Michael Bishop (gridiron football) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Michael Bishop

Bishop in 2008
No. 7, 16, 17
Position:	Quarterback
Personal information
Born:	(1976-05-15) May 15, 1976 (age 49) Galveston, Texas, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school:	Willis (Conroe, Texas)
College:	Kansas State
NFL Draft:	1999 / Round: 7 / Pick: 227
Career history
New England Patriots (1999–2000) → Frankfurt Galaxy (2001) Green Bay Packers (2001)* Toronto Argonauts (2002–2008) Grand Rapids Rampage (2004–2005) Chicago Rush (2006) Kansas City Brigade (2007) Grand Rapids Rampage (2007) Saskatchewan Roughriders (2008) Corpus Christi Hammerheads (2009) Texas Hurricanes (2009) Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2009–2010) Calgary Stampeders (2011) Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2011)
Career highlights and awards
Grey Cup champion (2004) 2× NJCAA national champion (1995, 1996) Davey O'Brien Award (1998) Consensus All-American (1998) Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year (1997) First-team All-Big 12 (1998) Second-team All-Big 12 (1997) Kansas State Athletics Hall of Fame (2016)
Career NFL statistics
TD–INT: 1–1 Passing yards: 80 Passer rating: 64.4
Career CFL statistics
TD–INT: 66–77 Passing yards: 11,772 Passer rating: 70.7
Player stats at PFR
Player stats at CFL.ca (archive)
College Football Hall of Fame

Michael Paul Bishop (born May 15, 1976) is a former American football player. He was a talented quarterback who played in several professional leagues. These included the National Football League (NFL), the Canadian Football League (CFL), the Arena Football League (AFL), and NFL Europe.

Bishop played college football for the Kansas State Wildcats. He was recognized as an All-American in 1998. The New England Patriots picked him in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL draft. He was also a key player for the CFL's Toronto Argonauts from 2002 to 2008. In 2023, Michael Bishop was chosen for the College Football Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Sports Talents

Michael Bishop grew up in Willis, Texas. He was an amazing athlete at Willis High School. He excelled in both football and baseball. As a senior, he was a two-year starter in football. He threw for an average of 221.2 yards per game. He earned honors like All-Montgomery County and all-state. In baseball, the Cleveland Indians drafted him in 1995. This showed his diverse athletic skills.

College Football Journey

Starting Strong at Junior College

Bishop began his college career at Blinn Junior College in Texas. As a freshman, he led his team, the Buccaneers, to a perfect 12–0 record. They also won the NJCAA National Championship. He ran for 387 yards and scored three touchdowns. He also passed for 1,712 yards and 18 touchdowns. In his second year, he again led Blinn to a 12–0 record. They won another NJCAA National Championship. After Blinn, he played baseball for one season. This was at Independence Community College in Kansas.

Becoming a Star at Kansas State

Many top college teams wanted Bishop to play for them. However, most wanted him as a defensive back. Only Kansas State University and their head coach Bill Snyder offered him the chance to play quarterback. Bishop chose Kansas State.

In 1997, his first year at Kansas State, Bishop started every game. He threw for 1,557 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also rushed for 556 yards and nine touchdowns. He was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. Kansas State won 11 games that season. This included a big win over Syracuse in the 1997 Fiesta Bowl. Their only loss was to the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

In 1998, Bishop's senior year, Kansas State was a top team. They were aiming for the National Championship. Bishop set new school records. He passed for 2,844 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also led the team with 14 rushing touchdowns. He helped the Wildcats beat Nebraska for the first time in 30 years. Kansas State had a perfect regular season. They were ranked first in one major poll. However, their championship dreams ended in the 1998 Big 12 Championship Game. They lost a close game to Texas A&M in double overtime.

Bishop played in 25 games for Kansas State. He led his team to an impressive 22–3 record. He finished second in the 1998 Heisman Trophy voting. This award goes to the most outstanding player in college football. He ended his college career with 4,401 passing yards. He also set a school record with 59 total touchdowns (running and passing). After his senior season, he was named an All-American. He was also the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.

College Statistics Overview

Professional Football Career

Time in the NFL

The New England Patriots drafted Michael Bishop in 1999. He played his first NFL game in the 2000 season. He had limited playing time. In one game against the Indianapolis Colts, he threw a 44-yard "Hail Mary" touchdown pass. This was on his very first NFL pass attempt! Some Patriots fans wanted him to be the starting quarterback. Tom Brady, a famous quarterback, even called Bishop "one of the best athletes he has ever seen."

Playing in NFL Europe

Bishop playing for the Frankfurt Galaxy.

In 2001, Bishop played for the Frankfurt Galaxy in Germany. This league was called NFL Europe. He started six games there. He threw for 1,090 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also ran for 244 yards and one touchdown. After this, he briefly joined the Green Bay Packers but was released before the regular season began.

Adventures in the CFL

In 2002, Bishop joined the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League. He was mostly a backup quarterback. However, he had some chances to start. In a 2003 playoff game, he threw a pass about 70 yards down the field. This showed everyone he had one of the strongest arms in professional football!

In 2004, Bishop helped the Argonauts win the 92nd Grey Cup championship. This is the CFL's biggest prize. He was released by the Argonauts in 2006 but rejoined them later that year. He often came into games for short yardage plays. In a 2006 playoff game, he replaced the starting quarterback and threw two touchdown passes. This helped the Argonauts reach the Eastern Final.

In 2007, Bishop became the starting quarterback for the Argonauts. He led them to a 30–5 win in his first start. Later that season, he broke his wrist. The team struggled without him. But when he returned, the Argonauts went on an amazing 9–1 run! They finished first in their division. Bishop ended the 2007 season with 2,920 passing yards and 22 touchdowns. He had an impressive 11–1 record as a starter that year.

In 2008, the Argonauts brought in another star quarterback, Kerry Joseph. Bishop was later traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He immediately became their starter. He even won the CFL's Offensive Player of the Week award for a comeback victory. Bishop later played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Calgary Stampeders.

Exciting Times in the Arena Football League

From 2004 to 2007, Bishop also played in the Arena Football League (AFL). In 2005, playing for the Grand Rapids Rampage, he led the league in rushing yards for quarterbacks. He even set a record by rushing for 100 yards in a single AFL game. This was the first time any player had done that! He also holds the AFL record for most rushing yards in a season with 459. Because of his incredible running skills and strong arm, some fans called him the "Michael Vick of the AFL."

In 2006, Bishop joined the Chicago Rush. The Rush went on to win ArenaBowl XX that season. He later played for the Kansas City Brigade before returning to the Rampage.

Professional Statistics Overview