Jeff Blake

Infobox NFLretired


|caption=
width=
position=Quarterback
number=8, 11
birthdate=birth date and age|1970|12|4
Daytona Beach, Florida
deathdate=
debutyear=1992
finalyear=2005
draftyear=1992
draftround=6
draftpick=166
college=East Carolina
teams=
* New York Jets (1992-1993)
* Cincinnati Bengals (1994-1999)
* New Orleans Saints (2000-2001)
* Baltimore Ravens (2002)
* Arizona Cardinals (2003)
* Philadelphia Eagles (2004)
* Chicago Bears (2005)
stat1label=TD-INT
stat1value=134-99
stat2label=Yards
stat2value=21,711
stat3label=QB Rating
stat3value=78.0
nfl=BLA575324
highlights=
* 1x Pro Bowl selection (1995)
HOF=

Jeff Bertrand Coleman Blake (born December 4, 1970 in Daytona Beach, Florida) is a retired American football quarterback who played in the NFL. Although he finished his career with the Chicago Bears, he was formerly a quarterback for the New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 1992 NFL Draft by the Jets out of East Carolina University. His only Pro Bowl appearance came with the Bengals, when he was selected for the AFC team. In that contest, Blake threw a Pro Bowl record-long 92-yard touchdown pass to Yancey Thigpen.

Blake's best seasons came with Cincinnati in the mid-to-late 1990s (when he was often referred to as "Shake-N-Blake" by local media and fans); he established great rapport with Bengal receivers Carl Pickens and Darnay Scott, helping the former vie for the receiving title in 1995. Though Blake had his limitations as an NFL quarterback, he was widely regarded as the owner of the best deep ball in the league, a tightly spinning, soft, catchable pass.

Blake left the Bengals after the 1999 season. He signed with the New Orleans Saints as a free agent. Blake started several games at quarterback before breaking his foot late in the 2000 season.

Blake left the Saints after the 2001 season. He started 11 games for the Ravens in 2002 and 13 games for the Cardinals in 2003, but neither team expressed interest in signing him to a long-term contract.

Blake was signed by the Chicago Bears before the 2005 NFL season to replace back-up quarterback Chad Hutchinson. Following an injury to the Bears' starting quarterback, Rex Grossman, coach Lovie Smith opted to select rookie Kyle Orton to fill the slot as opposed to Blake. During the last game of the regular NFL season, Blake was put in to replace Kyle Orton during the fourth quarter, completing eight of nine passes.

Despite stating that he wished to continue playing for the Bears and work with Grossman, [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20060321/ai_n16151519] the Bears did not express any interest in re-signing Blake. His contract with the team expired before the start of the 2006 NFL Season. His position was filled by Kyle Orton, who was demoted after the Bears signed Brian Griese to serve as Grossman's back-up. At the conclusion of his thirteen-year career, Blake amassed 21,711 passing yards, with 134 touchdown passes, and 99 interceptions. A mobile quarterback, Blake has run for 2,027 career rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. His longevity has been legitimate, as shown by his 100 career starts.

Trivia

* Blake is the brother-in-law of former Dallas Cowboys' linebacker Robert Jones.

* Blake was also a Heisman Memorial Trophy Award nominee in 1991, finishing 9th in the voting.

* He is married with three children.

Collegiate Career

Blake finished ninth in the 1991 Heisman Trophy voting, while leading East Carolina to an 11-1 record and the #9 ranking at season's end.He was inducted into the East Carolina Hall of Fame in 2007.