Joey Harrington

John Joey Harrington Jr. is a professional football quarterback who at present is a free agent. He is the former second-string quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. He played his college ball for the Oregon Ducks. In 2002, the Detroit Lions made him the third pick overall in the NFL Draft.

At Oregon, Harrington was the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year (2001). As a three-year starter, he complied a record of 25-3, completing 55.5-percent of his passes and hitting for 59 touchdowns. His total yardage through the air was 6,911. He threw 23 picks. He also rushed for 210 yards, scoring 18 times on the ground.

Harrington has been a starter for his entire career, however in that role he has often been streaky and ineffective, which has resulted in the QB losing that role more than once. He has played for three teams in seven years. From 2002 through 2005, he was with the Detroit Lions. In 2006, he signed with the Miami Dolphins and in 2007 he signed with the Atlanta Falcons. In 2008, he was signed by the New Orleans Saints team.

In 81 games, Harrington has a completion rate of 56.1-percent (1424 of 2538) with 79 touchdowns and 85 interceptions. He has thrown for a total of 14,693 yards and holds a QB rating of 69.4. He's fumbled seven times, losing one.

Harrington, who stands six-foot-four and weighs 210 pounds, seems to have the tools to be a starting quarterback in the NFL, but he has still not reached that goal. Prone to throwing interceptions and streakiness, he has been unable to establish himself as one of the top players in the league. His arm is good but not extremely powerful. He definitely has the smarts to play well but succumbs to pressure and often makes bad decisions. An above average athlete with good tools, he seems to lack the confidence to thrive in the NFL.