Cards Land Free Agent Quarterback Jeff Blake
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, March 12, 2003
Tempe, Arizona — Quarterback Jeff Blake, an 11-year NFL veteran and
former Pro Bowler (1995), has agreed to a three-year contract with the
Arizona Cardinals.
Blake, 32, who previously played with the N.Y. Jets (1992–93),
Cincinnati Bengals (1994–99), New Orleans Saints (2000–01), and
Baltimore Ravens (2002), owns career passing totals of 2,828 pass
attempts, 1,597 completions, 19,282 yards, 119 touchdowns, and 80
interceptions. He also has gained 1,845 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns
on 384 career rushing attempts. He has started 87 of his 101 NFL games.
His career passer rating of 79.2 places him among players active in 2002
who are on pace to rank in the NFL’s all-time top 20, a list that also
includes Steve McNair, 81.7; Neil O’Donnell, 81.6; Steve Beuerlein,
80.9; Chris Chandler, 80.7; Jeff George, 80.4; and Donovan McNabb, 79.3.
Last year, Blake started the final 10 games for Baltimore, completing
165 of 295 passes for 2,084 yards with 13 touchdowns and 11
interceptions after replacing injured Raven starter Chris Redman midway
through the season.
Blake set 32 passing records at East Carolina University and finished
ninth balloting for the 1991 Heisman Trophy when he led the Pirates to
an 11–1 mark as a senior and the school’s highest national ranking in
the polls (ninth).
He was selected by the N.Y. Jets in the sixth round of the 1992 NFL
Draft, and following three appearances in two seasons with the Jets, he
was claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Bengals prior to the start of
the 1994 season.
After starting nine of 10 contests for the Bengals, he started all 16
games for Cincinnati in 1995 and was selected to his first Pro Bowl when
he set a club record with 567 pass attempts, completing 326 for 3,822
yards with 28 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He continued his fine
play the following year with 3,624 passing yards on 308 completions in
549 attempts with 24 touchdowns, then started just 11 games in 1997 and
two in 1998.
He returned to start 12 of 14 games in 1999 with his best single-season
totals since his 1996 Pro Bowl campaign with 2,670 yards and 16
touchdown passes. He also broke Cincinnati’s quarterback mark with 332
rushing yards.
During his six-year stint with Cincinnati, his touchdown-interception
differential was 93–62 for a ratio of 1.5-to-1, better than the career
marks of legendary Bengal quarterbacks Boomer Esiason (1.43-to-1, 187
touchdowns, 131 interceptions) and Ken Anderson (1.23-to-1, 197
touchdowns, 160 interceptions).
Blake signed with New Orleans for the 2000 season and helped lead the
Saints from a 3–13 record and fifth-place NFC West Division finish the
previous year to a 10–6 mark and a division title. He started the first
10 games (7–3 record) for the Saints before suffering a fractured and
dislocated foot. His 82.7 passer rating was the best of his career.
Blake completed 184 of 302 passes for 2,025 yards with 13 touchdowns and
just nine interceptions. In 2001, he saw action in just one contest
behind Aaron Brooks.
— cards —
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, March 12, 2003
Tempe, Arizona — Quarterback Jeff Blake, an 11-year NFL veteran and
former Pro Bowler (1995), has agreed to a three-year contract with the
Arizona Cardinals.
Blake, 32, who previously played with the N.Y. Jets (1992–93),
Cincinnati Bengals (1994–99), New Orleans Saints (2000–01), and
Baltimore Ravens (2002), owns career passing totals of 2,828 pass
attempts, 1,597 completions, 19,282 yards, 119 touchdowns, and 80
interceptions. He also has gained 1,845 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns
on 384 career rushing attempts. He has started 87 of his 101 NFL games.
His career passer rating of 79.2 places him among players active in 2002
who are on pace to rank in the NFL’s all-time top 20, a list that also
includes Steve McNair, 81.7; Neil O’Donnell, 81.6; Steve Beuerlein,
80.9; Chris Chandler, 80.7; Jeff George, 80.4; and Donovan McNabb, 79.3.
Last year, Blake started the final 10 games for Baltimore, completing
165 of 295 passes for 2,084 yards with 13 touchdowns and 11
interceptions after replacing injured Raven starter Chris Redman midway
through the season.
Blake set 32 passing records at East Carolina University and finished
ninth balloting for the 1991 Heisman Trophy when he led the Pirates to
an 11–1 mark as a senior and the school’s highest national ranking in
the polls (ninth).
He was selected by the N.Y. Jets in the sixth round of the 1992 NFL
Draft, and following three appearances in two seasons with the Jets, he
was claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Bengals prior to the start of
the 1994 season.
After starting nine of 10 contests for the Bengals, he started all 16
games for Cincinnati in 1995 and was selected to his first Pro Bowl when
he set a club record with 567 pass attempts, completing 326 for 3,822
yards with 28 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He continued his fine
play the following year with 3,624 passing yards on 308 completions in
549 attempts with 24 touchdowns, then started just 11 games in 1997 and
two in 1998.
He returned to start 12 of 14 games in 1999 with his best single-season
totals since his 1996 Pro Bowl campaign with 2,670 yards and 16
touchdown passes. He also broke Cincinnati’s quarterback mark with 332
rushing yards.
During his six-year stint with Cincinnati, his touchdown-interception
differential was 93–62 for a ratio of 1.5-to-1, better than the career
marks of legendary Bengal quarterbacks Boomer Esiason (1.43-to-1, 187
touchdowns, 131 interceptions) and Ken Anderson (1.23-to-1, 197
touchdowns, 160 interceptions).
Blake signed with New Orleans for the 2000 season and helped lead the
Saints from a 3–13 record and fifth-place NFC West Division finish the
previous year to a 10–6 mark and a division title. He started the first
10 games (7–3 record) for the Saints before suffering a fractured and
dislocated foot. His 82.7 passer rating was the best of his career.
Blake completed 184 of 302 passes for 2,025 yards with 13 touchdowns and
just nine interceptions. In 2001, he saw action in just one contest
behind Aaron Brooks.
— cards —
