Mark Rypien facts for kids
Rypien in 2017
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | October 2, 1962 Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
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| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 225 lb (102 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Shadle Park (Spokane, Washington) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Washington State (1981–1985) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1986 / Round: 6 / Pick: 146 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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Mark Robert Rypien (born October 2, 1962) is a Canadian-American former professional football quarterback. He played for 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Mark played college football for the Washington State Cougars. The Washington Redskins picked him in the sixth round of the 1986 NFL draft.
He was the first quarterback born in Canada to start in the NFL. Mark was also the first Canadian-born player to be named Super Bowl MVP. This happened in Super Bowl XXVI with the Redskins. He played for several other NFL teams during his career. His nephew, Brett, also plays in the NFL.
Contents
Early Life and High School Sports
Mark Rypien was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. In 1965, he moved to the United States and grew up in Spokane, Washington. He was an amazing athlete at Shadle Park High School. Mark played three sports: football, basketball, and baseball. His jersey numbers for all three sports were later retired by the school. This means no other student can wear those numbers again.
He earned a football scholarship to Washington State University. This university is located in Pullman. Mark joined the Delta Tau Delta fraternity there. A knee injury in 1982 meant he couldn't play that season. This is called being "redshirted." He almost quit football in 1983. However, after playing well in the Senior Bowl, the Washington Redskins drafted him. He was the 146th pick overall in the 1986 NFL Draft.
Mark Rypien's NFL Career
Starting with the Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins chose Mark Rypien in the sixth round of the 1986 NFL Draft. For his first two years, he was on the injured list. First, he had a knee injury in 1986. Then, he had a back injury in 1987. He watched from the sidelines as the Redskins won Super Bowl XXII in 1988. Veteran quarterback Doug Williams led the team to victory.
Rypien became the second-string quarterback after Jay Schroeder was traded. In Week 4 of the 1988 season, Rypien got his first chance to start. He played for an injured Williams against the Phoenix Cardinals. Mark threw for 303 yards and two touchdowns. He started six games that season and won three of them. He threw for 1,730 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Becoming a Star Quarterback
Mark Rypien became the starting quarterback for the 1989 season. He threw for 3,768 yards and 22 touchdowns. He helped the Redskins achieve a 10–6 record. The team did not make the playoffs that year. However, Rypien was chosen to play in the Pro Bowl as an injury replacement.
Rypien was known for his amazing accuracy when throwing long passes. People used to joke that he couldn't throw well in warm-ups. But when the game started, he showed everyone his incredible talent. He is now seen as one of the best deep-ball passers in NFL history.
Super Bowl Champion and MVP
The 1991 was Rypien's best year. He threw for 3,564 yards and 28 touchdowns. He only had 11 interceptions. He led the Redskins to a 14–2 regular season record. This led them to Super Bowl XXVI. Mark was named the MVP of the game. He passed for 292 yards and 2 touchdowns. His team won 37–24 against the Buffalo Bills. Rypien, from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, was the first foreign-born player to win this award. He was also selected for the Pro Bowl in both 1989 and 1991.
After their championship season, the Redskins signed Rypien to a big contract. However, the team struggled with older players and injuries in 1992. They finished with a 9–7 record and barely made the playoffs. Rypien's passing yards were good, but his performance rating dropped. The Redskins won a playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings. But they lost to the San Francisco 49ers in a tough game. This marked the end of Rypien's main time as a Redskins starter.
In 1993, Rypien had a good training camp. But he injured his knee in Week 2. The team then had a very tough season. When he was healthy, Rypien shared playing time with Rich Gannon. The Redskins later released him in 1994.
Playing for Other NFL Teams
On May 11, 1994, Rypien signed with the Cleveland Browns. He was a backup for Vinny Testaverde. He played in six games and started three. He won two of those three games.
In 1995, Rypien joined the St. Louis Rams. He was a backup for Chris Miller. He started the last three games of the season. He played his best game against the Buffalo Bills. He threw for 372 yards and two touchdowns.
On October 3, 1996, Rypien signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. He joined them because their starter, Rodney Peete, was injured. He threw his last NFL touchdown pass for the Eagles.
He re-signed with the St. Louis Rams in 1997. He played in five games that season.
In 1998, he signed with the Atlanta Falcons. However, he never played for them. He retired from football due to a personal tragedy involving his family.
After three years away, Rypien returned to football in 2001. He signed with the Indianapolis Colts. He played in four games for the Colts. He made his first appearance in Week 3 against the New England Patriots.
In 2002, Rypien signed with the Seattle Seahawks. He was a backup for Matt Hasselbeck and Trent Dilfer. He played in two preseason games before being released.
Mark Rypien's last professional game was on June 10, 2006. He played for the Rochester Raiders in a special promotional game.
In his 11 NFL seasons, Rypien completed 1,466 of 2,613 passes. He gained 18,473 yards. He threw 115 touchdowns and had 88 interceptions. He also ran for 166 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Mark Rypien and NASCAR
Mark Rypien also spent some time in NASCAR racing. He was a team owner for a short period. He originally owned the No. 97 team that won the 2004 Nextel Cup championship. This team was driven by Kurt Busch. Rypien sold the team to Jack Roush's Roush Racing in 1997.
Personal Life and Hobbies
On June 8, 2006, Mark Rypien was honored. He was inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame.
Mark Rypien has several family members who are also athletes. His cousins, Rick Rypien and Shane Churla, played in the NHL. His nephew, Brett Rypien, is also an NFL quarterback. Mark's daughter, Angela, played in the Lingerie Football League in 2011.
Mark is also a big fan of golf. He often plays in charity golf tournaments across the country. He has played in one PGA Tour event and one Web.com Tour event. He also regularly competes in the American Century Championship. This is a golf competition for sports and entertainment celebrities. Rypien won the first event in 1990. He won again 24 years later in 2014. He has finished in the top ten 11 times. This tournament is televised and played at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Stateline, Nevada.
See also
In Spanish: Mark Rypien para niños
