Brodie Croyle
| primarytext | |
|---|---|
| secondarytext | |
| currentteam | Kansas City Chiefs | width=250 |
| caption | Brodie Croyle on the HBO documentary Hard Knocks. |
| currentnumber | 12 |
| currentposition | Quarterback |
| birthdate | |
| birthplace | Gadsden, Alabama | heightft=6 | heightin=2 |
| weight | 206 |
| debutyear | 2006 |
| debutteam | Kansas City Chiefs |
| highlights |
* [[Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award]] finalist (2005)
|college=[[Alabama Crimson Tide|Alabama]]
|draftyear=2006
|draftround=3
|draftpick=85
|pastteams=
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| nfl | CRO809080 |
(born February 6, 1983 in Gadsden, Alabama) is the starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Crimson Tide at the University of Alabama.
During his prep career, he completed 524 of 997 throws for 9,323 yards with 105 touchdowns and 37 interceptions. In his junior year, he threw for 2,838 passing yards, 38 touchdown passes and seven interceptions.
Croyle's high school career ended abruptly in the first game of his senior season against Glencoe High School. A hit by an opposing player caused him to tear his anterior crucial ligament and miss the remainder of his final year of high school football. Although this injury caused his stock to decline as the highest recruited player, he remained as one of the top recruits heading into his collegiate career.
Croyle redshirted as a true freshman in 2001, and saw action in 12 games (two starts) as a redshirt freshman in 2002. He was voted the Ozzie Newsome Most Improved Freshman by his coaches at Alabama. In 2002, he was the backup for senior starter Tyler Watts.
After the 2002 season, Alabama head coach Dennis Franchione resigned to take the position of head coach at Texas A&M and Washington State head coach Mike Price was hired to replace Franchione in January 2003.
Coach Price mentored Croyle throughout the 2003 spring drills and practice, but Price was dismissed from the head coach position in May 2003 for off the field transgressions. Soon after, Mike Shula, quarterback coach for the Miami Dolphins, former offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and former Alabama quarterback, was named head coach at Alabama. Croyle had only a few weeks to prepare and practice under rookie coach Mike Shula's system. Neither Croyle nor the Alabama football team were productive in 2003. Croyle's started all 11 games in 2003, despite a mid-season injury. He connected on 182 of 341 throws for 2,303 yards with 16 TDs and 13 INTs, added 72 carries for eight yards, was named the Dixie Memorial Award winner as the clubs MVP and also garnered the Derrick Thomas Community Award. His 341 pass attempts (in 2003) were the highest seasonal total in Crimson Tide history while his 16 TD passes tied the single-season mark.
Croyle started the 2004 season with a lot of promise, and opened three games, completing 44 of 66 passes for 534 yards with six TDs, but during that third game of the season against Western Carolina University, Croyle tore his anterior cruciate ligament. Croyle was forced to sit out the rest of the season, and the team finished with a 6-6 record.
Croyle returned fully recovered the next year and started all 12 games in 2005 as a senior, connecting on 202 of 339 passes for 2,499 yards with 14 touchdowns and four interceptions for a 132.8 rating and one rushing TD leading the team to a 10-2 record and a 13-10 victory over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl. In his senior year, Croyle was a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as the nations outstanding senior quarterback. and he completed 14 of 17 passes for 283 yards with three TDs vs. Florida to be named the Walter Camp Foundation Offensive Player of the Week and the SEC Offensive Player of the Week.
His 2,499 passing yards were the highest single-season total in Alabama history and he totalled 202 completions and 339 passing attempts to rank as the second-best seasonal marks in school annals. His 2,311 yards of total offense were the third-best seasonal mark in school history and his 1.18 interception percentage was the lowest single-season mark in school history. Croyle attempted a school-record 190 passes without an interception in his senior season.
In April 2007, nearly a year after Croyle was drafted, Chiefs starting quarterback Trent Green was traded to the Miami Dolphins, and the Chiefs were noticeably becoming a younger squad. Head coach Herm Edwards indicated throughout the off-season that the Chiefs' starting quarterback position was up for grabs.Teicher, Adam. QB Croyle has the look of a starter Kansas City Star, 19 June 2007. For the first time in almost 20 years the Chiefs went to training camp with some doubt about their starting quarterback.
Damon Huard was named the Chiefs' starting quarterback for the 2007 season opener in Houston.Associated Press. Backup no more: Huard earns starting role in K.C. ESPN.com, 25 August 2007. Huard, who had the second-best passer rating in the 2006 season, only behind the Super Bowl-winning Peyton Manning,Teicher, Adam. It's summer, but no KC vacation Kansas City Star, 22 June 2007. was chosen in light of Croyle's poor performance in the pre-season. Croyle apparently played himself out of contention by throwing an interception in each of three pre-season games. Given a big opportunity against New Orleans while Huard sat out with a calf injury, he hit only five of 17 passes for 45 yards as the Chiefs lost 30-7 and dropped to 0-3 in exhibition.
On October 7, in a regular season home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Damon Huard was injured in the fourth quarter of the game. Croyle was brought in as a substitute and he threw his first NFL touchdown pass on the final play of the game to Samie Parker in the 17-7 loss.Associated Press. Jags' defense contains Chiefs' ground attack in near shut-out ESPN.com, 7 October 2007. The touchdown helped Kansas City avoid its first shut-out loss at home since 1994. Croyle's game-ending drive made him 6-for-13 for 83 yards and one touchdown.
On November 11, Croyle substituted for an injured Damon Huard in the final half of a 27-11 loss to the Denver Broncos. Croyle finished the game 17-for-30 for 162 yards, with one interception, in the loss that dropped Kansas City to 4-5 on the year.Associated Press. Edwards: Croyle will be Chiefs' starting quarterback ESPN.com, 12 November 2007.
The following day, Croyle was named the 14th starting quarterback in Chiefs history, and made his first NFL start on November 18 at the RCA Dome in a 13-10 loss to Indianapolis.Associated Press. Vinatieri's field goal with 4 ticks left wins it for Colts ESPN.com, 18 November 2007.Brodie Croyle to start as Chiefs quarterback Kansas City Star, 12 November 2007. Croyle was the first quarterback drafted by Kansas City to start a game for the Chiefs since Todd Blackledge started a game in 1984. Blackledge was drafted in 1983. Croyle was 19-of-27 for 169 yards with one touchdown (to Dwayne Bowe), but he also lost a fumble that set up Adam Vinatieri's first field goal.
Croyle started his first home game at Arrowhead Stadium on November 25 against the Oakland Raiders, but injured his back in the 20-17 loss. The injury sidelined Croyle for the following week's game against San Diego, and Damon Huard started in Croyle's place. The injured quarterback carousel continued, and Croyle was declared the starter for Kansas City's game against Denver on December 9.Pasquarelli, Len. After missing game due to injury, Chiefs QB Croyle set to return vs. Broncos ESPN.com, 7 December 2007.
The plan, barring injury, was for Croyle to start the remaining games of the 2007 season, so that coach Herm Edwards and his staff can better evaluate him moving forward into 2008.
However, Croyle was again injured in a play against the Detroit Lions on December 23,Associated Press. Chiefs' QB Brodie Croyle injured after INT against Lions ESPN.com, 23 December 2007. and Damon Huard, whom was the only active QB on the Chiefs' roster besides Croyle, filled in for the remainder of the game. Croyle bruised his hand while trying to stop a defender from running an interception in for a touchdown.
Croyle lost all six games that he started for the Chiefs in 2007. Despite his poor performance as a starter, Croyle's statistics were considered to be hard to evaluate.Rand, Jonathan. The Croyle Question KCChiefs.com, 20 December 2007. With a lack of pass protection and the absence of a stable starting running back in Larry Johnson, the Chiefs may not have seen Croyle at his best in 2007.
In the final game of the season, Croyle led the Chiefs to a 10-10 tie with the Jets with just three minutes remaining.Associated Press. Jets clip Chiefs in OT to beat Edwards in return to Giants Stadium ESPN.com, 30 December 2007. The Chiefs lost 13-10 with a Jets field goal in overtime. Croyle finished the game 20-of-43 for 195 yards.
Croyle also serves as a spokesperson for Johnson County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates).
Early years :
Croyle attended Westbrook Christian in Rainbow City and became a Super-Prep All-American selection. A starter since 8th grade, he set state career records for passing yards (9,323) and touchdowns (105), in addition to marks for passing yards in a season (3,787), passing yards in a game (528), touchdown passes in a season (44) and TD passes in a game (seven).During his prep career, he completed 524 of 997 throws for 9,323 yards with 105 touchdowns and 37 interceptions. In his junior year, he threw for 2,838 passing yards, 38 touchdown passes and seven interceptions.
Croyle's high school career ended abruptly in the first game of his senior season against Glencoe High School. A hit by an opposing player caused him to tear his anterior crucial ligament and miss the remainder of his final year of high school football. Although this injury caused his stock to decline as the highest recruited player, he remained as one of the top recruits heading into his collegiate career.
College career :
Croyle graduated early from high school and enrolled at the University of Alabama in January 2001. He played quarterback for the Crimson Tide football team from 2001 to 2006. He was recruited by various college football powerhouses such as LSU and Florida State, but decided to play for his father's alma mater. On the night before he was to announce his college decision to play for the Seminoles, Croyle changed his mind and decided to play for Alabama. He enrolled as a student at Alabama in January 2001. Croyle broke almost all of the Alabama passing records despite his injuries still lingering from his high school days. His numbers beat out some of the All-Time greats records such as Joe Namath, Mike Shula, Bart Starr, and Ken Stabler. Croyle completed a pass down to the 1-yard line to Tyrone Prothro during the second quarter of a game against Southern Miss that won Alabama the Pontiac Game Changing Performance of the Year award.Croyle redshirted as a true freshman in 2001, and saw action in 12 games (two starts) as a redshirt freshman in 2002. He was voted the Ozzie Newsome Most Improved Freshman by his coaches at Alabama. In 2002, he was the backup for senior starter Tyler Watts.
After the 2002 season, Alabama head coach Dennis Franchione resigned to take the position of head coach at Texas A&M and Washington State head coach Mike Price was hired to replace Franchione in January 2003.
Coach Price mentored Croyle throughout the 2003 spring drills and practice, but Price was dismissed from the head coach position in May 2003 for off the field transgressions. Soon after, Mike Shula, quarterback coach for the Miami Dolphins, former offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and former Alabama quarterback, was named head coach at Alabama. Croyle had only a few weeks to prepare and practice under rookie coach Mike Shula's system. Neither Croyle nor the Alabama football team were productive in 2003. Croyle's started all 11 games in 2003, despite a mid-season injury. He connected on 182 of 341 throws for 2,303 yards with 16 TDs and 13 INTs, added 72 carries for eight yards, was named the Dixie Memorial Award winner as the clubs MVP and also garnered the Derrick Thomas Community Award. His 341 pass attempts (in 2003) were the highest seasonal total in Crimson Tide history while his 16 TD passes tied the single-season mark.
Croyle started the 2004 season with a lot of promise, and opened three games, completing 44 of 66 passes for 534 yards with six TDs, but during that third game of the season against Western Carolina University, Croyle tore his anterior cruciate ligament. Croyle was forced to sit out the rest of the season, and the team finished with a 6-6 record.
Croyle returned fully recovered the next year and started all 12 games in 2005 as a senior, connecting on 202 of 339 passes for 2,499 yards with 14 touchdowns and four interceptions for a 132.8 rating and one rushing TD leading the team to a 10-2 record and a 13-10 victory over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl. In his senior year, Croyle was a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as the nations outstanding senior quarterback. and he completed 14 of 17 passes for 283 yards with three TDs vs. Florida to be named the Walter Camp Foundation Offensive Player of the Week and the SEC Offensive Player of the Week.
His 2,499 passing yards were the highest single-season total in Alabama history and he totalled 202 completions and 339 passing attempts to rank as the second-best seasonal marks in school annals. His 2,311 yards of total offense were the third-best seasonal mark in school history and his 1.18 interception percentage was the lowest single-season mark in school history. Croyle attempted a school-record 190 passes without an interception in his senior season.
NFL career :
On April 29, 2006, the Kansas City Chiefs drafted Croyle in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft (85th overall) and signed a four-year contract on July 28, 2006.Brodie Croyle #12 Biography KCChiefs.comChiefs agree to terms with Hali and Croyle KCChiefs.com, 29 July 2006. It was a reputation for being injury prone that caused Croyle to drop to the third round of the 2006 draft,Associated Press. Injury problems raising concerns about Croyle's role with Chiefs ESPN.com, 26 December 2007. but the Chiefs picked him up with their third-round selection.Chiefs select QB Brodie Croyle in round 3 KCChiefs.com, 29 April 2006.2006 :
Croyle saw few snaps his rookie season and played in only 2 games.Brodie Croyle on NFL.com He completed 3 of 7 passes for 23 yards including 2 interceptions. Croyle originally was assigned the number four as his jersey number but later switched back to his preferred collegiate number twelve after the release of wide receiver Craphonso Thorpe.2007 :
| *"Brodie Croyle in my mind is going to be a good quarterback in this organizationno doubt about it." |
| ~Herm Edwards, head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs' |
Damon Huard was named the Chiefs' starting quarterback for the 2007 season opener in Houston.Associated Press. Backup no more: Huard earns starting role in K.C. ESPN.com, 25 August 2007. Huard, who had the second-best passer rating in the 2006 season, only behind the Super Bowl-winning Peyton Manning,Teicher, Adam. It's summer, but no KC vacation Kansas City Star, 22 June 2007. was chosen in light of Croyle's poor performance in the pre-season. Croyle apparently played himself out of contention by throwing an interception in each of three pre-season games. Given a big opportunity against New Orleans while Huard sat out with a calf injury, he hit only five of 17 passes for 45 yards as the Chiefs lost 30-7 and dropped to 0-3 in exhibition.
On October 7, in a regular season home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Damon Huard was injured in the fourth quarter of the game. Croyle was brought in as a substitute and he threw his first NFL touchdown pass on the final play of the game to Samie Parker in the 17-7 loss.Associated Press. Jags' defense contains Chiefs' ground attack in near shut-out ESPN.com, 7 October 2007. The touchdown helped Kansas City avoid its first shut-out loss at home since 1994. Croyle's game-ending drive made him 6-for-13 for 83 yards and one touchdown.
On November 11, Croyle substituted for an injured Damon Huard in the final half of a 27-11 loss to the Denver Broncos. Croyle finished the game 17-for-30 for 162 yards, with one interception, in the loss that dropped Kansas City to 4-5 on the year.Associated Press. Edwards: Croyle will be Chiefs' starting quarterback ESPN.com, 12 November 2007.
The following day, Croyle was named the 14th starting quarterback in Chiefs history, and made his first NFL start on November 18 at the RCA Dome in a 13-10 loss to Indianapolis.Associated Press. Vinatieri's field goal with 4 ticks left wins it for Colts ESPN.com, 18 November 2007.Brodie Croyle to start as Chiefs quarterback Kansas City Star, 12 November 2007. Croyle was the first quarterback drafted by Kansas City to start a game for the Chiefs since Todd Blackledge started a game in 1984. Blackledge was drafted in 1983. Croyle was 19-of-27 for 169 yards with one touchdown (to Dwayne Bowe), but he also lost a fumble that set up Adam Vinatieri's first field goal.
Croyle started his first home game at Arrowhead Stadium on November 25 against the Oakland Raiders, but injured his back in the 20-17 loss. The injury sidelined Croyle for the following week's game against San Diego, and Damon Huard started in Croyle's place. The injured quarterback carousel continued, and Croyle was declared the starter for Kansas City's game against Denver on December 9.Pasquarelli, Len. After missing game due to injury, Chiefs QB Croyle set to return vs. Broncos ESPN.com, 7 December 2007.
The plan, barring injury, was for Croyle to start the remaining games of the 2007 season, so that coach Herm Edwards and his staff can better evaluate him moving forward into 2008.
However, Croyle was again injured in a play against the Detroit Lions on December 23,Associated Press. Chiefs' QB Brodie Croyle injured after INT against Lions ESPN.com, 23 December 2007. and Damon Huard, whom was the only active QB on the Chiefs' roster besides Croyle, filled in for the remainder of the game. Croyle bruised his hand while trying to stop a defender from running an interception in for a touchdown.
Croyle lost all six games that he started for the Chiefs in 2007. Despite his poor performance as a starter, Croyle's statistics were considered to be hard to evaluate.Rand, Jonathan. The Croyle Question KCChiefs.com, 20 December 2007. With a lack of pass protection and the absence of a stable starting running back in Larry Johnson, the Chiefs may not have seen Croyle at his best in 2007.
In the final game of the season, Croyle led the Chiefs to a 10-10 tie with the Jets with just three minutes remaining.Associated Press. Jets clip Chiefs in OT to beat Edwards in return to Giants Stadium ESPN.com, 30 December 2007. The Chiefs lost 13-10 with a Jets field goal in overtime. Croyle finished the game 20-of-43 for 195 yards.
2008 :
Herm Edwards plans on having Croyle being the Chiefs' starting quarterback heading into their 2008 season.Covitz, Randy. Herm says Croyle will be No. 1 quarterback in 2008 Kansas City Star, 24 December 2007.Personal :
Croyle married Kelli Schutz on July 14, 2007.Hicks, Tommy. "Croyle ready to run offense, walk down aisle", the Press-Register, published July 1, 2007, accessed July 5, 2007. Schutz is the winner of the 2005 America's Junior Miss competition. The couple met in Mobile, Alabama in 2006, while Croyle was preparing for the Senior Bowl. The Croyles reside in Stilwell, Kansas.Community work :
He volunteered at the Big Oak Ranch, a Christian home and school for children from troubled and abusive situations founded by his father, and also volunteers at the Drumm Farm in Independence, Missouri, a facility that provides foster children with a safe and stable place to call home.Croyle also serves as a spokesperson for Johnson County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates).
References :
External links :
- #12 Brodie Croyle biography at the official website of the Kansas City Chiefs