Jake Delhomme facts for kids
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Delhomme in 2009
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| No. 9, 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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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Jake Christopher Delhomme (born January 10, 1975) is a former professional football player from the United States. He played as 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 started his career on the practice squad and also played in NFL Europa for two years. He played his first NFL games in 1999.
Jake Delhomme became the starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers in 2003. He led the team to Super Bowl XXXVIII in his first season with them. He held many of the Panthers' quarterback records for a long time. After leaving the Panthers in 2009, he also 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 grandfather raised horses, and his father was a jockey who started racing at a young age.
Jake has always loved horses. 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 even named to the all-state team for his defense, not for playing quarterback. He was also a good student and was president of his Senior Beta Club.
College Football Career
Jake Delhomme played college football at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. This was his mother's old school. In 1993, he was the only freshman quarterback to start for a Division I college team. His passing efficiency was ranked second among all freshman quarterbacks in the NCAA.
His team, the Ragin' Cajuns, won the Big West Conference twice. They also had three winning seasons during his time there. In his senior year, he led his team to a big win against 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, which was the longest streak for any active quarterback at the time. He was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.
Professional Football Journey
Starting with the Saints and NFL Europe
Jake Delhomme was not chosen by any team in the 1997 NFL draft. However, the New Orleans Saints signed him as an undrafted free agent. This means he joined the team without being drafted. He spent his first season on the Saints' practice squad.
He then played for the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe. There, he was a backup quarterback to Kurt Warner, who later became a Super Bowl MVP. Delhomme said that being around Warner really inspired him. 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 two quarterbacks, Delhomme and Pat Barnes. They were called the "Double-Headed Quarterback Monster." This unusual plan worked, and the Galaxy won World Bowl '99. Delhomme felt that 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 and helped the Saints win. He continued to play limited minutes for the Saints as a backup. Fans often chanted "We Want Jake" because they wanted him to play more.
Time with the Carolina Panthers
In 2003, Jake Delhomme wanted a chance to be a starting quarterback. He signed with the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers had been struggling, having won only one game the season before.
2003 Season and Super Bowl XXXVIII
In the first game of the 2003 season, the Panthers were losing at halftime. Delhomme came into the game and threw three touchdowns, leading the Panthers to a comeback win. He then started every game for the rest of the season.
Delhomme led the Panthers on an amazing 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 to play the New England Patriots.
In the Super Bowl, Delhomme played very well. He threw for 323 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also set a Super Bowl record with an 85-yard touchdown pass to Muhsin Muhammad. However, the Panthers lost the game in the last minute. Delhomme later said he stayed on the field to watch the Patriots celebrate. He wanted to remember the feeling of losing to motivate himself to work harder.
2004 and 2005 Seasons
In 2004, Delhomme had his best season for passing yards and touchdowns. The team faced many injuries but still finished strong. In the last eight games, Delhomme had a great passer rating and threw 17 touchdowns with only 4 interceptions.
In 2005, Delhomme helped the Panthers return to the playoffs. He had one of his most successful seasons as a quarterback. His 11 wins as a starter set a team record at the time. His success also helped Steve Smith lead the league in catches, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. The Panthers made it to the NFC Championship game but lost to the Seattle Seahawks.
2006 and 2007 Seasons
Delhomme started the 2006 season as the Panthers' quarterback for the third straight year. This was a first for the team. He set new team records for most passes without an interception, and for career completions and passing yards. He injured his thumb later in the season and missed three games.
The 2007 season started with a win, but then Delhomme suffered an elbow injury. This injury required surgery and ended his season early. Other quarterbacks, like David Carr and Vinny Testaverde, stepped in to play for the Panthers.
2008 Season and Return
Delhomme returned as the starting quarterback for the 2008 season. In the first game, he led a comeback win against the San Diego Chargers with a touchdown pass in the final seconds. The Panthers finished the regular season with a great 12-4 record. However, they lost in the playoffs to the Arizona Cardinals. Delhomme had a tough game, throwing five interceptions.
2009 Season and Departure
In April 2009, the Panthers signed Delhomme to a new contract. However, he struggled in the first game of the 2009 season, throwing four interceptions. He continued to have difficulties in later games. He broke a finger on his throwing hand and was replaced by backup Matt Moore. Moore played well, and Delhomme was placed on injured reserve. The Panthers released him in March 2010.
Cleveland Browns
On March 13, 2010, Delhomme signed a two-year deal with the Cleveland Browns. He won the starting quarterback job but injured his ankle in the first game. He played in a few more games but was not fully healthy. He started against his old team, the Carolina Panthers, but finished the season with two touchdowns and seven interceptions. He was released by the Browns in July 2011.
Houston Texans
Jake Delhomme signed with the Houston Texans in November 2011. This happened after their main quarterbacks got injured. Even though he had a lot of experience, he was a backup to a rookie quarterback. Delhomme played in the Texans' last game of the season. He led a drive that could have won the game, but they lost by one point. After the season, Delhomme said he would likely retire from football.
Awards and Achievements
- World Bowl champion (1999)
- Selected for the Pro Bowl (2005)
- Named NFC Offensive Player of the Week (2008)
- Inducted into the Carolina Panthers Hall of Honor
NFL Records
- Longest completed pass in Super Bowl history (85-yard touchdown to Muhsin Muhammad in Super Bowl XXXVIII)
Panthers Team Records
- Most career 4th quarter comeback wins (17)
- Most career game-winning drives (23)
- Most 4th quarter comeback wins in a single season (5 in 2003)
- Most game-winning drives in a single season (7 in 2003)
Personal Life
Jake Delhomme married Keri Melancon in 2000. They were childhood sweethearts. They have two daughters, Lauren Elizabeth and Lindsey Marie. The Delhommes are very religious. Jake wears the number 17 because it is his first daughter's birthday, and she was born after 17 hours of labor.
Delhomme has also been in commercials for the fast-food restaurant Bojangles'. In these ads, he often acts like he loves fried chicken. His former teammate, Steve Smith, has appeared in some of these commercials with him. Jake is also 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 became a radio announcer for the Panthers.
