POJO_Risin
03-11-2005, 07:22 PM
I am a Flutie fan since the Heisman trophy year...which fuck...was what...20 years ago now...and that pass against Miami to Phelan...
Played for the Bears and the Pats...then some glorious years in the CFL...before becoming an extremely competant if not sometimes spectacular starter for the Bills...then the Chargers...
The guy was 2 short...now...20 years later...still an NFL quarterback...
I'm surprised this guy isn't glorified more...
The 42-year-old Doug Flutie may retire after being released by the Chargers.
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Doug Flutie has been sent ramblin' and scramblin' once again, and this time it might be for good.
The San Diego Chargers released Flutie on Friday, the latest move in the quarterback's roundabout 20-year career that has taken him through eight teams in three professional leagues.
The 42-year-old Flutie will always be remembered for the "Hail Mary" pass against Miami that helped him win the 1984 Heisman Trophy with Boston College. While that play earned him legendary status that lingers to this day, he struggled for success in the NFL because there were always questions about his 5-foot-10 size.
Still, he'd like to keep playing, said his agent, Kristen Kuliga. Flutie wanted to play for one more season in San Diego because his daughter, who attends La Jolla High, will be a senior next fall.
"I think Doug definitely wants to try and play at least for another year," Kuliga said from Boston. "I'll be looking at what opportunities might be out there, with a team that wants a quality backup quarterback."
Flutie, a fan favorite wherever he's played, had two years left on his Chargers contract and was due a $350,000 roster bonus on Tuesday. Counting that bonus, he was to earn $1.35 million in 2005.
Kuliga said Flutie became expendable after Drew Brees, who had an outstanding 2004 season, signed an $8,078,000 contract as the team's "franchise" player. The Chargers also have Philip Rivers, the fourth overall pick in last year's draft and second-year man Cleo Lemon at quarterback.
Flutie was heading to Stowe, Vt., on Friday, to play drums in a weekend gig with his Flutie Brothers Band, Kuliga said.
In a statement released by the Chargers, Flutie thanked the late John Butler, who was general manager when the QB signed as a free agent in March 2001, and current GM A.J. Smith.
"There are no hard feelings. It's a mutual parting," Flutie said in the statement. "It's the right thing for me. It opens up other doors of opportunity for me if I want. Rather than retiring outright, I wanted to be released so that I could pursue other things if they arise."
Flutie often spoke of returning to the CFL, where he starred from 1990-97, but Kuliga said she'd explore all NFL options first.
If no team signs Flutie, he will become the last USFL player to exit the NFL. Punter Sean Landeta, cut last season by the Rams, had often joked of outlasting Flutie for that honor.
Flutie followed Butler and Smith from Buffalo in 2001 and started all 16 games for the Chargers that season as he mentored Brees, then a rookie. Brees took over as starter in 2002 and then struggled so much in 2003 that he was replaced by Flutie for five straight starts.
In a stunning win over Minnesota in 2003, Flutie threw for two touchdowns and scrambled for two more. He accounted for half of the Chargers' four wins that season.
Flutie opened last season as Brees' backup, but was dropped to third-stringer behind Rivers after the Chargers fell to 1-2. That's when Brees got hot, keeping both Rivers and Flutie on the bench for most of the season.
Flutie, who always kept himself in great shape, did play in two games. He came on late in the home-opening loss to the New York Jets after Brees sustained a concussion, then started the regular-season finale against Kansas City while Brees rested for the playoffs. Flutie scrambled around, as he often did, and threw one touchdown pass.
Flutie was signed by the New Jersey Generals in 1985 as the USFL tried to use his college stardom to build a following.
He began his NFL career in 1986 with the Chicago Bears. He also played for the New England Patriots before starting an eight-year stint in Canada. He was the CFL's Most Outstanding Player six times, and won three Grey Cup titles.
He was brought back to the NFL by Buffalo in 1998, when Butler and Smith were the Bills' top personnel men. He helped the Bills reach the playoffs that year, and was also voted to the Pro Bowl and named NFL Comeback Player of the Year
Damn...I forgot he played for the New Jersey Generals....
I think he'll end up in the CFL for one more year....probably win too...
Played for the Bears and the Pats...then some glorious years in the CFL...before becoming an extremely competant if not sometimes spectacular starter for the Bills...then the Chargers...
The guy was 2 short...now...20 years later...still an NFL quarterback...
I'm surprised this guy isn't glorified more...
The 42-year-old Doug Flutie may retire after being released by the Chargers.
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Doug Flutie has been sent ramblin' and scramblin' once again, and this time it might be for good.
The San Diego Chargers released Flutie on Friday, the latest move in the quarterback's roundabout 20-year career that has taken him through eight teams in three professional leagues.
The 42-year-old Flutie will always be remembered for the "Hail Mary" pass against Miami that helped him win the 1984 Heisman Trophy with Boston College. While that play earned him legendary status that lingers to this day, he struggled for success in the NFL because there were always questions about his 5-foot-10 size.
Still, he'd like to keep playing, said his agent, Kristen Kuliga. Flutie wanted to play for one more season in San Diego because his daughter, who attends La Jolla High, will be a senior next fall.
"I think Doug definitely wants to try and play at least for another year," Kuliga said from Boston. "I'll be looking at what opportunities might be out there, with a team that wants a quality backup quarterback."
Flutie, a fan favorite wherever he's played, had two years left on his Chargers contract and was due a $350,000 roster bonus on Tuesday. Counting that bonus, he was to earn $1.35 million in 2005.
Kuliga said Flutie became expendable after Drew Brees, who had an outstanding 2004 season, signed an $8,078,000 contract as the team's "franchise" player. The Chargers also have Philip Rivers, the fourth overall pick in last year's draft and second-year man Cleo Lemon at quarterback.
Flutie was heading to Stowe, Vt., on Friday, to play drums in a weekend gig with his Flutie Brothers Band, Kuliga said.
In a statement released by the Chargers, Flutie thanked the late John Butler, who was general manager when the QB signed as a free agent in March 2001, and current GM A.J. Smith.
"There are no hard feelings. It's a mutual parting," Flutie said in the statement. "It's the right thing for me. It opens up other doors of opportunity for me if I want. Rather than retiring outright, I wanted to be released so that I could pursue other things if they arise."
Flutie often spoke of returning to the CFL, where he starred from 1990-97, but Kuliga said she'd explore all NFL options first.
If no team signs Flutie, he will become the last USFL player to exit the NFL. Punter Sean Landeta, cut last season by the Rams, had often joked of outlasting Flutie for that honor.
Flutie followed Butler and Smith from Buffalo in 2001 and started all 16 games for the Chargers that season as he mentored Brees, then a rookie. Brees took over as starter in 2002 and then struggled so much in 2003 that he was replaced by Flutie for five straight starts.
In a stunning win over Minnesota in 2003, Flutie threw for two touchdowns and scrambled for two more. He accounted for half of the Chargers' four wins that season.
Flutie opened last season as Brees' backup, but was dropped to third-stringer behind Rivers after the Chargers fell to 1-2. That's when Brees got hot, keeping both Rivers and Flutie on the bench for most of the season.
Flutie, who always kept himself in great shape, did play in two games. He came on late in the home-opening loss to the New York Jets after Brees sustained a concussion, then started the regular-season finale against Kansas City while Brees rested for the playoffs. Flutie scrambled around, as he often did, and threw one touchdown pass.
Flutie was signed by the New Jersey Generals in 1985 as the USFL tried to use his college stardom to build a following.
He began his NFL career in 1986 with the Chicago Bears. He also played for the New England Patriots before starting an eight-year stint in Canada. He was the CFL's Most Outstanding Player six times, and won three Grey Cup titles.
He was brought back to the NFL by Buffalo in 1998, when Butler and Smith were the Bills' top personnel men. He helped the Bills reach the playoffs that year, and was also voted to the Pro Bowl and named NFL Comeback Player of the Year
Damn...I forgot he played for the New Jersey Generals....
I think he'll end up in the CFL for one more year....probably win too...