Rex Daniel Grossman, III (born August 23, 1980) is an
American footballAmerican 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...
quarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the
Washington RedskinsThe 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,...
of the
National Football LeagueThe 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...
(NFL). Grossman played
college footballCollege 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...
for the
University of FloridaThe University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, and thereafter, he has played professionally for the
Chicago BearsThe 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...
,
Houston TexansThe 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...
and
Washington RedskinsThe 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,...
of the NFL. His nickname is "Sexy Rexy".
As a college quarterback, Grossman led the
Florida GatorsThe Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
to the 2000
Southeastern ConferenceThe Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC) Championship, the
2001 Sugar BowlThe 2001 Sugar Bowl a 2000–2001 BCS game was played on January 2, 2001. This 67th edition to the Sugar Bowl featured the Florida Gators, and the , in an in-state rivalry game...
, the
2002 Orange BowlThe 2002 FedEx Orange Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Florida Gators and the ACC champion Maryland Terrapins on January 2, 2002. Florida routed Maryland 56-23. The game was part of the 2001-2002 Bowl Championship Series of the 2001 NCAA Division I-A football...
and the
2003 Outback BowlThe 2003 Outback Bowl was a college football bowl game held on January 1, 2003 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The Michigan Wolverines, third place finishers in the Big Ten Conference, defeated the Florida Gators, who finished second the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference,...
. He was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American and was the runner-up for the
Heisman TrophyThe 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...
in 2001.
Grossman was the first-round draft choice of the Chicago Bears in the
2003 NFL DraftThe 2003 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 was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
, but spent most of his first three seasons sidelined with injuries. He completed his first full NFL season in
2006The 2006 Chicago Bears season was their 87th regular season and 25th post-season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 13-3 regular season record, the best in the NFC, improving on their previous year’s record of 11-5...
, leading the Bears to a National Football Conference Championship and a
Super BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
berth. He lost his starting job three weeks into the 2007 season, and primarily served as the team's backup quarterback afterward. Grossman spent a year as a back-up quarterback for the Houston Texans in 2009, before becoming the Washington Redskins' starting quarterback in the final three games of the 2010 season.
Early life
Rex Grossman was born in
Bloomington, IndianaBloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
in 1980, the son of Daniel and Maureen Grossman. Under the motivation and guidance of his father, he began playing football at an early age in grade school. He originally started his football career as a running back. Despite Grossman's success running the ball, his mother asked his coach to convert him to a quarterback while he was in the sixth grade.
Grossman attended
Bloomington High School SouthBloomington High School South is a high school in Bloomington, Indiana. The school currently uses a schedule consisting of three 12-week trimesters. Each class period is 65 minutes, with a 45-minute SRT period on Mondays, 45-minute Panther Plus Periods on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday...
, where he played
high school footballHigh 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 Bloomington South Panthers. In three seasons as the Panthers' quarterback, he threw for 7,518 yards and ninety-seven touchdowns. Grossman threw for 3,080 yards and forty-four touchdowns as a senior in 1998, including a game where he threw six touchdowns. His senior season reached its climax when he led the Panthers to a 35–14 victory over the
Homestead High SchoolHomestead Senior High School, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States, is a public 4-year high school with a comprehensive intake of over 2,000 students. Homestead's school year consists of two 18-week semesters. Students are enrolled in seven 47-minute periods. Homestead is a class 5A high school...
Spartans in the Indiana Class 5A state championship game. Grossman completed seventeen of twenty-six pass attempts for 216 yards and five touchdowns, setting an Indiana record for the most touchdowns thrown in a championship game.
Grossman was recognized as the 1998 Indiana Player of the Year by
USA TodayUSA 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...
, was ranked among the top fifteen players in the nation by the National Recruiting Advisor, and
ParadeParade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
magazine named him to its high school
All-AmericaAn All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
team. He received state-wide honors when he was named
Indiana's Mr. FootballThe Indiana Mr. Football Award is an honor given to the top high school football player in the state of Indiana.-Award winners:Professional teams listed are teams known.-External links:*...
later that year. Bloomington High School South retired his jersey in the summer of 2007 to commemorate his success during the Chicago Bears 2006 season.
College career
Grossman accepted an
athletic scholarshipAn athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to attend the University of Florida in
Gainesville, FloridaGainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he played for coach
Steve SpurrierStephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
and coach
Ron ZookRon Zook is a former American football coach and former player. He served as the head football coach at the University of Florida from 2002 to 2004 and at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 2005 to 2011. Zook is a native of Ohio and an alumnus of Miami University, where he...
's
Florida Gators footballThe Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
teams from 1999 to
2002The 2002 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2002 college football season...
. After redshirting his freshman year in 1999, Grossman competed for playing time with returning starter
Jesse PalmerJesse James Palmer is a Canadian-born sports commentator and former college and professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League for four seasons in the early 2000s...
and the top high school recruit in the country
Brock BerlinBrock Berlin is a former American college and professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League . He played college football for the university of Florida and the University of Miami. Berlin was signed by the Miami Dolphins of the NFL as an undrafted free agent...
, in
2000September 30, 2000The Florida Gators came into Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi ranked third in the nation. The unranked Mississippi State Bulldogs ran for 351 yards, 172 yards and a touchdown for Dicenzo Miller, and 156 yards and a touchdown for Dontae Walker. Bulldogs quarterback...
. Rex Grossman started his first game as a Florida Gator on October 7, 2000 against LSU. Grossman had gotten the opportunity to start after going 13-16 for 232 yards and 2 touchdowns against Mississippi State the week before in the Gators’ only SEC conference loss of the season. Grossman solidified his position as Florida’s starting quarterback during the next two games by throwing for over 500 yards, 8 touchdowns and no interceptions in lopsided wins over LSU and Auburn. He lead the Gators to the SEC championship and was named
Most Valuable PlayerIn 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...
of the championship game. For the season, Grossman completed 61.8% of his passes, 1866 yards, 21 touchdowns, 7 interceptions. His passing efficiency of 161.8 was third best in the NCAA.
Grossman passed for over 300 yards in nine consecutive games during his sophomore seasons. He led the nation in passing efficiency, passing completion percentage and yards per attempt. A consensus All-American, Grossman was voted the AP Player of the Year and came in second in the Heisman voting. At the time his 55 touchdown passes through his sophomore season were the most in NCAA history. On October 6, 2001 Grossman passed for 464 yards and five touchdowns as #2 Florida defeated #18 LSU 44-10. In a 2006 interview with the
Chicago TribuneThe Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, Grossman cited the victory as his most memorable game as a Gator. He finished second to University of Nebraska quarterback
Eric CrouchEric Eugene Crouch is an American quarterback for the Omaha Nighthawks. He also is a TV sports analyst and recreational equipment vendor....
in one of the closest votes in Heisman Trophy history, losing by only 62 votes. He also earned accolades as a consensus first-team All-American, the AP National Player-of-the-Year, and finalist for other awards, including the Walter Camp National Player-of-the-Year Award, the Maxwell College Player-of-the-Year Award, and the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback-of-the-Year Award. He ended his sophomore season with a 56–23 victory over the
Maryland TerrapinsThe Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
in the 2002 Orange Bowl.
As a junior
team captainIn team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
in 2002, Grossman played in the famed "Slingin' in the Rain" game against
University of TennesseeThe University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
, where he threw 22 completions in 32 attempts, for 3 touchdowns en route to a 30-13 victory over the Vols. Grossman led the Gators to the 2003
Outback BowlThe Outback Bowl is an annual New Year's Day college football bowl game played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The event was originally called the Hall of Fame Bowl from 1986 to 1994 until being renamed in 1995 for its new title sponsor, Outback Steakhouse...
, where they lost to the
Michigan WolverinesThe Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
38–30 despite his completing 21 of 41 passes for 323 yards and two touchdowns. After the season was over, Grossman decided to forego his final year of college eligibility and declared for the
NFL DraftThe National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
.
In his three-season college career, Grossman threw for 9,164 yards and seventy-seven touchdowns. He earned a 146.77 passer rating, becoming the third most efficient passer in the Southeastern Conference's history. Notably, he was twice chosen by his teammates as the Gators' most valuable player, in 2000 and 2001.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears selected Grossman during the first round of the
2003 NFL DraftThe 2003 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 was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
, and he played for the Bears from to . Under the leadership of coach
Dick JauronRichard Manuel Jauron is the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was the head coach for the Buffalo Bills from 2006 until November 2009. Jauron has previously held head coaching positions with the Chicago Bears and, on an interim basis, with the...
, Grossman was sidelined as a rookie in favor of veteran quarterbacks
Chris ChandlerChristopher Mark Chandler is a retired American football player, who played as a quarterback in the National Football League for 17 seasons. He is known for leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-2 season in 1998, followed up with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII.-Early years:Chris Chandler was...
and
Kordell StewartKordell Stewart, nicknamed "Slash" , is a former American NFL quarterback. Stewart attended the University of Colorado and was drafted 60th in the 1995 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers...
. Grossman only saw playing time during the later portion of the season after the Bears had been eliminated from playoff contention. His season ended when he was forced to leave the final game with a broken finger. Prior to the start of the
2004 NFL seasonThe 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
, the Bears fired Jauron and hired
Lovie SmithLovie Lee Smith is the head coach of the Chicago Bears professional football team of the NFL. Smith has been to the Super Bowl twice, as the defensive coordinator for the 2001 Saint Louis Rams and as the head coach for the Chicago Bears in 2006....
, who declared Grossman the team's starting quarterback. Grossman was criticized when he threw a game-ending interception against the Detroit Lions on opening day. Criticism of his durability intensified when he damaged his knee ligaments while scrambling for a touchdown against the
Minnesota VikingsThe 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...
. The injury forced Grossman to spend the remainder of the season recuperating.
Grossman missed most of the
2005 seasonThe 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...
after breaking his ankle in a preseason game. On December 18, 2005, Grossman returned to the field, leading the Bears to a 16–3 victory over the
Atlanta FalconsThe 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...
. In the following game against the
Green Bay PackersThe 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...
, he completed eleven of sixteen passes for 166 yards for a touchdown and one interception in a 24–17 victory. Grossman’s victory enabled the Bears to clinch a playoff berth and the
National Football ConferenceThe National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
's second playoff seed. In his first playoff game, Grossman struggled to anchor the Bears’ offense, completing 17 of 41 passes for 192 yards for one touchdown and an interception in a 29–21 loss against the
Carolina PanthersThe 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...
.
During the
2006 Chicago Bears seasonThe 2006 Chicago Bears season was their 87th regular season and 25th post-season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 13-3 regular season record, the best in the NFC, improving on their previous year’s record of 11-5...
, Grossman became the first Bears quarterback to start all sixteen games since
Erik KramerWilliam Erik Kramer , is a former American football quarterback. He attended John Burroughs High School in Burbank, CA. After attending Los Angeles Pierce College and playing as their quarterback, Kramer transferred to North Carolina State University where he finished a successful college football...
in
1995The 1995 Chicago Bears season was their 76th regular season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 9-7 record under head coach Dave Wannstedt. It was the club's second straight 9-7 season, but failed to make the playoffs due to a tiebreaker loss to the Atlanta...
. In a season dubbed as a
"roller coaster ride" by Grossman himself, the fourth-year quarterback had several productive performances, which were seemingly diluted by a handful of turnover-ridden games. While earning a passer rating of at least 100 in seven games, he earned a sub 50 rating in five games during the latter portion of the season. Grossman, who was named as the “NFC Offensive Player of the Month” in September, concluded the season’s final month with a 64.4 passer rating, including a zero rating during the season’s finale game against the Packers. Grossman’s work ethic drew criticism, when he admitted that he was not adequately prepared to play, and later claimed the game to be "meaningless." After noticing that his words had been misinterpreted, he rationalized his statement days later. His inconsistent performance drew criticism, and calls for Smith to bench Grossman in favor of the veteran
Brian GrieseBrian David Griese is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played high school football at Christopher Columbus High School and later college football at Michigan....
.
Nevertheless, Smith, who supported Grossman throughout the season, declared that Grossman would remain the Bears’ starting quarterback throughout the playoffs, causing much skepticism within the Chicago area. He temporarily silenced his critics by leading the Bears to a 27–24 victory over the
Seattle SeahawksThe 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...
, completing 21 of 38 passes for 282 yards and one interception, fumble, and touchdown. The following week, he led the Bears to 39–14 victory over the
New Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, which allowed the Bears to claim the NFC Championship and advance to
Super Bowl XLISuper Bowl XLI was an American football game that featured the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion Chicago Bears to decide the National Football League champion for the 2006 season...
. In the Super Bowl, Grossman completed 20 of 28 passes, including a one-yard touchdown pass. However, in this game he threw two interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown, and fumbled twice due to miscues between him and center
Olin KreutzOlin George Kreutz is an American football center who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football for Washington.Kreutz has also played for the New Orleans Saints....
. Despite additional criticism from his detractors, Grossman received the
Ed Block Courage AwardThe Ed Block Courage Award is an annual award presented to selected players in the National Football League , who are voted by their teammates as role models of inspiration, sportsmanship, and courage. Named in memory of Ed Block, a well-liked humanitarian and trainer for the Baltimore Colts, the...
after the season ended. The award is given to one player from every team who exemplifies commitments to the principles of sportsmanship and courage, and is believed to be positive role models to their community.
Before the 2007 season, Grossman vowed that he would improve his performance by simply
“protecting the ball." Smith named him as the team’s starting quarterback for the 2007 season, despite inconsistent and lackluster play throughout the preseason. Grossman struggled in his first three outings of the season, and committed ten turnovers with a 45.2 passer rating. After week three, several news sources reported that Smith demoted him in favor of
Brian GrieseBrian David Griese is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played high school football at Christopher Columbus High School and later college football at Michigan....
. The official announcement came the next day, when Smith announced that Griese would start in the team's next game. On November 11, 2007, Grossman reclaimed his first-string role after a shoulder injury sidelined Griese. Though Grossman only played for roughly one half, he led the Bears to a 17–6 victory over the
Oakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
with a 59-yard touchdown pass to
Bernard BerrianBernard Berrian is a free agent American football wide receiver who last played for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
. After reclaiming his starting role, Grossman threw three touchdowns and one interception over the course of three and a half games. He sustained a knee injury during his fifth consecutive start, and was replaced once again by Griese. Grossman was forced to relinquish his starting position to
Kyle OrtonKyle 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...
, who had previously temporarily relieved him after his 2005 preseason injury.
Grossman became an unrestricted free agent after the 2007 season, but said he wished to return to the Bears. Bears general manager
Jerry AngeloJerry Angelo is the General Manager for the National Football League's Chicago Bears. He has held the role since 2001. Prior to joining the Chicago Bears, Angelo spent 14 years overseeing Tampa Bay Buccaneers' scouting department as their Director of Player Personnel...
said,
"We would like to have Rex back in the mix." He added that Grossman will face additional competition if he returns, emphasizing the team’s need for a stable passing game. Smith had also voiced similar opinions. Grossman signed a new one-year contract with the Bears on February 23, 2008. Under terms of the deal, Grossman had a $3 million base salary. The Bears also granted Orton a contract extension and planned to have the two compete for a starting position. On August 18, 2008, after two preseason games, Coach Smith named Orton as the team's starting quarterback for the 2008 season.
Grossman remained the team's back-up quarterback until week nine when he was called to replace Orton who left the game due an ankle injury. Grossman completed nine of nineteen passes for 58 yards, including a touchdown and interception. He also scored the game's winning touchdown on a
quarterback sneakA quarterback sneak is a play in Canadian and American football in which the quarterback, upon taking the center snap, dives ahead while the offensive line surges forward...
. During the course of the game, Grossman was repeatedly jeered by Bears fans. After the game,
Brian UrlacherBrian Keith Urlacher is an American football player for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He attended the University of New Mexico, where he was one of the school's most decorated athletes. In addition to setting multiple university records, Urlacher earned consideration for the...
defended Grossman, commenting,
"We’ve got a quarterback who comes in off the bench and leads us to a victory, and they boo him right out of the gate. Poor guy. Lucky for him he’s resilient and he came back and led us to two scoring drives. But man, it’s tough." Lovie Smith named Grossman the team's starting quarterback for the Bears next contest against the
Tennessee TitansThe Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
. Grossman threw one touchdown and interception, and also scored a one yard rushing touchdown, en route to a 21–14 loss. Grossman received his final snaps of the season in the following week, when he was called to relieve Orton in a 37–3 loss to the
Green Bay PackersThe 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...
.
Houston Texans
Grossman became a free agent on March 1, 2009. Bears Head Coach
Lovie SmithLovie Lee Smith is the head coach of the Chicago Bears professional football team of the NFL. Smith has been to the Super Bowl twice, as the defensive coordinator for the 2001 Saint Louis Rams and as the head coach for the Chicago Bears in 2006....
said that Grossman was not in the team's plans for the
2009 seasonThe 2009 Chicago Bears season is the franchise's 90th season overall in the National Football League. The Bears had looked to improve upon their 9–7 record from 2008 and return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2006 season, but failed to do so for the third consecutive season. The team...
. During the offseason, Grossman worked out with
Cincinnati BengalsThe 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...
in March, but was not offered a contract. UFLaccess.com reported that Grossman would be participating in drills in a United Football League "Pro Day". However, Grossman's agent,
Drew RosenhausDrew Rosenhaus is an American sports agent who represents professional football players. He owns the Miami-based sports agency, Rosenhaus Sports, and is known for using aggressive tactics on behalf of his clients who play in the National Football League.Rosenhaus currently represents approximately...
, denied these claims, stating that "Rex will be playing in the NFL this season. We have not considered any other leagues. He will be on a NFL roster by the start of training camps."
On June 12, Grossman came to terms with the
Houston TexansThe 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...
and signed a one year contract, worth $620,000. Grossman beat out
Dan OrlovskyDaniel John Orlovsky is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. The Detroit Lions drafted Orlovsky in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
during the preseason for the backup quarterback position. Grossman only played in a single game during the 2009 season, temporarily relieving
Matt SchaubMatthew 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:...
in a 23–18 loss to the
Jacksonville JaguarsThe 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...
. He threw nine passes for three completions, 33 yards, and one interception.
Washington Redskins
Grossman signed a one-year contract with the
Washington RedskinsThe 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,...
for the 2010 season on March 17, 2010. Grossman made his first appearance for the Redskins against the
Detroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
on October 31, 2010, but he was sacked and lost a fumble on his first play, which was returned by Lions defensive tackle
Ndamukong SuhNdamukong Suh is an American football defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Lions 2nd overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska....
for a
touchdownA 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:...
.
On December 17, Redskins coach
Mike ShanahanMichael Edward "Mike" Shanahan is the 28th and current head coach of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Shanahan also holds the title of Vice President of Football Operations with the Redskins, giving him full control over player personnel with the team. Shanahan previously...
benched
Donovan McNabbDonovan 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...
in favor of Grossman, who had not been a starter since 2008. The Redskins fell behind the
Dallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
early in the game, but Grossman threw for 322 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions to erase a 20-point deficit. The Cowboys still managed to win the game, 33–30. Grossman won his second start with Washington in a close and important game for the Jaguars in Jacksonville.
On August 2, 2011 Grossman re-signed with the Redskins. At the end of the 2011 pre-season, after a quarterback battle with John Beck, Grossman was chosen to be the opening day starting quarterback of the Redskins. Grossman started the 2011 season with a win against the
New York GiantsThe 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...
, completing 21 of 34 attempts while throwing for 305 yards and two touchdowns. After a poor performance in the beginning of the season, Grossman lost his starting job to John Beck for the week 7 game against the
PanthersThe 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...
.
Playing style
Grossman’s gunslinger attitude is illustrated in his desire to throw long passes, similar to his youth idol,
Brett FavreBrett 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...
. During the 2006 season, Grossman had an above average completion rate when throwing passes worth twenty or more yards, but struggled to complete shorter passes. According to columnist Paul Attner of
Sporting News, this attitude contributed to Grossman's inconsistent play. During Week 12 of the 2006 season, Grossman threw a game-ending interception while attempting a deep pass to
Rashied DavisRashied Khalid Davis is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football at San José State...
. However, during the divisional game in the 2006 playoffs, he threw a 68-yard touchdown pass to Berrian on the opening play of the Bears’ second drive.
Additionally, Grossman’s ability to elude pursuers and
scrambleScramble may refer to:* Scramble , a 1981 arcade game* Scramble , an enemy of the Marvel Comics Canadian superhero team Alpha Flight* Scramble , a 1970 British drama film...
has significantly decreased since his season ending leg injury in 2004. Although he only played three games in 2004, Grossman amassed more rushing yards than he did in sixteen games in 2006. However, he showed his potential to scramble during a game against the
St. Louis RamsThe St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
, after he converted a third and long with a twenty-two yard run. Though the run was the longest of Grossman’s career, it only gave him five net yards for the season at that point.
Family and personal life
Grossman's family has a long football history. His father and grandfather were football players for Indiana University. His grandfather, Rex, also played for the Baltimore Colts (1948–1950) and
Detroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
(1950), playing in 12 games during his career. He resides in Bloomington, Indiana during the offseason with his wife Alison Miska, to whom he has been married since July 9, 2005. Grossman also has a sister and nephew who live in
Lincolnwood, IllinoisLincolnwood is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 12,359 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lincolnwood is located at ....
, and his parents are friends with
Archie ManningElisha Archibald "Archie" Manning III is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League, playing for the New Orleans Saints from 1971 to 1982, then for the Houston Oilers and Minnesota Vikings...
.
Grossman has been a longtime admirer of former Packers and Vikings quarterback,
Brett FavreBrett 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...
and former Bears quarterback
Jim HarbaughJames Joseph "Jim" Harbaugh is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Harbaugh agreed to a five-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers on January 7, 2011. Previously, he was the head coach at...
. Grossman was also an avid
Indianapolis ColtsThe 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 ....
and
Indiana PacersThe Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
fan during his youth. Outside of football, he enjoys playing basketball and watching movies. Additionally, he was a regular guest on
FOX News Chicago’sWFLD, virtual channel 32 , is the Fox owned-and-operated television station, based in Chicago, Illinois; through its parent company News Corporation, the station is owned in a duopoly with area MyNetworkTV affiliate WPWR-TV...
The Final Word, a Sunday night sports show that is co-hosted by former Bears wide receiver
Tom WaddleGregory Thomas Waddle is a former American football wide receiver in the NFL. Waddle is currently a co host of "Waddle and Silvy" on ESPN 1000, as well as co-hosting "The Final Word" on WFLD FOX Chicago. He also appears on Pro Football Weekly and NFL Network. He spent his entire six year career...
. He also appeared on the cover of
Sports Illustrated for Kids' February 2007 issue. The cover featured Grossman with teammates
Devin HesterDevin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football...
and
Tommie HarrisTommie Harris, Jr. is an American football defensive tackle for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma.Harris has also been a member of the Indianapolis Colts...
posing with bears in a museum exhibit.
Grossman has also earned several nicknames over the course of his football career. While at the University of Florida, head coach
Steve SpurrierStephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
dubbed him
“Sexy Rexy." The nickname earned national recognition when teammate
Muhsin MuhammadMuhsin Muhammad II is a retired American football wide receiver who played for the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft...
used the nickname while introducing Grossman during a starting line-up segment on
Monday Night FootballMonday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
. Grossman was also infamously known as "Rex Glassman" and "Wrecks Grossman" due to his injury-prone years. After the mid-point of the 2006 season, commentators and fans would refer to Grossman as either
"Good Rex" or
"Bad Rex" depending on how he performed in a game.
It was reported that Grossman absorbed a $680,000 loss on his September 2008 purchase of a 36th floor condo in the Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago when it sold in January 2010, losing 25% of his initial investment.
On June 28, 2007, Grossman's hometown of
Bloomington, IndianaBloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
declared the day "Rex Grossman Day" for his accomplishments in football and the community. For the past four years, Grossman has held a charity golfing event for the Boys and Girls Club of America, raising over $100,000 for them.
NFL career statistics
The following is a list of Grossman's statistics from his regular and postseason games. Grossman has occasionally recorded notable statistics; among all quarterbacks during the 2006 season, Grossman ranked tenth in number of pass attempts, seventh in touchdowns thrown, and third in interceptions. He completed his first full season with a 73.9 quarterback rating. This was better than quarterback ratings of Favre,
Peyton ManningPeyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
, and
Terry BradshawTerry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
during their first full seasons; many other quarterbacks have performed similarly or better in their first years, including Grossman's former backup
Brian GrieseBrian David Griese is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played high school football at Christopher Columbus High School and later college football at Michigan....
. His twenty-three touchdowns in one season rank Grossman among the best Bears quarterbacks in the franchise’s history. However, his twenty interceptions in one season are among the most thrown by any Bears’ quarterback in almost two decades. The unusual combination ranked Grossman as statistically the most inconsistent quarterback in almost a decade in 2006.
Regular season
|
Passing |
Rushing |
Fumbles |
| Year |
Team |
G |
GS |
Cmp |
Att |
Cmp% |
Yds |
Yds/Att |
Lng |
TD |
Int |
Sck |
Rate |
Att |
Yards |
Avg |
TD |
Fum |
Lost |
| 2003 |
CHI |
3 |
3 |
38 |
72 |
52.8 |
437 |
6.1 |
59 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
74.8 |
3 |
−1 |
−0.3 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
| 2004 |
CHI |
3 |
3 |
47 |
84 |
56.0 |
607 |
7.2 |
40 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
67.9 |
11 |
48 |
4.4 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
| 2005 |
CHI |
2 |
1 |
20 |
39 |
51.3 |
259 |
6.6 |
54 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
59.7 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 2006 |
CHI |
16 |
16 |
262 |
480 |
54.6 |
3,193 |
6.7 |
62 |
23 |
20 |
21 |
73.9 |
24 |
2 |
0.1 |
0 |
8 |
5 |
| 2007 |
CHI |
8 |
7 |
122 |
225 |
54.2 |
1,411 |
6.3 |
59 |
4 |
7 |
25 |
66.4 |
14 |
27 |
1.9 |
0 |
6 |
3 |
| 2008 |
CHI |
4 |
1 |
32 |
62 |
51.6 |
257 |
4.1 |
29 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
59.7 |
3 |
4 |
1.3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
| 2009 |
HOU |
1 |
0 |
3 |
9 |
33.3 |
33 |
3.7 |
21 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
5.6 |
3 |
9 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| 2010 |
WAS |
4 |
3 |
74 |
133 |
55.6 |
884 |
6.6 |
64 |
7 |
4 |
9 |
81.2 |
3 |
6 |
2.0 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
| 2011 |
WAS |
4 |
4 |
83 |
143 |
58 |
983 |
6.92 |
40 |
6 |
5 |
8 |
78.7 |
10 |
3 |
.3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
| Career |
|
45 |
38 |
681 |
1,247 |
54.6 |
8,070 |
6.47 |
64 |
46 |
45 |
70 |
71.8 |
71 |
98 |
1.4 |
3 |
26 |
15 |
Source, Retrieved on January 06, 2010
Postseason
| Year |
Team |
G |
Cmp |
Att |
Cmp% |
Yds |
Yds/Att |
TD |
Int |
Rate |
| 2005 |
CHI |
1 |
17 |
41 |
41.5 |
192 |
4.7 |
1 |
1 |
54.1 |
| 2006 |
CHI |
3 |
52 |
92 |
56.5 |
591 |
6.4 |
3 |
3 |
73.2 |
| Total |
|
4 |
69 |
133 |
51.9 |
783 |
5.9 |
4 |
4 |
67.3 |
See also
External links