Jake Delhomme

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Jake Delhomme : biography

10 January 1975 –

Delhomme was placed on season-ending injured reserve on December 24, 2009, and was released by the Panthers on March 5, 2010.

Cleveland Browns

2010 Season

On March 13, 2010, Delhomme signed a two-year deal with the Cleveland Browns. Delhomme won the starting quarterback job over Seneca Wallace after competing with him during training camp. However, he suffered a high ankle sprain during the second quarter of the Browns’ first game of the season, a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Delhomme would see action again midway through the team’s Week 5 game after Seneca Wallace also injured his ankle. However, he was noticeably not 100% while playing and ultimately reinjured his ankle. Jake Delhomme started against his former team the Carolina Panthers, after Colt McCoy suffered a high ankle sprain. It was Delhomme’s first start since Week 1. For the season, he threw 2 TD and 7 INT while going 2-3 as a starter.

On July 28, 2011, he was released by Cleveland.

Houston Texans

2011 Season

Delhomme signed with the Houston Texans on November 29, 2011 after quarterbacks Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart went down with season-ending injuries. Despite his experience, Delhomme was signed to backup rookie fifth-round draft pick T.J. Yates, as Yates had been with the team the entire season.

Delhomme entered the Texans’ season finale against the Titans after TJ Yates suffered a bruised throwing shoulder. He would go on to lead his team on a potential game winning drive, completing 18 of 28 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown. But the Texans would lose 23-22 after a botched snap on a two point attempt play.http://www.ajc.com/sports/texans-lose-3rd-in-1285219.html

Personal life

Delhomme married the former Keri Melancon in 2000; the two were childhood sweethearts, and were "Junior Sweethearts" at Teurlings Catholic. They have two daughters: Lauren Elizabeth, who was born on December 17, 2001, and Lindsey Marie, who was born on February 25, 2007. Delhomme wears #17 because it is the date of his first daughter’s birthday, and she was born after 17 hours of labor. He and his family are Panthers fans.http://charlotte.cbslocal.com/2012/12/13/former-panther-jake-delhomme-i-truly-believe-some-good-things-are-gonna-happen-to-this-regime/

Delhomme has garnered popularity as a pitch-man for the Cajun fast food restaurant, Bojangles’, where he is often depicted as a single-minded fried-chicken addict who audibles Bojangles’ "fixin’s" at the line of scrimmage. One commercial parodies the film Jerry Maguire and the line "Show me the money!"; former teammate with the Panthers Steve Smith is featured in a cameo. Another commercial with Smith portrays the duo as the Dukes of Hazzard, driving The General Lee with a large chicken head on the roof. Delhomme has also done SunCom Wireless limited edition cell phone commercials that feature a Panthers logo and his signature, and he has appeared in public service announcements for Civitan International. Delhomme is noted for licking his fingers before every play, and sticking his tongue out as part of his focus. "If one ever writes a Panthers encyclopedia, the entry under the word "concentration" will have a picture of Jake Delhomme with his tongue out."

ESPN’s Chris Berman calls him "Jake ‘daylight come and you gotta’ Delhomme", a play on words of the Banana Boat Song by Harry Belafonte.

The official Panthers website featured a regular discussion with Delhomme during the regular season, known as "Cajun Up with Jake".

NFL Records

  • Longest pass in the Super Bowl in NFL History (85-yard pass to Muhsin Muhammad)