Trent Green

Trent Green - Quick Facts

Profile Overview of Trent Green

Trent Jason Green (born July 9, 1970) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons. He was a member of five teams during his career, most notably the Kansas City Chiefs.

This profile of Trent Green covers Early Life and Family Background, Career and Rise to Fame, San Diego Chargers, BC Lions, Washington Redskins, St. Louis Rams (first stint) and Kansas City Chiefs.

Green played college football for the Indiana Hoosiers and was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL draft. He did not see any significant playing time until his fifth season in 1998 with the Washington Redskins when he became the team's starter. The following year, Green joined the St. Louis Rams to become their starter, but after suffering a season-ending injury during the preseason, he was replaced by Kurt Warner, leading to the team winning Super Bowl XXXIV. He spent one more season in St. Louis as Warner's backup before joining the Chiefs.

During his six seasons as Kansas City's starter, Green led the team to one division title and two playoff appearances while earning two Pro Bowl selections. Green held his last starting position with the Miami Dolphins and returned to the Rams for his final season.

Early Life and Family Background of Trent Green

Green grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and attended St. John Vianney High School in Kirkwood, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.

Career and Rise to Fame of Trent Green

Green played college football for the Indiana University Hoosiers. During Green's four-year career he threw for 5,400 yards with 23 touchdowns and 31 interceptions. He graduated with a degree in business.

San Diego Chargers, BC Lions, Washington Redskins

In 1993, Green was selected as the twenty-sixth pick in the eighth round and 222nd overall by the San Diego Chargers. He spent a year as a backup and saw no playing time. After being cut in 1994 by the British Columbia Lions of the CFL, he joined the Washington Redskins. Outside of one pass thrown in 1997, he would not see NFL action until 1998, when he threw for 3,441 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

Green's breakout season came just in time, as he became an unrestricted free agent after the 1998 season. He rejected a four-year, $12 million offer from the Redskins.

St. Louis Rams (first stint)

On February 15, 1999, Green agreed to a four-year, $17.5 million contract with the St. Louis Rams which included a $4.5 million signing bonus. In 1999, Green was slated to be the starter for the Rams, but suffered a season-ending knee injury in a preseason game on a hit by Rodney Harrison of the Chargers. Kurt Warner took over for Green, and led the Rams to a 13–3 season, culminating in a 23–16 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV and Warner being named NFL MVP.

Warner's success relegated Green to the backup position for the 2000 season. He started five games in the middle of the season while Warner was out with a broken hand. Green and Warner combined to lead the Rams to the then-highest team passing yards total in NFL history that season.

Kansas City Chiefs

Green was traded in 2001 to the Kansas City Chiefs for the 12th overall pick in the 2001 NFL draft. Dick Vermeil, recently hired by the Chiefs, made trading for Green and signing Priest Holmes top priorities, as he envisioned them joining Tony Gonzalez, Dante Hall, and Will Shields to form a powerful offense.

During his first season in Kansas City, Green struggled. He threw for 3,783 yards and 17 touchdowns, but also threw 24 interceptions. Green displayed marked improvement in 2002, throwing 26 touchdowns to only 13 interceptions as the Chiefs went 8–8. Green tied the record for the longest career pass play in NFL history (99 yards) on December 22, 2002, on a pass to Marc Boerigter in a game against the San Diego Chargers. In 2003, Green had his breakout year, throwing for 4,039 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He led the Chiefs to a 13–3 record and a first-round bye in the playoffs. But in the divisional playoff game, they lost a 38–31 shootout to Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. The game was notable for there being no punts by either team, a first in NFL playoff history. Green was selected to his first Pro Bowl that year.

In 2004, the Chiefs went 7–9 as Priest Holmes suffered a season ending injury. At the time, Holmes was leading the league in both rushing and scoring. But Green still had a stellar year, passing for 4,591 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions. His passing total for 2004 was second only to Minnesota's Daunte Culpepper. Green has the distinction of having four consecutive seasons with a QB rating of 90.0 or better, three of those with over 4,000 passing yards. Green started 80 consecutive games during his first five years with the Chiefs, a team record.

Green had another strong season in 2005, throwing for 4,010 yards (second only to New England's Tom Brady), and throwing just 10 interceptions, his lowest season total ever, earning another Pro Bowl selection. In week 17, the Chiefs needed a Pittsburgh Steelers loss, and a victory against the Cincinnati Bengals to reach the playoffs. The Chiefs defeated the Bengals 38-3, however the Steelers won and secured the final playoff spot, leaving the Chiefs out of the postseason at 10-6 (The Steelers would go on a run as the sixth seed to win the Super Bowl). This would also mark longtime coach Dick Vermeil's final game

Green's 2006 season was put in jeopardy by a severe concussion he suffered during the first game of the season on September 10, 2006, against the Cincinnati Bengals in Kansas City. Green attempted to slide during a third-quarter play, but was hit hard by Cincinnati defensive end Robert Geathers, who had lowered his shoulders, but instead struck the quarterback in an unusual position. But the official determined that no foul had been committed and Geathers insisted that he had tried to check up, but was pushed by Chiefs receiver Eddie Kennison. CBS announcer Randy Cross, a former offensive lineman with the San Francisco 49ers, believed the hit was unintentional and supported the officials' decision. National Football League officials took the same position and, on September 13, 2006, declined to fine Robert Geathers because he did not have complete control of his body. Green was rendered unconscious and the game was delayed for over fifteen minutes while he received medical attention. He reportedly regained consciousness in the tunnel and could not recall the play. According to Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson, preliminary doctor's visits revealed a "very, severe concussion" and stated that Green would be out indefinitely.

Source: adapted from Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trent_Green), text available under CC BY-SA 4.0.