Brooks Bollinger

Brooks Bollinger is an American former professional football quarterback who played in both the National Football League]] (NFL) and the United Football League (UFL). His significant seasons were from the New York Jets and the Minnesota Vikings

Player Profile, High School, and College Career

Brooks Michael Bollinger was born on November 15, 1979, in Bismarck, North Dakota, USA. The quarterback stands 185 cm tall, and his playing weight was listed at 93 kg.

He attended Central High School in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He later committed to play for the University of Wisconsin, Bollinger became a legendary multi-year starter for the Badgers from 1999 to 2002.

Stepping in as a redshirt freshman, he instantly commanded the offense, winning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors and piloting Wisconsin to a historic victory in the 2000 Rose Bowl. Bollinger finished his collegiate tenure as a four-year bowl game winner, setting the then-program record for quarterback rushing touchdowns (26) and logging 30 career victories.

Professional Career

Bollinger was selected by the New York Jets in the sixth round (2000th overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft.

He spent his initial seasons developing as a high-IQ backup before receiving his major professional opportunity during the 2005 campaign. Following injuries to starters Chad Pennington and Jay Fiedler, Bollinger started nine games for the Jets.

In 2006, he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings, where he returned closer to his roots to serve as a valued reserve and spot-starter, notably stepping in to anchor the offense during key stretches of the 2007 season.

After a brief stint backup role with the Dallas Cowboys in 2008 and an offseason training camp stay with the Detroit Lions in 2009, Bollinger signed with the Florida Tuskers of the newly formed United Football League (UFL).

His impact on the UFL was immediate and dominant; he led the Tuskers to an undefeated regular season in 2009, pacing the league in passing efficiency and completion percentage to capture the inaugural UFL Most Valuable Player award before officially retiring from active playing in 2011.

Post-Playing Career and Off the Field

Off the field, athletic leadership was instilled in Bollinger early on by his father, who was a college football coach at the University of North Dakota. Following his retirement, he started serving as the quarterbacks coach for the Pittsburgh Panthers from 2012 to 2013, before taking over as the head coach for Cretin-Derham Hall High School in Minnesota from 2015 to 2019.

Career Highlights

• 2009 – United Football League (UFL) Most Valuable Player
• 2000 – Rose Bowl Champion as the starting quarterback for the Wisconsin Badgers
• 1999 – Big Ten Freshman of the Year