed for 768 yards and seven touchdowns.
In 2003
2003 CFL season
The 2003 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 50th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 46th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2003:...
, Bishop was put in with just seconds left in a playoff game against the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
. Since the Argonauts were not within field goal range, he was to throw a Hail Mary pass in hope of a miracle. He did not receive his miracle but, he was seen throwing the ball approximately 70 yards down the field, thus showing he has one of the stronger arms in professional football.
With his propensity for throwing more interceptions than touchdown passes and an inclination to run with the football, Bishop's quarterback intelligence came into question by many CFL fans. Despite the criticism, he performed satisfactorily while Damon Allen
Damon Allen
Damon Allen is a former professional quarterback in the Canadian Football League, most recently with the Toronto Argonauts. He is currently second in all-time professional football passing yards and second in all-time CFL passing yards after he was surpassed for first place by the Montréal...
was injured during the 2004
2004 CFL season
The 2004 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 51st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 47th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2004:...
season and helped the Argonauts win the 92nd Grey Cup
92nd Grey Cup
The 92nd Grey Cup game took place on November 21, 2004, at Frank Clair Stadium in Ottawa, Ontario. The game decided the championship of the 2004 Canadian Football League season...
championship that season.
On April 21, 2006, the Argonauts released Bishop only to re-acquire him four months later on August 11, more than halfway into the season. During that season, the bulk of his playing time involved being inserted into the game exclusively during short yardage situations. During the 2006 East Division
Canadian Football League East Division
The East Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the East Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues.- Pre-1907 :...
semi-final, however, he came in to replace Allen late in the fourth quarter and threw two touchdown passes to Arland Bruce III
Arland Bruce III
Arland Richard Bruce III is a Canadian football wide receiver for the BC Lions in the Canadian Football League. In July 2011, Bruce declared his intention to change his name to "Runako Reth".- High School career :...
and R. Jay Soward
R. Jay Soward
Rodney Jay Soward is a football player who currently plays for the IFL's Wenatchee Valley Venom as a wide receiver.-College career:...
, sending the Argonauts to the East Division Final.
In the 2006 Eastern Final
2006 CFL season
-2006 Rogers CFL Awards:* CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Geroy Simon , BC Lions* CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Brent Johnson , BC Lions* CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Brent Johnson , BC Lions...
against the Alouettes, Bishop again found himself replacing Damon Allen in the third quarter. Down 23–3, Bishop threw touchdown passes to Arland Bruce III and Michael Palmer, and was able to guide the Argonauts to within a touchdown of a comeback, however they fell short, losing 33–24. Bishop's play in the playoffs has led some to believe that he may have finally turned the corner in his CFL career.
During the offseason, it was learned that the Arena Football League's schedule had been shifted later into the year, thereby creating an overlap of the AFL's post-season with the CFL's training camp period. With Bishop signed to an AFL team, there were concerns throughout the CFL's offseason about whether or not he would report to the Argonauts' 2007 training camp. However on May 14, 2007, he returned to Toronto and participated in an informal workout with some of his Argonauts teammates at the University of Toronto at Mississauga after being placed on the exempt list by his AFL team, the Grand Rapids Rampage
Grand Rapids Rampage
The Grand Rapids Rampage was an Arena Football League team that began playing as a 1998 expansion team. They were coached by Steve Thonn.-History:...
for the purpose of leaving the team.
Bishop backed up Damon Allen in the Argonaut's Week One loss to the BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
and came into the game in the fourth quarter throwing a touchdown to Michael Palmer and having another touchdown to Andre Talbot
Andre Talbot
Andre Talbot is a retired professional wide receiver and slotback who played gridiron football in the Canadian Football League...
called back due to a penalty
Penalty (American football)
In American football and Canadian football, a penalty is a sanction called against a team for a violation of the rules, called a foul. Officials initially signal penalties by tossing a bright yellow or orange colored "penalty flag" onto the field toward or at the spot of a foul...
. Bishop's performance and Allen's struggles led to Bishop being named the Week Two starter against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
on July 7, 2007
2007 CFL season
The 2007 CFL season was the 54th season of modern Canadian professional football. Officially, it was the 50th season of the league, and many special events were held to commemorate the event. Regular-season play began on June 28, 2007 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario and concluded on...
marking his first start since November, 2005. He threw three touchdown passes to help lead the Argonauts to a 30–5 win over the Tiger-Cats. In a July 12], 2007 game against the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
, while enjoying a second straight solid start, Bishop fractured his distal radius while being tackled on a run to the Stampeders' one-yard line and was scheduled to miss 6–8 weeks of the season.
The Argonauts went 0–6 with Bishop out of the lineup, however after his return the Argonauts went 9–1 and finished in first place in the CFL's Eastern Division. He finished the 2007 regular season with 2,920 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Bishop helped lead the Argonauts into the 2007 CFL Eastern Division final where they were defeated 19–9 by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
. He completed under 50% of his passes and while throwing for over 300 passing yards, he also failed to connect on multiple passes in crunch time. He went 11–1 as a starter in the regular season.
Before the start of the 2008 season
2008 CFL season
The 2008 CFL season was the 55th season of modern Canadian professional football. Officially, it was the 51st season for the league. It was also the first CFL season in which all of the league's regular season and post-season games, including the Grey Cup game, were aired on TSN. This meant the CFL...
, The Argonauts acquired the reigning CFL Most Outstanding Player
CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award
The Most Outstanding Player Award is annually awarded to the best player in the Canadian Football League. The Most Outstanding Player award can be compared to the National Football League's Most Valuable Player, otherwise known as the "MVP" award...
, Kerry Joseph, from the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
. This was a surprise considering Bishop's record as a starter the previous season. Despite the perceived quarterback controversy, the Argonauts started the season with both quarterbacks. While Bishop did get some playing time, Joseph played the majority of the games.
On August 23, 2008 Bishop was traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders for a conditional draft-pick. He was immediately named the starter and won his first game for the team, against the Blue Bombers. He also won his second game with a fourth quarter rally, where the Roughriders scored 20 unanswered points to defeat the Blue Bombers. Bishop was named the CFL's Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in the Winnipeg comeback. In the 2008 West Semifinal game against the BC Lions, he threw three interceptions and fumbled twice.
On November 10, 2008, it was reported in the Regina Leader Post that the Roughriders had placed Bishop on waivers, leaving to doubt about his future in Saskatchewan. Roughriders head coach Ken Miller confirmed that he and General Manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
Eric Tillman had met on November 9 and agreed to release Bishop. Miller himself informed Bishop of the decision the next evening.
On July 26, 2009, Bishop was signed by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
and returned to the Canadian Football League. In his first game back in the CFL as a starting quarterback, he led the Blue Bombers to a 13–12 victory completing 16 of his 30 pass attempts for 213 yards, including 1 touchdown and 1 interception.
On February 23, 2010, Bishop was released by the Blue Bombers.
After second-stringer Drew Tate
Drew Tate
Drew Tate is a professional American and Canadian football quarterback for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Iowa....
was injured in a preseason game, the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
signed Bishop as a backup for incumbent starter Henry Burris
Henry Burris
Henry Burris, Jr. is a professional Canadian and former American football player. Burris plays the quarterback position with the Canadian Football League Calgary Stampeders. Burris spent one year as a reserve quarterback for the National Football League's Chicago Bears...
. Bishop was officially signed on June 29, 2011. Once Tate was healthy enough to return, Bishop was released after five games on August 3, 2011.
On September 27, 2011, Bishop was signed by the Blue Bombers.
IFL career
Bishop played for the Corpus Christi Hammerheads and was their starting QB. The Hammerheads went 1–3 with Bishop behind center losing to the El Paso GeneralsEl Paso Generals
The El Paso Generals was a professional indoor football team that played in the Indoor Football League in the 2009 season. Based in El Paso, Texas, the Generals played their home games at the El Paso County Coliseum...
and once to the Abilene Ruff Riders. He was traded to a team in the SIFL for the rest of the Indoor Football summer season.
SIFL career
Bishop also played for the Texas Hurricanes in the Southern Indoor Football LeagueSouthern Indoor Football League
The Southern Indoor Football League was an indoor football league based in the Southern and Eastern United States. The most recent incarnation of the league was a consolidation of an earlier league of the same name that was formed by Thom Hager along with Dan Blum, Robert Winfrey and Dan Ryan in...
and was their starting QB. The Hurricanes went 0–3 with Bishop behind center and 0–4 when he was on the roster, losing to the Louisiana Swashbucklers
Louisiana Swashbucklers
The Louisiana Swashbucklers is a professional indoor football team formed in 2005 as an expansion member of the National Indoor Football League as the Southwest Louisiana Swashbucklers. In 2006, they moved to the Intense Football League and shortened their name to Louisiana Swashbucklers...
, Houma Conquerors
Houma Conquerors
The Houma Conquerors are a professional indoor football team and a charter member of the Southern Indoor Football League . Based in Houma, Louisiana, the Conquerors played their home games at the Houma Terrebonne Civic Center. This was Houma's second attempt at an indoor football team following...
and Austin Turfcats
Austin Turfcats
The Austin Turfcats were a professional indoor football team that was a member of the Indoor Football League during the 2010 season, after being a charter member of the Southern Indoor Football League for the SIFL's inaugural 2009 season. Based in Texas' capital city of Austin, the Turfcats played...
.