Jake Delhomme facts for kids
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Delhomme in 2009
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| No. 9, 16, 12, 17 | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | January 10, 1975 Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 215 lb (98 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Teurlings Catholic (Lafayette, Louisiana) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Southwestern Louisiana (1993–1996) | ||||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 1997 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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Jake Christopher Delhomme (born January 10, 1975) is a former American football player. He was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). Delhomme played college football at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. After college, he joined the New Orleans Saints in 1997.
He spent time on the Saints' practice squad. He also played in NFL Europa for two years. Delhomme played his first NFL games in 1999. He became the main quarterback for the Carolina Panthers from 2003 to 2009. He led the Panthers to Super Bowl XXXVIII in his first season. Later, he played for the Cleveland Browns in 2010 and the Houston Texans in 2011.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Jake Delhomme was born to Jerry and Marcia Delhomme. Both of his parents were Cajun. His family had a strong connection to horses. His grandfather bred horses, and his father was a jockey who started racing at a young age. Jake has said that horses were his "first love." He, his father, and his brother own and train thoroughbred horses.
In high school, Jake played both quarterback and defensive back for Teurlings Catholic. He was so good at defense that he made the all-state team for that position. He was also a good student and was the president of his Senior Beta Club chapter.
College Football Career
Delhomme played college football at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. At the time, the school was called the University of Southwestern Louisiana. He was the only freshman quarterback to start for a top-tier college team in 1993. His passing efficiency was second best among all freshman quarterbacks.
He played on a team with future NFL players like Brandon Stokley. His team, the Ragin' Cajuns, won the Big West Conference twice. They also had three winning seasons. In his senior year, he led his team to a big win over Texas A&M.
Delhomme finished his college career as the school's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns. He started the last 43 games of his career. This was the longest streak among active quarterbacks at the time. In 2006, he was added to the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.
Professional Football Journey
Starting Out: Saints and NFL Europe
Jake Delhomme was not chosen in the 1997 NFL draft. However, the New Orleans Saints signed him as a free agent. He spent his first season on the team's practice squad. This is a group of players who train with the team but are not on the main roster.
He was then sent to the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe. There, he was a backup quarterback to Kurt Warner, who later became a Super Bowl MVP. Delhomme learned a lot from Warner. After another time on the Saints' practice squad, he went back to NFL Europe. This time, he played for the Frankfurt Galaxy.
The Galaxy used a special strategy with two quarterbacks, Delhomme and Pat Barnes. They were called the "Double-Headed Quarterback Monster." This plan worked, and the Galaxy won World Bowl '99. Delhomme said his time in Europe helped him grow as a player.
After his success in Europe, he returned to the New Orleans Saints. He was the third-string quarterback. In his first NFL start against the Dallas Cowboys, he threw two touchdowns. This helped the Saints win the game. He played limited games for the Saints over the next three seasons. Fans often chanted "We Want Jake" because they wanted to see him play more.
Carolina Panthers: A New Home
In 2003, Delhomme wanted a chance to be a starting quarterback. He signed with the Carolina Panthers as a free agent. The Panthers had been struggling, with a very bad 1-15 season just before. New Panthers coach John Fox had noticed Delhomme's skills.
Delhomme quickly became the team's main quarterback. In the first game of the 2003 season, the Panthers were losing badly. Delhomme came in and threw three touchdowns. He led the team to an amazing comeback victory. He then started every game for the rest of the season.
Super Bowl XXXVIII Run
In 2003, Delhomme led the Panthers on an incredible journey through the playoffs. This included a double-overtime win against the St. Louis Rams. After beating the Philadelphia Eagles, the Panthers reached Super Bowl XXXVIII. They faced the New England Patriots.
Delhomme played very well in the Super Bowl. He threw for 323 yards and three touchdowns. He also made the longest offensive play in Super Bowl history. This was an 85-yard pass to Muhsin Muhammad. However, the Panthers lost the game on a last-minute field goal. Delhomme later said he stayed on the field to remember the pain of losing. He wanted that feeling to push him to work harder.
Continued Success and Challenges
The 2004 season was tough for the Panthers due to many injuries. Despite this, Delhomme had career highs in passing yards and touchdowns. He helped the team win six of their last eight games.
In 2005, Delhomme led the Panthers back to the playoffs. He had one of his best seasons, setting a team record for wins as a starting quarterback. His success also helped teammate Steve Smith lead the league in catches, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. The Panthers reached the NFC Championship game but lost to the Seattle Seahawks.
In 2006, Delhomme became the first Panthers quarterback to start three seasons in a row. He set team records for consecutive passes without an interception. He also broke records for completions and passing yards. He missed three games due to a thumb injury.
Injury and Return
In 2007, Delhomme suffered a serious elbow injury. This led to other quarterbacks playing for the Panthers. He had surgery on his elbow, which ended his season.
Delhomme returned as the starting quarterback for the 2008 season. In the first game, he led a comeback win against the San Diego Chargers. The Panthers finished the regular season with a great 12-4 record. However, in the playoffs, Delhomme had a difficult game against the Arizona Cardinals. He threw five interceptions, and the Panthers lost.
In 2009, the Panthers signed Delhomme to a new contract. But he struggled early in the season, throwing many interceptions. He was eventually replaced by backup quarterback Matt Moore. Delhomme broke a finger on his throwing hand and was placed on injured reserve. The Panthers released him in March 2010.
Later Career: Browns and Texans
In 2010, Delhomme signed with the Cleveland Browns. He won the starting job but got injured in the first game. He played in a few more games but was not fully healthy. He was released by the Browns in 2011.
Later in 2011, Delhomme signed with the Houston Texans. This was after their main quarterbacks got injured. He backed up rookie T. J. Yates. In the last game of the season, Delhomme played after Yates got hurt. He led a potential game-winning drive, but the Texans lost. After the season, Delhomme said he would likely retire from football.
Awards and Achievements
Jake Delhomme had many notable achievements in his career:
- He won the World Bowl in 1999 with the Frankfurt Galaxy.
- He was selected for the Pro Bowl in 2005, which is an honor for top players.
- He was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week in 2008.
- He was inducted into the Carolina Panthers Hall of Honor.
NFL Records
- He holds the record for the longest completed pass in Super Bowl history. This was an 85-yard touchdown pass in Super Bowl XXXVIII.
League Leaderboards
- In 2003, he led the league in fourth-quarter comebacks (5) and game-winning drives (8).
- In 2008, he tied for the most fourth-quarter comebacks (4).
Panthers Team Records
- He holds the Panthers' record for most career fourth-quarter comeback wins (17).
- He also has the most career game-winning drives (23) for the Panthers.
- He set single-season records for fourth-quarter comeback wins (5) and game-winning drives (7) in 2003.
Personal Life
Jake Delhomme married Keri Melancon in 2000. They were childhood sweethearts. They have two daughters, Lauren Elizabeth (born 2001) and Lindsey Marie (born 2007). The Delhommes are dedicated Catholics. Jake wears the number 17 because it is his first daughter's birthday, and she was born after 17 hours of labor.
Delhomme was also known for appearing in commercials for the fast-food restaurant Bojangles'. In these ads, he often joked about his love for fried chicken. He also appeared in public service announcements for Civitan International, an organization that helps people with developmental disabilities. During his playing days, he was known for licking his fingers before every play.
After retiring from football in 2011, Delhomme returned to his hometown in Louisiana. He worked in banking and continued to breed racehorses. In 2019, the Panthers announced that Delhomme would be inducted into the team's Hall of Honor. He also joined the Panthers' radio team as a color analyst, helping to explain the games.
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