Tommy Maddox
Encyclopedia
Thomas "Tommy" Alfred Maddox (born September 2, 1971 in Shreveport, Louisiana
) is a former football
quarterback
in the National Football League
, the XFL
and the Arena Football League. He was drafted
by the Denver Broncos
in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at UCLA.
in Hurst, Texas
, Maddox was a letterwinner
in football
, basketball
, and baseball
. As a senior, he was team captain, and was named the Southwest Texas Offensive Player of the Year, District Most Valuable Player, and the Area Most Valuable Player.
as quarterback at UCLA, where he was well regarded, but was, in opinions of some, ill-advised in attempting to turn professional after his sophomore season.
in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft
. He wore jersey number 8. He was drafted by then Broncos head coach Dan Reeves
. This was viewed as a sign of the coach's troubled relationship with quarterback John Elway
.
and the New York Giants
before being released by the Atlanta Falcons
during the 1997 preseason.
. After being featured on NFL Films
about where his career had gone since being drafted, he had the itch to play again, and joined the New Jersey Red Dogs of the Arena Football League for one season.
of the XFL. Maddox became the starting quarterback for LA during the first week of the season, despite the team using its first pick in the XFL Draft on quarterback Scott Milanovich
. Maddox made an impact in his time in the XFL
. He was the only quarterback of the league to start all 10 regular season games, led the league in passing yards, touchdowns, rushed for 2 touchdowns, and led the Xtreme to the Million Dollar Game
, also known as the "Big Game At The End." The Xtreme defeated the San Francisco Demons
with a score of 38-6. Maddox was named the XFL MVP in 2001. However Tommy Maddox's XFL glory would not last, as the league closed after its only season in 2001.
During his stint in the XFL, Maddox's playing style was noticeably different as well. Considered a more "mobile" quarterback who could scramble during his days at UCLA and in his early NFL days, Maddox's time away from football (combined with his one year in the AFL) made him more of a traditional "pocket passer", as the AFL requires quick passes with a smaller field.
as a backup in 2001. His signing continued a coincidental tradition of having Louisiana
natives at quarterback for the Steelers. Since the AFL-NFL merger
in 1970, the Steelers have had four starting quarterbacks from the state, with Terry Bradshaw
and Maddox both being from Shreveport
, Bubby Brister
being from Monroe
, and Kordell Stewart
being from the New Orleans
suburb of Marrero
.
Early in the 2002 season, Maddox replaced Kordell Stewart at quarterback in a comeback win over the rival
Cleveland Browns
. In 2002 Maddox led the Steelers into the playoffs with a 10-5-1 record. One of Maddox's most memorable games came in the first round of the playoffs when he overcame a 17 point 3rd quarter deficit against the Browns. Maddox delivered a clutch 36-33 win over the Browns at home in the wild card round before a 34-31 loss at the Tennessee Titans
in the second round. He won the ESPN ESPY
for Best Comeback Athlete
and the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award
for his performance during the 2002 season, in which he threw 20 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
In 2003, Maddox had a sub-par year statistically as the Steelers finished at a disappointing 6-10. After the 2003 season, the Steelers drafted a new quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger
, in the first round, to give the position some youth. (Maddox was over a year older than his predecessor, Kordell Stewart.) Roethlisberger was given the starting job after Maddox was injured during a week 2 game against the Ravens, and responded by guiding the Steelers to 14 straight regular season wins and a trip to the AFC Championship game.
Maddox reassumed his starting QB role when Roethlisberger suffered a knee injury early in the 2005 season, but losses in a poor performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars
and the Baltimore Ravens
sent him back to the bench, giving Charlie Batch
the second-string spot. Following the Steelers' win in Super Bowl XL
, Maddox was released from the team for salary cap reasons.
Tommy Maddox is one of three players (along with Bobby Singh
and Ron Carpenter
) to hold both a Super Bowl ring
and XFL championship ring. However, Maddox was among a handful of Steelers players, including linebacker James Harrison, who opted not to attend the ceremony at the White House
honoring their Super Bowl championship.
, Oakland Raiders
and the New England Patriots
, but did not sign a contract. Maddox did sign a contract with the Philadelphia Soul
. However he was eventually waived by the club.
He now resides with his family in Trophy Club, Texas
, a suburb of DFW
, the same city he lived in before playing for the Steelers.
er, and he is the founder of the Tommy Maddox Foundation for disadvantaged children.
Maddox is the founder of Steelers Baseball, a select baseball organization based in Trophy Club Tx.
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
) is a former football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in the 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...
, the XFL
XFL
The XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001. The league was founded by Vince McMahon, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of WWE...
and the Arena Football League. He was drafted
NFL Draft
The 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...
by the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft
1992 NFL Draft
The 1992 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 26–27, 1992. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at UCLA.
Early years
At L. D. Bell High SchoolL. D. Bell High School (Hurst, Texas)
Lawrence Dale Bell High School, more commonly known as L. D. Bell High School, is a public high school in the cities of Hurst and Bedford, Texas and part of the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District. The school is named for Lawrence Dale Bell, the founder of nearby Bell Helicopter...
in Hurst, Texas
Hurst, Texas
Hurst is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States. Hurst is one of the Mid-Cities between Fort Worth and Dallas, but is a suburb of Fort Worth. The city was founded by William Letchworth Hurst...
, Maddox was a letterwinner
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
in football
High 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....
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. As a senior, he was team captain, and was named the Southwest Texas Offensive Player of the Year, District Most Valuable Player, and the Area Most Valuable Player.
College career
Maddox played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
as quarterback at UCLA, where he was well regarded, but was, in opinions of some, ill-advised in attempting to turn professional after his sophomore season.
Denver Broncos
Maddox was drafted by the Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft
1992 NFL Draft
The 1992 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 26–27, 1992. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft...
. He wore jersey number 8. He was drafted by then Broncos head coach Dan Reeves
Dan Reeves
Daniel Edward Reeves is a former American football player and head coach. He has participated in more Super Bowls as player/assistant coach/Head Coach than anyone else...
. This was viewed as a sign of the coach's troubled relationship with quarterback John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
.
Los Angeles Rams, New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons
Maddox also played for the Los Angeles RamsSt. Louis Rams
The 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,...
and the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
before being released by the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
during the 1997 preseason.
New Jersey Red Dogs
After being released from the NFL, Maddox was out of football for a period of time, selling insurance for his father in Houston, TexasHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. After being featured on NFL Films
NFL Films
NFL Films is a Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based company devoted to producing commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries on the National Football League, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows...
about where his career had gone since being drafted, he had the itch to play again, and joined the New Jersey Red Dogs of the Arena Football League for one season.
Los Angeles Xtreme
After his brief stint in the Arena Football League, Tommy was invited to try out for the Los Angeles XtremeLos Angeles Xtreme
The Los Angeles Xtreme was a professional American football team based in Los Angeles, California. The team was a member of the XFL begun by Vince McMahon of World Wrestling Entertainment and by NBC, a major television network in the United States. The team played its home games in the Los Angeles...
of the XFL. Maddox became the starting quarterback for LA during the first week of the season, despite the team using its first pick in the XFL Draft on quarterback Scott Milanovich
Scott Milanovich
Scott Milanovich is a Canadian football coach and former professional quarterback. He is currently the head coach of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.-Early years:...
. Maddox made an impact in his time in the XFL
XFL
The XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001. The league was founded by Vince McMahon, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of WWE...
. He was the only quarterback of the league to start all 10 regular season games, led the league in passing yards, touchdowns, rushed for 2 touchdowns, and led the Xtreme to the Million Dollar Game
Million Dollar Game
The Million Dollar Game was the XFL's championship game at the end of its only season in 2001. At first it had no special name, then was going to be called "The Big Game at the End," but eventually received the name it ended up with because a pot of one million dollars was to be split among the...
, also known as the "Big Game At The End." The Xtreme defeated the San Francisco Demons
San Francisco Demons
The San Francisco Demons were a short-lived springtime American football team based in San Francisco, California. This team was part of the failed XFL begun by Vince McMahon of World Wrestling Entertainment and by NBC, a major television network in the United States...
with a score of 38-6. Maddox was named the XFL MVP in 2001. However Tommy Maddox's XFL glory would not last, as the league closed after its only season in 2001.
During his stint in the XFL, Maddox's playing style was noticeably different as well. Considered a more "mobile" quarterback who could scramble during his days at UCLA and in his early NFL days, Maddox's time away from football (combined with his one year in the AFL) made him more of a traditional "pocket passer", as the AFL requires quick passes with a smaller field.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Maddox signed with the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
as a backup in 2001. His signing continued a coincidental tradition of having Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
natives at quarterback for the Steelers. Since the AFL-NFL merger
AFL-NFL Merger
The AFL–NFL merger of 1970 was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time: the National Football League and the American Football League...
in 1970, the Steelers have had four starting quarterbacks from the state, with Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw
Terry 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...
and Maddox both being from Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, Bubby Brister
Bubby Brister
Walter Andrew "Bubby" Brister, III is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, and Minnesota Vikings...
being from Monroe
Monroe, Louisiana
Monroe is a city in and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,107, making it the eighth largest city in Louisiana. A July 1, 2007, United States Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 51,208, but 51,636...
, and Kordell Stewart
Kordell Stewart
Kordell 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...
being from the New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
suburb of Marrero
Marrero, Louisiana
Marrero is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. Marrero is on the West Bank of the Mississippi River, within the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
Early in the 2002 season, Maddox replaced Kordell Stewart at quarterback in a comeback win over the rival
Browns-Steelers rivalry
The Browns–Steelers rivalry is one of the most storied rivalries in the NFL. With 117 meetings and counting, it is the oldest rivalry and the most storied in the American Football Conference , surpassing any other rivalry in the conference by at least 5 contests. The two divisional foes have a...
Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In 2002 Maddox led the Steelers into the playoffs with a 10-5-1 record. One of Maddox's most memorable games came in the first round of the playoffs when he overcame a 17 point 3rd quarter deficit against the Browns. Maddox delivered a clutch 36-33 win over the Browns at home in the wild card round before a 34-31 loss at the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The 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...
in the second round. He won the ESPN ESPY
Espy
-People:* Cecil Espy , American baseball player* Duane Espy, American baseball figure* James Pollard Espy , American meteorologist.* Mike Espy , American politician* William Gray Espy , American actor...
for Best Comeback Athlete
Best Comeback Athlete ESPY Award
The Best Comeback Athlete ESPY Award has been presented annually since 1993 to the sportsperson, irrespective of gender, contesting a team sport professionally under the auspices of one of the four North American leagues or an individual sport on either an amateur or professional basis primarily in...
and the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award
NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award
The NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award has been given out after every season since 1972 by Pro Football Weekly. The player named Comeback Player of the Year shows perseverance in overcoming adversity, in the form of not being in the NFL the previous year, a severe injury, or simply poor...
for his performance during the 2002 season, in which he threw 20 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
In 2003, Maddox had a sub-par year statistically as the Steelers finished at a disappointing 6-10. After the 2003 season, the Steelers drafted a new quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
, in the first round, to give the position some youth. (Maddox was over a year older than his predecessor, Kordell Stewart.) Roethlisberger was given the starting job after Maddox was injured during a week 2 game against the Ravens, and responded by guiding the Steelers to 14 straight regular season wins and a trip to the AFC Championship game.
Maddox reassumed his starting QB role when Roethlisberger suffered a knee injury early in the 2005 season, but losses in a poor performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
sent him back to the bench, giving Charlie Batch
Charlie Batch
Charles "Charlie" Batch is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
the second-string spot. Following the Steelers' win in Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
, Maddox was released from the team for salary cap reasons.
Tommy Maddox is one of three players (along with Bobby Singh
Bobby Singh
Bobby Singh is a retired professional American and Canadian football guard. He last played for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted by the Calgary Stampeders in the first round of the 1999 CFL Draft....
and Ron Carpenter
Ron Carpenter (safety)
Ron Carpenter is a former professional American football player who played defensive back for five seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings. New York Jets, and St. Louis Rams....
) to hold both a Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
and XFL championship ring. However, Maddox was among a handful of Steelers players, including linebacker James Harrison, who opted not to attend the ceremony at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
honoring their Super Bowl championship.
Philadelphia Soul
In September 2006, he tried out for the Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The 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...
, Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The 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...
and 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...
, but did not sign a contract. Maddox did sign a contract with the Philadelphia Soul
Philadelphia Soul
The Philadelphia Soul are an Arena Football League team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They began play in as an expansion team. The team plays in the Eastern Division of the American Conference. They won their first ArenaBowl in 2008, defeating the San Jose SaberCats 59–56 in ArenaBowl XXII...
. However he was eventually waived by the club.
Retirement
Soon after being waived by the Philadelphia Soul, Maddox retired from playing professional football.He now resides with his family in Trophy Club, Texas
Trophy Club, Texas
Trophy Club is an affluent town located in Denton and Tarrant Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. It is a wealthy northern suburb of the city of Fort Worth and is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The population was 8,024 at the 2010 Census...
, a suburb of DFW
DFW
DFW may refer to:*Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport*Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, a metropolitan area in north Texas*Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources*Division of Fisheries and Wildlife...
, the same city he lived in before playing for the Steelers.
Post-football career
Maddox is an avid golfGolf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er, and he is the founder of the Tommy Maddox Foundation for disadvantaged children.
Maddox is the founder of Steelers Baseball, a select baseball organization based in Trophy Club Tx.