Tracy Ham facts for kids

Tracy Ham (born January 5, 1964) is an American former professional football quarterback. He played in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was known for being a "dual-threat" quarterback. This means he was great at both throwing the ball and running with it.

Ham played for the Edmonton Eskimos, the Toronto Argonauts, the Baltimore Stallions, and the Montreal Alouettes. He played college football for the Georgia Southern Eagles. There, he became the first quarterback to run for 3,000 yards and pass for 5,000 yards in his college career. Tracy Ham is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Today, he works as the Senior Associate Athletics Director for Georgia Southern University.

Playing Career Highlights

College Football Success

Tracy Ham led the Georgia Southern Eagles to win two Division I-AA national titles in a row. In the 1985 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game, his team beat Furman. Ham threw for 419 yards and four touchdowns in that game.

The next year, in the 1986 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game, the Eagles won again. They defeated Arkansas State. In this game, Ham ran for 180 yards and three touchdowns. He also passed for 306 yards and one touchdown. Because of his amazing college career, Ham was added to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007.

Starting in the Pros

After college, the Los Angeles Rams picked Ham in the 1987 NFL Draft. However, he believed NFL teams wanted him to play a different position than quarterback. So, on May 22, 1987, Ham signed a three-year deal with the Edmonton Eskimos in the CFL.

Edmonton Eskimos Years

In his first year, 1987, Ham was a backup quarterback. He was part of the team that won the Grey Cup that season.

Before the 1988 season, the starting quarterback was traded. When the new starter got injured, Ham became Edmonton's main quarterback. He threw for 2,840 yards and ran for 628 yards. Edmonton finished first in their division but lost in the playoffs.

In 1989, Ham had an incredible season. He won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award. He led the Eskimos to a record of 16 wins and only 2 losses. He threw for 4,366 yards and 30 touchdowns. Ham also became the first CFL quarterback to run for over 1,000 yards in a season, with 1,005 yards and 10 touchdowns. He even set an Edmonton record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in one game (150 yards). Despite their great regular season, the Eskimos were upset in the playoffs.

In 1990, Ham ran for another 1,000-yard season, with 1,096 yards. He also passed for 4,286 yards. His 36 touchdown passes tied a team record. Edmonton made it to the Grey Cup but lost to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

In 1991, Ham continued his strong play. He ran for 998 yards and passed for 3,862 yards and 31 touchdowns. He set another Edmonton record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game (166 yards). He also tied a team record with 5 touchdown passes in one game. Edmonton finished first in their division but lost in the playoffs.

In 1992, Ham dealt with some injuries. Still, he passed for 3,655 yards and 30 touchdowns, and ran for 655 yards. Edmonton reached the playoffs but lost to the Calgary Stampeders.

During his time in Edmonton, Ham's passing yards (19,240) and passing touchdowns (142) were second only to legendary quarterback Warren Moon in team history. He also holds the top three records for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single season for the Eskimos.

Toronto Argonauts Season

In 1993, Ham was traded to the Toronto Argonauts. It was a big trade involving many players. The Argonauts had a tough season, finishing with only 3 wins and 15 losses. Ham threw for 2,147 yards and ran for 605 yards. He found it challenging to adjust to the team's new offensive style.

Baltimore Stallions Success

In 1994, the CFL expanded into the United States. Ham joined the new Baltimore team. He had another great passing season, with 4,348 yards, and ran for 613 yards. Ham led the Baltimore team, which was not yet named the Stallions, all the way to the Grey Cup. This was the first time a non-Canadian team played in the Grey Cup. However, they lost the championship game.

In 1995, Ham led the Baltimore Stallions to an amazing 15-3 record. He passed for 3,357 yards and ran for 610 yards. The Stallions made it to the Grey Cup again, playing against the Calgary Stampeders. In the game, Ham made a fantastic play. He looked like he was about to be tackled, but he escaped and ran for a touchdown. This play helped Baltimore win the Grey Cup 37-20. The Baltimore Stallions became the only non-Canadian team to ever win the Grey Cup. Ham was named the Grey Cup MVP for his performance.

Montreal Alouettes Final Years

In 1996, the US-based CFL teams closed down. The main players from the Baltimore Stallions moved to Montreal and became the Montreal Alouettes. The team focused a lot on running the ball. Montreal finished second in their division but lost in the playoffs to the Toronto Argonauts, who went on to win the Grey Cup.

In 1997, Montreal again finished second in their division. They lost in the playoffs to the Toronto Argonauts, who once again won the Grey Cup.

In 1998, Anthony Calvillo joined the Alouettes as a younger quarterback. Ham still led the team in passing and helped Montreal finish second in their division. They lost in the playoffs to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

In 1999, Calvillo took over as the main passer for the Alouettes. Montreal finished first in their division. However, they lost in the playoffs at home to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who then won the Grey Cup.

Tracy Ham retired from playing football after the 1999 season.

Tracy Ham's Legacy

During his career from 1987 to 1999, Tracy Ham gained 40,534 passing yards. This ranks him seventh all-time in the CFL. He completed 2,670 passes out of 4,943 attempts, throwing 284 touchdowns and 164 interceptions.

He also had 8,043 rushing yards, which places him tenth all-time in the CFL. Among quarterbacks, he is second only to Damon Allen in rushing yards. He carried the ball 1,059 times and scored 62 rushing touchdowns. In 2010, Tracy Ham was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

Coaching Career

After his playing career, Tracy Ham became a football coach. In 2002, he was hired as the head coach for the Clark Atlanta Panthers football team. He coached them for two seasons before leaving the position.