Doug Flutie facts for kids
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Flutie in 2009
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born: | October 23, 1962 Manchester, Maryland, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 180 lb (82 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| High school: | Natick (Natick, Massachusetts) | ||||||||||||||||
| College: | Boston College (1981–1984) | ||||||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1985 / Round: 11 / Pick: 285 | ||||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
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| Career CFL statistics | |||||||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||||
| Player stats at CFL.ca (archive) | |||||||||||||||||
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Canadian Football Hall of Fame
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Douglas Richard Flutie (born October 23, 1962) is a former American quarterback in professional football. His exciting career lasted 21 seasons across three different leagues: the National Football League (NFL), the Canadian Football League (CFL), and the United States Football League (USFL).
Flutie first became famous playing college football for Boston College. In 1984, he won the Heisman Trophy, the top award for a college football player. That same year, he threw an amazing last-second touchdown pass to beat the Miami Hurricanes. This play is famously known as the "Hail Flutie".
After college, Flutie played in the USFL and then the NFL. He later moved to the CFL, where he became one of the greatest players in the league's history. He won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player award a record six times and won three championships, called the Grey Cup.
He returned to the NFL in 1998 with the Buffalo Bills and had a great season, earning a trip to the Pro Bowl. He later played for the San Diego Chargers and the New England Patriots before retiring. Flutie is honored in both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and High School
Doug Flutie was born in Manchester, Maryland. His family moved to Florida when he was six, and later to Natick, Massachusetts. In high school, he was a star athlete in football, basketball, and baseball. Even though he was a great player, many people thought he was too short to play professional football.
College Career and the "Hail Flutie"
Flutie attended Boston College, which was the only major school that offered him a chance to play. He proved everyone wrong by becoming a star quarterback. In his senior year in 1984, he won many awards, including the Heisman Trophy.
His most famous moment came in a game against the University of Miami. With only six seconds left, his team was losing 45-41. Flutie threw a long pass, known as a "Hail Mary pass," from his own side of the field. His roommate, Gerard Phelan, caught the ball in the end zone for a touchdown, winning the game 47-45. This incredible play made Flutie a national hero.
The "Hail Flutie" pass made Boston College so popular that many more students applied to go there. This became known as the "Flutie Effect," where a successful sports team makes a school more famous. In 2008, Boston College put up a statue of Flutie throwing his famous pass.
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Professional Football Journey
Starting in the USFL and NFL
Many people still doubted Flutie's size for professional football. He started his career in the United States Football League (USFL) with the New Jersey Generals. He signed a large contract, making him one of the highest-paid players.
When the USFL folded, Flutie's rights were traded to the Chicago Bears in the NFL. He later played for the New England Patriots. He had some success but was eventually released. With no other NFL teams interested, he decided to play in Canada.
A Superstar in the Canadian Football League (CFL)
Flutie's career took off in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played for eight years and became a legend. He played for the BC Lions, Calgary Stampeders, and Toronto Argonauts.
- With the BC Lions, he set a CFL record in 1991 for the most passing yards in a single season with 6,619.
- With the Calgary Stampeders, he won his first Grey Cup (the CFL championship) in 1992 and was named the game's MVP.
- With the Toronto Argonauts, he won two more Grey Cups in 1996 and 1997, and was named MVP of both games.
During his time in the CFL, Flutie won the Most Outstanding Player award six times, which is a record. He proved he could win in any weather, even in the cold Canadian winters.
Return to the NFL
Buffalo Bills
In 1998, Flutie returned to the NFL, signing with the Buffalo Bills. He had an amazing comeback season, leading the Bills to the playoffs and being selected for the Pro Bowl. He was named the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year.
The next season, he led the Bills to the playoffs again. However, in a controversial decision, the coach benched him for the playoff game, which the Bills lost. It would be 17 years before the Bills made it back to the playoffs.
San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots
Flutie then played for the San Diego Chargers, where he was a starter and later a mentor to young quarterback Drew Brees. In 2003, at age 41, he became the oldest player to score two rushing touchdowns in one game.
He finished his career with the New England Patriots. In his final season in 2006, he did something very rare: he successfully made a drop kick for an extra point. It was the first time this had been done in a regular-season NFL game since 1941. He retired after that season at the age of 43.
Life After Football
After retiring, Flutie worked as a TV commentator for college football games. He also appeared on the show Dancing with the Stars.
Flutie is married to his high school sweetheart, Laurie. They have two children. Their son, Doug Jr., has autism. To help others, the family started The Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism. Flutie even created a cereal called "Flutie Flakes" to raise money for the foundation.
He also plays the drums in a band with his brother, Darren, called the Flutie Brothers Band.
Legacy and Honors
Doug Flutie is remembered as an exciting player who overcame doubts about his size to succeed at every level.
- He holds the professional football record for most passing yards in a season (6,619).
- He is the only player to pass for over 6,000 yards in a season twice.
- He was named the CFL's greatest player of all time by Canadian sports network TSN.
- He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.
See also
In Spanish: Doug Flutie para niños
- List of NFL quarterbacks who have posted a perfect passer rating
- List of gridiron football quarterbacks passing statistics
- List of NCAA Division I FBS quarterbacks with at least 10,000 career passing yards
- List of NCAA major college football yearly passing leaders
- List of NCAA major college football yearly total offense leaders
