Aaron Sparrow facts for kids

Aaron Sparrow was born on January 27, 1972. He is a former American football player. He played as a quarterback, which is like the team's leader on the field. Aaron played for several teams, including three seasons in the Arena Football League (AFL). He also played college football at Norfolk State University.

Growing Up: Aaron's High School Days

Aaron Sparrow played high school football at Woodrow Wilson High School. This school is located in Portsmouth, Virginia. He was a star player in 1989 and 1990. During those years, he was named the All-Tidewater Player of the Year.

He also received special honors as a Parade All-American. Aaron helped his team win a state championship. Throughout his high school career, he threw 78 touchdown passes. He also gained 5,182 passing yards in total.

College Football Journey

Aaron Sparrow first planned to play football for the Virginia Cavaliers. However, he later transferred to Norfolk State University. This happened because he did not meet certain academic requirements.

Playing for the Norfolk State Spartans

Sparrow played for the Norfolk State Spartans from 1992 to 1995. During his time there, he completed 617 passes out of 1,119 attempts. He threw for 8,758 passing yards and 79 touchdowns.

He was chosen three times for the All-CIAA team. In 1994, he was named the CIAA Offensive Player of the Year. He shared this award in 1995 as Co-Offensive Player of the Year. Aaron was also a two-time Division II All-American.

In 1994, he passed for 3,212 yards and 31 touchdowns. He completed almost 60 percent of his passes that year. Aaron was honored by the Football Gazette and the AP. In 2009, he was added to the Norfolk State University Athletics Hall of Fame.

Aaron's Professional Football Career

Aaron Sparrow played for several professional football teams. His career included time in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the Arena Football League (AFL). He also played in af2, which was a smaller arena football league.

Starting in the CFL

In May 1996, Sparrow signed with the Calgary Stampeders. This team plays in the Canadian Football League (CFL). However, he was released by the team on June 11, 1996.

Time in the Arena Football League (AFL)

Sparrow played two games for the Nashville Kats in the Arena Football League (AFL) in 1997. After that season, he tried out for the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL.

In 1998, he played one game for the Grand Rapids Rampage in the AFL. He completed 13 of 16 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw one interception. During this game, he hurt his shoulder while trying to tackle a player. He finished the game, but the injury was serious. He missed the rest of the 1998 and 1999 seasons recovering from surgery.

In October 2000, Sparrow signed with the Buffalo Destroyers of the AFL. He was placed on injured reserve in April 2001. He was released by the Destroyers in July 2001.

Sparrow joined the Carolina Cobras of the AFL in November 2001. In the 2002 season, he threw fourteen touchdown passes and gained 595 yards. He was released by the Cobras in November 2002.

Playing in af2

In 2000, Sparrow played for the Augusta Stallions in af2. He was named the af2 Offensive Player of the Year. He completed 335 of 513 passes for 4,000 yards and 78 touchdowns. His passer rating was 122.94. He also ran for 54 yards and scored eleven rushing touchdowns. He was recognized as a First Team All-af2 player.

Sparrow played for the Norfolk Nighthawks in af2 in 2003. He completed 239 of 395 passes for 3,006 yards and 51 touchdowns. He was the oldest player on the team during his time there.

In 2004, Sparrow played for the Wichita Stealth in af2.

AFL Career Statistics

Here are some of Aaron Sparrow's statistics from his time in the Arena Football League:

Stats from ArenaFan: