Jake Delhomme

Jake Delhomme is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. He is best known for his successful seven-year run as the leader of the Carolina Panthers, where he started in a Super Bowl and set many team passing records.

Player Profile, High School, and College Career

Jake Christopher Delhomme was born on January 10, 1975, in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, USA. He stands 188 cm tall, and his weight was last recorded at 98 kg. He is a quarterback.

He attended Teurlings Catholic High School in Lafayette, Louisiana, where he was a great athlete in both football and basketball. He played on both offense as a quarterback and defense as a safety, earning top honors in his state. Committing to the University of Southwestern Louisiana, Delhomme played college football for the Ragin' Cajuns from 1993 to 1996.

He had a highly productive college career as a four-year starter. He broke school records for total passing yards and touchdowns, and he became the first quarterback in his school's history to throw for over 1,000 yards in four straight seasons. He led his team to multiple winning seasons and big upset victories before turning professional.

Professional Career

Delhomme went undrafted in the 1997 NFL Draft but was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent.

He spent his early career working hard on the practice squad and serving as a backup player for the Saints. To get more experience on the field, he played across the ocean in NFL Europe for the Amsterdam Admirals and Frankfurt Galaxy, where he won a championship game. He returned to the Saints and played in his first official NFL regular-season games in 1999.

The prime of his career began in 2003 when he signed a contract with the Carolina Panthers. He won the starting quarterback job right away and led the Panthers to an appearance in Super Bowl XXXVIII, where he threw an absolute record-breaking 85-yard touchdown pass. He earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2005 and remained a fan favorite for his many late-game comebacks before finishing his career with short single-season stays with the Cleveland Browns and the Houston Texans.

He officially announced his retirement in 2012. He concluded his 14-year NFL career having recorded 1,741 completions, 20,975 passing yards, and 126 passing touchdowns.

Post-Playing Career / Off the Field

Following his retirement from playing professional football, Delhomme transitioned into business and horse racing. He returned home to Louisiana to breed and race thoroughbred horses on his family farm. He was later inducted into the Carolina Panthers Hall of Honor and joined the team's official radio broadcast crew to work as a game analyst.

Career Highlights

• 2019 - Carolina Panthers Hall of Honor Inductee
• 2005 - Pro Bowl Selection
• 1999 - World Bowl Champion