7 starts (3-4)
Completion % = 52.3% (124/237)
1251 yrds – 11 TD - 6 INT – 72.6 –
9 sacks
1251 yrds – 11 TD - 6 INT – 72.6 –
9 sacks
Danny Wuerffel (02) aka "Danny Woeful"
4 starts (2-2)
Completion % = 63.0% (58/92)
719 yrds – 3 TD - 6 INT – 70.9 –11 sacks
Steve Spurrier was the new game in town in 2002. The Redskins' 70th Anniversary season was set to go off with a bang once Spurrier's "Fun 'N Gun" offense was unleashed on the league. The only problem was that there were no quarterbacks on the 2002 roster that had played in such a system, but Spurrier decided to get the band back together for one more go 'round by luring Shane Matthews and Danny Wuerffel to Washington.
Both Matthews and Wuerffel played at Florida under Steve Spurrier. Matthews started for the Gators from 1990-1992. He led the SEC in passing in all three years as a starter, and he led the Gators to their first ever SEC Championship in 1991. Wuerffel, though, would take the Gators to the next level. Wuerffel would be a four year starter and set countless school and conference records during his Florida career, culminating in 1996 with a National Championship for the Gators and a Heisman Trophy for Danny Wuerffel. The NFL, however, was not so kind to these Gator Boys.
Matthews was signed by the Bears in 1993, but he would not even play in a game until 1996. The next two seasons saw Matthews back on the bench in Carolina where he never took one snap in those two season. Luckily for Matthews the Bears came calling again in 1999, and he would start in 15 games for the Bears from 1999-2001 going 8-7. If Wuerffel had the more decorated college career, he had it harder in the pros. Drafted by the Saints in the 4th round in 1997, Wuerffel would only start in 6 games for the Saints between 1997-1999. He would dress in only 2 more games over the next 2 seasons for the Packers and Bears, but he would win the NFL Europe Championship in 2000 for the Rein Fire. In 2002, though, the Ole Ball Coach came calling and the stage was set for the Florida Gators Reunion Tour 2002.
Matthews was the starter at the beginning of the season, but was pulled by Spurrier in the third game against the 49ers in favor of Wuerffel. Wuerffel made his first NFL start in 4 years the next week against the Titans, but he would only last one series due to a shoulder injury. Patrick Ramsey came on in relief and won the game, but the credit for the win goes to Wuerffel because he was the official starter. From that point on it was quarterbacking medley that would see Matthews return, only to be replaced by Wuerffel again and ultimately both would be replaced by Ramsey who started the last 4 games of the season.
Spurrier should get some credit for somehow going 7-9 in a season where his quarterbacks were going through a baseball pitching rotation. The starts by game number are as follows: Matthews games 1-3, Wuerffel game 4, Ramsey games 5-6, Matthews games 7-10, Wuerffel games 11-12, Ramsey games 13-16. The "Matthews-Wuerffel-Ramsey" rotation went through two full cycles in 2002, but by the end of the season the Reunion Tour had ended. Danny Wuerffel retired from the NFL after that season and Matthews left for Cincinnati. He would retire in 2005 after two season with the Bills, but he came back for a swan song with the Dolphins in late 2006 to fill a roster spot left open by an injured Daunte Culpepper. Matthews would retire for good in March 2007. Both players' last NFL start came with the Redskins on The Florida Gators Reunion Tour, and Redskins fans will cherish those memories for a lifetime.
Fun Fact Side Notes: Danny Wuerffel was the first Heisman Trophy winning quarterback to start for the Redskins in franchise history.
In Shane Matthews' three wins for the Redskins he beat Peyton Manning, Jake Plummer, and Matt Hasselbeck. In Danny Wuerffel's two wins he beat Steve McNair and Kurt Warner, although he did not throw one touchdown pass in either of those games.
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