Rodney Peete facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Rodney Peete

Peete in 2010
No. 9, 16
Position:	Quarterback
Personal information
Born:	(1966-03-16) March 16, 1966 (age 59) Mesa, Arizona, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High school:	Shawnee Mission South (Overland Park, Kansas)
College:	USC (1985–1988)
NFL Draft:	1989 / Round: 6 / Pick: 141
Career history
Detroit Lions (1989) Dallas Cowboys (1994) Philadelphia Eagles (1995) Washington Redskins (1999) Oakland Raiders (2000) Carolina Panthers (2002)
Career highlights and awards
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (1988) Pop Warner Trophy (1988) First-team All-American (1988) Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year (1988) First-team All-Pac-10 (1988) Second-team All-Pac-10 (1987) NCAA Silver Anniversary Award (2014)
Career NFL statistics
Pass attempts: 2,346 Pass completions: 1,344 Percentage: 57.3 TD–INT: 76–92 Passing yards: 16,338 Passer rating: 73.3
Player stats at PFR

Rodney Peete Sr. (born March 16, 1966) is a former American football player. He was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). Peete played college football for the USC Trojans. He was named an All-American in 1988. The 1989 NFL draft selected Peete in the sixth round. He played for several NFL teams, including the Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers.

Early Life and High School Sports

Rodney Peete was born in Mesa, Arizona. He went to Sahuaro High School in Tucson. There, he was a top athlete in football, basketball, and baseball. In football, he was named Arizona High School Player of the Year. He also helped his teams win state championships in basketball and baseball.

For his senior year, Peete moved to Shawnee Mission South High School in Overland Park, Kansas. This happened because his father, Willie Peete, became a coach for the Kansas City Chiefs. Rodney was named a Prep All-American quarterback. He was also drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1984 Major League Baseball draft. But he decided to go to college instead. In 2012, Peete was honored in the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame.

College Career at USC

Peete chose to play football at the University of Southern California (USC). He wanted to play quarterback there. As a freshman, he started as a backup. But he soon got a chance to play. He helped USC win games.

In his second year, he started every game. He threw for over 2,000 yards. As a junior, he set a school record. He threw 5 touchdown passes in one game against the University of Oregon. His team played in the 1988 Rose Bowl.

In his senior year, Peete led USC to a 10-2 record. He won both games against Troy Aikman's UCLA teams. One famous game was when Peete played even though he had measles the week before. He won the Johnny Unitas Award as the nation's best senior quarterback. He also finished second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy.

Peete ended his college football career as USC's all-time leader in many passing categories. He had 8,225 passing yards and 54 touchdowns.

Rodney Peete also played baseball at USC. He played second base and third base. In his senior year, he hit .338 with 12 home runs. He was drafted three times by Major League Baseball teams. In 2009, he was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame. He received the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award in 2014.

Professional Football Career

Detroit Lions Years

The Detroit Lions picked Peete in the 6th round of the 1989 NFL draft. He joined star player Barry Sanders on the team. As a rookie, Peete was supposed to start. But he got injured before the season began. He later returned and earned NFC Offensive Player-of-the-Week honors.

In 1990, Peete had a good season. He threw 13 touchdowns and ran for 6 more. He ranked high in the NFC for his passer rating. He also had a career-high 97 rushing yards in one game.

In 1991, Peete led the Lions to a 5–2 record. But a serious Achilles tendon injury ended his season early. His replacement, Erik Kramer, then led the team to the NFC Championship Game. Peete returned in 1992 and 1993. He continued to show his skills, including a career-high 93-yard touchdown pass.

Time with Other Teams

In 1994, Peete joined the Dallas Cowboys as a backup to Troy Aikman. He stepped in when Aikman was injured. Peete helped the Cowboys win games, including a 28–21 victory against the Arizona Cardinals.

In 1995, Peete signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. He became the starting quarterback after the team had a slow start. He led the Eagles to a 9–3 record as a starter. In 1996, he lost his starting job due to another injury. He played a few more games for the Eagles in 1998.

In 1999, Peete was traded to the Washington Redskins. He was a backup quarterback there. He became the first quarterback to throw a regular season pass for three different NFC East teams.

Peete then joined the Oakland Raiders in 2000. He was the third-string quarterback and didn't play much. He was released in 2001 but later re-signed.

Carolina Panthers and Retirement

In 2002, Peete signed with the Carolina Panthers. At 37 years old, many thought his career was over. But he became the starting quarterback. He led the team to a 7–9 record, a big improvement from the previous year's 1–15 record. He had career highs in passing yards (2,630) and touchdowns (15).

In 2003, Peete was replaced by Jake Delhomme during the first game. Delhomme then led the Panthers to an 11–5 record and to Super Bowl XXXVIII. Peete was released in 2005. He chose to retire instead of playing another season. He finished his career with 16,338 passing yards.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Life After Football

After his football career, Rodney Peete has been involved in entertainment. In 2015, the Oprah Winfrey Network announced a TV series about Peete and his family. In 2019, he co-hosted the Hallmark Kitten Bowl. He also co-hosts a sports radio show called Roggin and Rodney in Los Angeles.

Personal Life

Rodney Peete with his wife Holly Robinson Peete in 2010

Rodney Peete married actress Holly Robinson Peete in 1995. They have four children together. Their son, Rodney Peete Jr., was diagnosed with autism spectrum at age three. Peete has spoken about his relationship with his son. As of 2023, Rodney Peete Jr. works for the Dodgers baseball team.

Rodney's father, Willie Peete, was also a football coach in the NFL. His brother, Skip Peete, is also an NFL coach. His father-in-law was the actor Matt Robinson. Rodney is also a cousin of the late professional golfer Calvin Peete.

See also

• Racial issues faced by black quarterbacks