Mark Brunell (04-07) “The Checkdown Champion"
33 starts (15-18)
Completion % = 57.0% (542/951)
6033 yrds – 38 TD - 20 INT – 80.6 – 54 sacks
5 Game Winning Drives
Dan Snyder's first foray into trading for an older starting quarterback whose old team seemed too eager to try and get something in return for him. Mark Brunell was the original Brett Favre backup to make something of himself. People may forget that he was drafted by Green Bay in 1993 and spent two years as Favre's backup before the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars traded for him in 1995. Brunell would make the playoffs in 4 out of his first 5 years in Jacksonville, and he even took the Jags to the AFC Championship Game. TWICE. Once in 1996 where he lost the Apple Cup Rematch (See reference below) to Drew Bledsoe and the Patriots, and again in 1999 to the Tennessee Titans. The turn of the millennium, however, saw a turn in Brunell's fortunes in Jacksonville. Although he started all but 2 games for the Jags between 2000-2002, all of those were losing seasons and by 2003 the Jags had drafted for the future in Byron Leftwich. Brunell would start only 3 games in 2003, but lucky for him the perfect storm was brewing 700 miles to the North.
The 2004 season for the Washington Redskins saw the return of the Burgundy and Gold Messiah. Joe Gibbs had finally returned to save the franchise from the depths of despair, and the first player he coveted was Mark Brunell. While there were rumors that Jacksonville was going to cut Brunell, there were too many potential suitors for his services for Gibbs and Snyder's liking so they gave up a third round pick for the 11 year veteran. Brunell was tagged as being the savvy veteran Yin to Patrick Ramsey's reckless interception throwing Yang, but what the Redskins got was a quarterback controversy between their young quarterback that was drafted by the team but not by the coach and the "Checkdown Champion".
Brunell vs. Ramsey was a big thing in 2004 and for good reason. Brunell got the start over Ramsey who had figured he had proven himself over the past two seasons despite being injured for the last half of the 2003 season. Brunell, however, would be benched mid season due to a nagging hamstring injury and Ramsey would start the last 7 games in 2004. Both were able to only win three games each in 2004, but Ramsey's wins were the three highest scoring games of the season for the Redskins and the offense did not seem as dynamic with Brunell at the helm. This would lead to Ramsey getting the start in 2005, but Ramsey would be injured in the first game of the season against the Bears and Brunell took advantage of the situation. The next week would be the famed "Santana Moss Cowboys Game" where Brunell seemingly threw passes in the dirt for 56 minutes until connecting with Moss on passes of 39 and 70 yards in the last four minutes to win the game in Dallas. HTTR nation was jacked up, but their admirations would wax and wane their way to an eventual 5-6 record after Week 12 with the season looking lost yet again. Brunell, however, would channel some mid 90's magic and win the last 5 games of the season to secure the Redskins' first playoff berth in 6 years. Brunell would actually beat the Buccaneers in the first round, but lose The Brett Favre Backup Bowl (see reference below) to Matt Hasselbeck and the Seahawks in the second round. The luster of that 2005 run would not last, however, and in 2006 Brunell was benched in favor of Jason Campbell after going 3-6 in the first nine games. Brunell would stay on the Redskins roster through the 2007 season, but he would never take another snap for the Redskins after his benching midway through the 2006 season.
Brunell would leave the Redskins in 2008 and go on to back up Drew Brees in New Orleans for the next two seasons. He even got a Super Bowl Ring in 2010 with the Saints. In 2010 he signed with the Jets to back up Mark Sanchez, and he would stay there until the end of the 2011 season. His career officially ended in 2012. Brunell's time in Washington will always be remembered for the Dallas win, the improbable five game winning streak to make the playoffs, and for his propensity for throwing the checkdown pass that made him "The Checkdown Champion" here in DC. Yes, he benefitted from having a stout defense in 2004 and 2005, but whatever you may think of his Redskins career, Brunell is the only quarterback other than Brad Johnson to win a playoff game in the Dan Snyder era.
Fun Facts: Mark Brunell set an NFL record for most consecutive completions in a single game (22) with the Redskins in 2006 against the Houston Texans. The only other quarterback to complete more passes in a row was Donovan McNabb in 2004, but his was over a two game span.
Apple Cup Rematch: This is a reference to the fact that Mark Brunell and Drew Bledsoe played each other three times in college in the annual Apple Cup Game played between Washington and Washington State. Brunell led Washington to two victories over Bledsoe and the Cougars between 1990-1992.
Brett Favre Backup Bowl: Remember that both Mark Brunell and Matt Hasselbeck had backed up Brett Favre in Green Bay at one point in their careers. Even more coincidental was the fact that Mike Holmgren had drafted both quarterbacks while he was the head coach of Green Bay, and he was the coach for the Seahawks in their playoff meeting with Brunell and the Redskins.
5 Game Winning Drives
Dan Snyder's first foray into trading for an older starting quarterback whose old team seemed too eager to try and get something in return for him. Mark Brunell was the original Brett Favre backup to make something of himself. People may forget that he was drafted by Green Bay in 1993 and spent two years as Favre's backup before the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars traded for him in 1995. Brunell would make the playoffs in 4 out of his first 5 years in Jacksonville, and he even took the Jags to the AFC Championship Game. TWICE. Once in 1996 where he lost the Apple Cup Rematch (See reference below) to Drew Bledsoe and the Patriots, and again in 1999 to the Tennessee Titans. The turn of the millennium, however, saw a turn in Brunell's fortunes in Jacksonville. Although he started all but 2 games for the Jags between 2000-2002, all of those were losing seasons and by 2003 the Jags had drafted for the future in Byron Leftwich. Brunell would start only 3 games in 2003, but lucky for him the perfect storm was brewing 700 miles to the North.
The 2004 season for the Washington Redskins saw the return of the Burgundy and Gold Messiah. Joe Gibbs had finally returned to save the franchise from the depths of despair, and the first player he coveted was Mark Brunell. While there were rumors that Jacksonville was going to cut Brunell, there were too many potential suitors for his services for Gibbs and Snyder's liking so they gave up a third round pick for the 11 year veteran. Brunell was tagged as being the savvy veteran Yin to Patrick Ramsey's reckless interception throwing Yang, but what the Redskins got was a quarterback controversy between their young quarterback that was drafted by the team but not by the coach and the "Checkdown Champion".
Brunell vs. Ramsey was a big thing in 2004 and for good reason. Brunell got the start over Ramsey who had figured he had proven himself over the past two seasons despite being injured for the last half of the 2003 season. Brunell, however, would be benched mid season due to a nagging hamstring injury and Ramsey would start the last 7 games in 2004. Both were able to only win three games each in 2004, but Ramsey's wins were the three highest scoring games of the season for the Redskins and the offense did not seem as dynamic with Brunell at the helm. This would lead to Ramsey getting the start in 2005, but Ramsey would be injured in the first game of the season against the Bears and Brunell took advantage of the situation. The next week would be the famed "Santana Moss Cowboys Game" where Brunell seemingly threw passes in the dirt for 56 minutes until connecting with Moss on passes of 39 and 70 yards in the last four minutes to win the game in Dallas. HTTR nation was jacked up, but their admirations would wax and wane their way to an eventual 5-6 record after Week 12 with the season looking lost yet again. Brunell, however, would channel some mid 90's magic and win the last 5 games of the season to secure the Redskins' first playoff berth in 6 years. Brunell would actually beat the Buccaneers in the first round, but lose The Brett Favre Backup Bowl (see reference below) to Matt Hasselbeck and the Seahawks in the second round. The luster of that 2005 run would not last, however, and in 2006 Brunell was benched in favor of Jason Campbell after going 3-6 in the first nine games. Brunell would stay on the Redskins roster through the 2007 season, but he would never take another snap for the Redskins after his benching midway through the 2006 season.
Brunell would leave the Redskins in 2008 and go on to back up Drew Brees in New Orleans for the next two seasons. He even got a Super Bowl Ring in 2010 with the Saints. In 2010 he signed with the Jets to back up Mark Sanchez, and he would stay there until the end of the 2011 season. His career officially ended in 2012. Brunell's time in Washington will always be remembered for the Dallas win, the improbable five game winning streak to make the playoffs, and for his propensity for throwing the checkdown pass that made him "The Checkdown Champion" here in DC. Yes, he benefitted from having a stout defense in 2004 and 2005, but whatever you may think of his Redskins career, Brunell is the only quarterback other than Brad Johnson to win a playoff game in the Dan Snyder era.
Fun Facts: Mark Brunell set an NFL record for most consecutive completions in a single game (22) with the Redskins in 2006 against the Houston Texans. The only other quarterback to complete more passes in a row was Donovan McNabb in 2004, but his was over a two game span.
Apple Cup Rematch: This is a reference to the fact that Mark Brunell and Drew Bledsoe played each other three times in college in the annual Apple Cup Game played between Washington and Washington State. Brunell led Washington to two victories over Bledsoe and the Cougars between 1990-1992.
Brett Favre Backup Bowl: Remember that both Mark Brunell and Matt Hasselbeck had backed up Brett Favre in Green Bay at one point in their careers. Even more coincidental was the fact that Mike Holmgren had drafted both quarterbacks while he was the head coach of Green Bay, and he was the coach for the Seahawks in their playoff meeting with Brunell and the Redskins.
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