.jpg) Flutie looking up in the air | |||||||||||||||||||
| No. 22, 2, 20, 7 | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Position | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1962-10-23)October 23, 1962 (age 63) Manchester, Maryland, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 180 lb (82 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||
| High school | Natick(Natick, Massachusetts) | ||||||||||||||||||
| College | Boston College (1981–1984) | ||||||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1985: 11th round, 285th overall pick | ||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||||||
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Douglas Richard Flutie (born October 23, 1962) is an American former professionalfootballquarterback who played for 21 seasons. He played 12 seasons in theNational Football League (NFL), eight seasons in theCanadian Football League (CFL), and one season in theUnited States Football League (USFL). Flutie playedcollege football for theBoston College Eagles, winning theHeisman Trophy in 1984 amid a season that saw him throw agame-winning touchdown pass in the final seconds of a ranked matchup against theMiami Hurricanes.[1][2][3]
Flutie chose to begin his professional career with the USFL'sNew Jersey Generals; his unavailability to NFL teams resulted in him being selected 285th overall by theLos Angeles Rams in the 11th round of the1985 NFL draft, the lowest drafting of a Heisman winner.[4] After the USFL folded, Flutie spent his first four NFL seasons with theChicago Bears andNew England Patriots.
Flutie left the NFL in 1990 for the CFL, where he became regarded as one of the league's greatest players.[5][6][7] As a member of theBC Lions,Calgary Stampeders, andToronto Argonauts, he was named theCFL's Most Outstanding Player a record six times and won threeGrey Cups. In all three of his championship victories, two with the Argonauts and one with the Stampeders, he was namedGrey Cup MVP.
Following his CFL success, Flutie returned to the NFL in 1998 with theBuffalo Bills, earningPro Bowl andNFL Comeback Player of the Year honors for leading Buffalo to the playoffs. He again helped the Bills obtain a playoff berth the following season, but was controversially benched intheir subsequent Wild Card defeat; Flutie would be the last quarterback to bring the Bills to the playoffs over the next 17 years. Flutie held his last starting role with theSan Diego Chargers in 2001 and spent his final season as a backup for the Patriots. He was inducted to theCollege Football Hall of Fame in 2007 and theCanadian Football Hall of Fame in 2008. Flutie was also inducted toCanada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2007, becoming the first non-Canadian inductee.
Flutie was born inManchester, Maryland, to Dick and Joan Flutie. His paternal great-grandparents wereLebanese immigrants.[8] His family moved toMelbourne Beach, Florida, when he was six, where his father worked as aquality engineer in theaerospace industry. While there, Flutie led Hoover Junior High School's football team to two Brevard County Championships.
After the dramatic slow-down of the space program in the mid-1970s, the Flutie family again moved in 1976 toNatick, Massachusetts, 20 miles west ofBoston. Flutie graduated fromNatick High School, where he was an All-League performer in football, basketball, and baseball.
Flutie played football atBoston College, the onlyDivision I-A school to recruit him, from 1981 to 1984, and won theHeisman Trophy,Maxwell Award, andDavey O'Brien Award in his senior year (1984). Flutie became the first quarterback to win the Heisman sincePat Sullivan in 1971. Flutie left school as the NCAA's all-time passing yardage leader with 10,579 yards and was aunanimous All-American as a senior. He earnedPlayer of the Year awards fromUPI,Kodak,The Sporting News, and theMaxwell Football Club. The quarterback coach forBoston College from 1981 to 1983 wasTom Coughlin.
Flutie gained national attention in 1984 when he led the Eagles to victory in ahigh-scoring, back-and-forth game against theMiami Hurricanes (led by QBBernie Kosar). The game was nationally televised onCBS the day afterThanksgiving and thus had a huge audience. Miami staged a dramatic drive to take the lead, 45–41, in the closing minute of the game. Boston College then took possession at its own 22-yard line with 28 seconds to go. After two passes moved the ball another 30 yards, only 6 seconds remained. On the last play of the game, Flutie scrambled away from the defense and threw a "Hail Mary pass" that was caught in the end zone by his college roommate,Gerard Phelan, giving BC a 47–45 win.[9] Flutie led the nation inpasser rating[10] and won the Heisman trophy a week later, but the voting had finished before the game;[11] Flutie said, however, that "without the Hail Mary pass I think I could have been very, very easily forgotten".[12]
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The subsequent rise in applications for admission to Boston College after Flutie's "Hail Mary" gave rise to the admissions phenomenon known as the "Flutie Effect". This idea essentially states that a winning sports team can increase the recognition value of a school enough to make it more attractive to potential applicants.[13]
In addition to his collegiate athletic achievement, Flutie maintained a distinguished academic record at Boston College, where he majored in communication and computer science. Flutie was a candidate for theRhodes Scholarship, for which he was named a finalist in 1984.[14][15] Upon graduating, Flutie won theNational Football Foundation post-graduate scholarship.
In November 2008, Flutie was honored by Boston College with a statue of him throwing his famous "Hail Mary" pass outside ofAlumni Stadium.[16] His number, 22, has been retired by the Boston College football program.
In 2013 Flutie received the College Football Legacy Award fromThe Sports Museum atTD Garden for his accomplishments at Boston College.[17]
| Season | Team | GP | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | TD | |||
| 1981 | Boston College | 11 | 105 | 192 | 54.7 | 1,652 | 10 | 8 | 135.8 | 67 | 79 | 2 |
| 1982 | Boston College | 12 | 162 | 347 | 46.7 | 2,749 | 13 | 20 | 114.1 | 90 | 265 | 2 |
| 1983 | Boston College | 12 | 177 | 345 | 51.3 | 2,724 | 17 | 15 | 125.2 | 69 | 245 | 0 |
| 1984 | Boston College | 12 | 233 | 386 | 60.4 | 3,454 | 27 | 11 | 152.9 | 62 | 149 | 3 |
| Total | 47 | 677 | 1,270 | 53.3 | 10,579 | 67 | 54 | 132.2 | 288 | 738 | 7 | |
Despite his successful college achievements, whether Flutie was too small to play professional football was uncertain. When asked on television "Can a guy who's five-foot-nine, 175 pounds make it in the pros?", he answered "Yes, he can. But it's a matter of ability and not size. I feel I can play; I don't know for sure, and those questions will be answered in the future."[12]
Flutie was seen as extremely attractive to theUSFL, which was desperate for a star to reinvigorate the league as it was in financial difficulty.[18] Meanwhile, theBuffalo Bills, who had the first pick in the1985 NFL draft, still had the rights toJim Kelly (who had earlier spurned them to go to the USFL) and also had concerns about Flutie's height.[19] He was selected by the USFL'sNew Jersey Generals in the 1985 territorial draft, which took place in January, months before the 1985 NFL Draft.[20] Flutie went through negotiations with the Generals and agreed on a deal that would make him the highest paid pro football player and highest paid rookie in any sport with $7 million over five years;[21] Flutie was officially signed on February 4, 1985.[22] Having already signed with the USFL, Flutie was not selected in the NFL Draft until the 11th round as the 285th overall pick by theLos Angeles Rams.[23]
Flutie entered the USFL with much hype and fanfare. However, many[who?] began to wonder if the scouts who said Flutie could not compete on the pro level were right, despite the plenitude of great NFL quarterbacks with awful initial professional seasons. In February 1985, Flutie made his USFL debut against theOrlando Renegades. His debut was not impressive, as his first two professional passes were intercepted by Renegades linebacker Jeff Gabrielsen. The only two touchdowns that New Jersey scored came from turnovers by Orlando quarterbackJerry Golsteyn. By the time Flutie's debut was over, he completed 7 of 18 passes for a total of 174 yards, while also running for 51 yards.[24] Flutie completed 134 of 281 passes for 2,109 yards and 13 touchdowns with the Generals in 1985 in 15 games. He suffered an injury late in the season that saw him turn over the reins to reserve quarterback Ron Reeves. The Generals went on to finish with an 11–7 record and a second-place finish in the USFL's Eastern Conference. The USFL folded in 1986, and Flutie and punterSean Landeta were the league's last active players in the NFL.[25]
On October 14, 1986, the Los Angeles Rams traded their rights to Flutie to theChicago Bears in exchange for multiple draft picks.[22] Flutie appeared in four games for the1986 Chicago Bears, who were in need for quarterback play whenJim McMahon suffered a season-ending injury late in the season. He served as the starter in the Divisional Round game against Washington, which was only his second NFL start. He went 11-of-31 with 134 yards as Washington scored 20 unanswered points in the second half to overcome a halftime deficit while Flutie's interception in the third quarter set up Washington for a subsequent touchdown.
Chicago then traded Flutie to theNew England Patriots at the start of the 1987NFL season, a season which saw theNFL Players Association go on strike, and NFL games subsequently being played by replacement players. Flutie crossed the picket lines in order to play for the Patriots, one of many NFL players to rejoin their respective teams, and the strike quickly collapsed.[26]
On October 2, 1988, after the Patriots began the season with a 1–3 record, Flutie came off the bench to lead a comeback victory over theIndianapolis Colts in Foxborough, scoring the winning touchdown on a 13-yard bootleg at the end of the fourth quarter. He then led the team to a 6–3 record, including wins at home over the eventual division winningCincinnati Bengals andChicago Bears. However, after taking the Patriots to the brink of the playoffs, on December 11 Flutie was benched by head coachRaymond Berry and replaced withTony Eason, who had not played football in over a year; Berry cited a need for more "explosive" play from the offense, which Flutie pointed out had thrown little to begin with.[27] New England lost the last game of the year in Denver and were eliminated from the postseason in a tiebreaker.
Flutie was released by the Patriots after playing the 1989 season in a mainly backup role. No other NFL teams showed interest in Flutie and he subsequently signed to play for theCanadian Football League (CFL). After his release from the Patriots, they won only nine games over the following three seasons.
In 1990, Flutie began his eight-year CFL career. That year, he signed with theBC Lions for a two-year contract reportedly worth $350,000 a season. At the time he was the highest paid player in the CFL. Flutie struggled in his first season, which would be his only losing season in the CFL.
The1991 season saw Flutie set several CFL single season records:
On October 12 vs Edmonton, Flutie threw for 582 yards, which was second most in a regular season game at the time. He also won the most games for a starting quarterback that year (11). For his accomplishments, he wonMost Outstanding Player award for the first time. BC made the playoffs for the first time since 1988, but ultimately lost to the eventual West Division Champion Calgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Final.
In1992, Flutie was rewarded with a reported million-dollar salary from theCalgary Stampeders. He quarterbacked Calgary to a league-best 13 regular season wins, won his second Most Outstanding Player award, and won his firstGrey Cup. In the Grey Cup game, Flutie was 33 of 49 for 480 passing yards. All three statistics were the second highest all-time for a single Grey Cup game. For his efforts, he was named theGrey Cup MVP.
In1993, Flutie quarterbacked Calgary to a 10–0 start, with the team ultimately finishing with a league-best 15–3. He passed for 6,000 yards for the second time in his career, and set a single season record for passing touchdowns with 44. He also tied his 1991 CFL record for 400-yard passing games in a season (7), and set the CFL record for consecutive 400-yard passing games (5). Flutie won his third consecutive Most Outstanding Player award. Calgary ultimately lost in the West Division Final to the visitingEdmonton Eskimos, which eliminated the Stampeders from playing in theGrey Cup that was to be played in Calgary the following Sunday.
The1994 season saw Calgary once again finishing with a league-best 15–3 record. Flutie broke his CFL record from the previous season for passing touchdowns in a single season with 48. He also rushed for 760 yards, which was his best rushing season in the CFL. Against Hamilton on October 30, he completed the longest pass of his career (106 yards), a touchdown toPee Wee Smith. Flutie won his fourth consecutive Most Outstanding Player award. Calgary lost the West Division Final once again, this time to the visiting B.C. Lions, who defeated the Stampeders with a last play touchdown.
In1995, Flutie missed several games due to injury. During this time,Jeff Garcia, who later went on to start for the NFL'sSan Francisco 49ers, started games at quarterback, and helped Calgary once again finish 15–3. The Stampeders advanced to the Grey Cup game, and Flutie started. However, Calgary was defeated by theBaltimore Stallions, the first American-based team to win theGrey Cup.
Flutie joined the Toronto Argonauts for the1996 season, and they went a league-best 15–3. He won the Most Outstanding Player award for the fifth time in his career, and quarterbacked the team to a Grey Cup victory inThe Snow Bowl held inHamilton, Ontario. He won his second Grey Cup MVP award.
After a league-best 15–3 regular season in1997, Toronto was successful in its quest to win back-to-back Grey Cups when the team won the1997 Grey Cup held inEdmonton, Alberta. With Flutie at quarterback, the Argonauts set a record for most consecutive completions in a Grey Cup game with 10, which occurred between the first and second quarters. From the late second quarter to the fourth quarter, this record was rewritten when Flutie completed 12 consecutive passes. For his performance in the Grey Cup, he won his third Grey Cup MVP award.
Prior to his final two Grey Cup victories with the Argonauts, Flutie was hampered by the opinion, supported by the media, that he was a quarterback who could not win in cold weather. In both 1993 and 1994, the Stampeders had the best record in the league, but lost the Western Final each year at home in freezing conditions. After first refusing to wear gloves in freezing temperatures, in later years Flutie adapted to throwing with gloves in cold weather.
Flutie credits his time in the CFL with helping him develop as a pro quarterback. Flutie specifically states that he modeled his game off of fellow CFL quarterbackDamon Allen.[29]
Upon completion of his CFL career, Flutie had set numerous CFL career records:
Flutie ranked third in the following all-time regular season CFL passing categories: yards (41,355), touchdowns (270), completions (2,975), and he ranked fourth in all-time attempts (4,854). In all-time Grey Cup passing categories, Flutie held the record for most attempts (171), completions (108), and yards (1,421).
Other passing accomplishments upon completion of his CFL career included:
| Attempts | Completions | Yards | Touchdowns | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BC | 730 (1991) | 466 (1991) | 6,619 (1991) | 38 (1991) |
| Calgary | 703 (1993) | 416 (1993) | 6,092 (1993) | 48 (1994) |
| Toronto | 677 (1996) | *434 (1996) | 5,720 (1996) | 47 (1997) |
*since surpassed
On November 17, 2006, Flutie was named the greatest Canadian Football League player of all time from a top 50 list of CFL players conducted byTSN.[30] In 2007, he was named toCanada's Sports Hall of Fame, the first non-Canadian to be inducted.[31]
TheBuffalo Bills' then-pro personnel directorA. J. Smith convinced the organization that Flutie would be a great asset to the team, and the Bills signed him in the 1998 offseason. The Bills' attempt at makingTodd Collins their starting quarterback was a failure, and Flutie was one of two quarterbacks, the other beingRob Johnson (the presumptive starter), to join the Bills in the 1998 offseason. In his first action with the Bills, Flutie entered for an injured Johnson and threw two touchdowns while leading a fourth-quarter comeback against theIndianapolis Colts on October 11, 1998. The following week, Flutie made his first NFL start since October 15, 1989, against the unbeatenJacksonville Jaguars. The nine-year gap between starts for a quarterback in the NFL is the third-longest in duration behindTommy Maddox (December 12, 1992, to October 6, 2002) and the man Flutie replaced, Todd Collins (December 14, 1997, to December 16, 2007). Flutie was the hero of the Bills' victory as he scored the winning touchdown against the Jaguars by rolling out on a bootleg and into the end zone on a fourth-down play in the waning seconds. The Bills' success continued with Flutie at the helm; his record as a starter that season was 8 wins and 3 losses. He then threw for 360 yards in a wild card playoff loss at Miami. Flutie was selected to play in the 1998Pro Bowl and is currently the shortest quarterback to make the Pro Bowl since 1970.[32]
Flutie led the Bills to an 11–5 record in 1999 (10–5 with Flutie as the starter; he was rested for the final game of the season after the Bills clinched a playoff berth). In a controversial decision which football analyst Aaron Schatz said was "the wrong decision on one of the most mismatched quarterback controversies of all time",[33] Flutie was replaced by Johnson for the playoffs by coachWade Phillips, who later said he was ordered by Bills ownerRalph Wilson to do so. Rob Johnson completed only ten passes, none for touchdowns, and was sacked six times, as the Bills lost 22–16 to the eventual AFC ChampionTennessee Titans. The game has become known as theMusic City Miracle, as the Titans scored on the penultimate play of the game—a kickoff return following the Bills' apparent game-clinching field goal.
The following season, Flutie was named the Bills' backup and played only late in games or when Johnson was injured, which was often.[citation needed] During the season, Flutie had a 4–1 record as a starter, while Johnson's was 4–7. In a December 24, 2000 game against theSeattle Seahawks, Flutieachieved a perfect passer rating, completing 20 of 25 passes for 366 yards and three touchdowns. After the 2000 season, Bills PresidentTom Donahoe and head coachGregg Williams decided to keep Johnson as the starter and cut Flutie.
In 2001, Flutie signed with theSan Diego Chargers, who had gone 1–15 in 2000. After opening 3–0, the Chargers slumped and were 4–2 going into Week 7, when Flutie's Chargers met Rob Johnson's Bills. Flutie prevailed as the new ex-Bill broke a sack attempt and ran 13 yards for the game-winning touchdown. It would be the last win for the Chargers in 2001, as they dropped their last nine games to finish 5–11 and cost head coachMike Riley his job. (Buffalo finished 3–13 with Johnson and, later,Alex Van Pelt as starters.) Flutie wasDrew Brees' backup in 2002. Brees idolized Flutie growing up, and credits Flutie with mentoring him during their time together at San Diego.
In 2003, Flutie replaced a struggling Brees when the Chargers were 1–7. The 41-year-old Flutie became the oldest player to score two rushing touchdowns in a game, the first player over 40 to accomplish that feat. He also became the oldest AFC Offensive Player of the Week, winning the award for the fourth time. On January 2, 2005, the season finale of the 2004 season, Flutie brokeJerry Rice's record set two weeks prior, to become the oldest player ever to score a touchdown, at 42 years and 71 days. Rice was 42 years and 67 days when he made his touchdown. Flutie's record as a starter that year was 2–3. He was released by the Chargers on March 13, 2005.
Flutie surprised many when he signed with the Patriots instead of theNew York Giants. He became the backup behindTom Brady and played several times at the end of games to take a few snaps. Flutie has a 37–28 record as an NFL starter, including a 22–9 record in home games.
Referring to his time in the Canadian Football League (and, presumably, to the quarterback's relatively diminutive stature), television football commentatorJohn Madden once said, "Inch for inch, Flutie in his prime was the best QB of his generation."
In a December 26, 2005 game against theNew York Jets, Flutie was sent in late in the game. The Jets also sent in their back-up quarterback,Vinny Testaverde. This was the first time in NFL history that two quarterbacks over the age of 40 competed against each other (Testaverde was 42, Flutie was 43).
In the Patriots' regular-season finale against theMiami Dolphins on January 1, 2006, Flutie successfullydrop kicked a football for anextra point, something that was not done in a regular-season NFL game since 1941. It was Flutie's first kick attempt in theNFL, and earned him that week's title of AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.[34] Patriots head coachBill Belichick, known for his knowledge of the history of the game, made comments that suggested that the play was a retirement present of sorts for his veteran quarterback, although Flutie made no comment on whether 2005 would be his last season.[35] There is a video of Flutie describing the event in his own words.[36]
During the 2006 off-season, Flutie's agent Kristen Kuliga stated he was interested in returning to the Patriots for another season; as a result, he was widely expected to return, despite his age. However, on May 15, 2006, Flutie announced his decision to "hang up his helmet" at the age of 43 and retire. Flutie was the second-to-last formerUSFL player to retire, behindSean Landeta, who last played in the same season of Flutie's retirement (but did not formally retire until 2008).[25][37]
Because of injuries with theToronto Argonauts, Flutie was contemplating a temporary comeback with the team as of July 25, 2006. Flutie did not plan to play long-term, for he had planned on doing college football commentary onESPN in the coming season.[38] On August 18, 2006, a story was published on CFL.ca examining this topic in-depth.[39] Flutie was pondering a return to the CFL because of his relationship with Argonautshead coach and formerrunning backPinball Clemons, and the desire to "say goodbye to the CFL". According to the report, Flutie was poised to return to Toronto on July 22, after their victory over theSaskatchewan Roughriders and the injury to backup quarterbackSpergon Wynn. Nevertheless, Flutie chose to remain in retirement.
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 1985 | New Jersey Generals | 15 | 15 | 134 | 281 | 47.6 | 2,109 | 7.5 | 13 | 14 | 67.8 | 65 | 465 | 7.2 | 6 |
| Career | 15 | 15 | 134 | 281 | 47.6 | 2,109 | 7.5 | 13 | 14 | 67.8 | 65 | 465 | 7.2 | 6 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Sacks | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Sck | SckY | Fum | Lost | ||
| 1986 | CHI | 4 | 1 | 1–0 | 23 | 46 | 50.0 | 361 | 7.8 | 58 | 3 | 2 | 80.1 | 9 | 36 | 4.0 | 19 | 1 | 6 | 30 | 3 | 1 |
| 1987 | CHI | 1 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NE | 1 | 1 | 1–0 | 15 | 25 | 60.0 | 199 | 8.0 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 98.6 | 6 | 43 | 7.2 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1988 | NE | 11 | 9 | 6–3 | 92 | 179 | 51.4 | 1,150 | 6.4 | 80 | 8 | 10 | 63.3 | 38 | 179 | 4.7 | 16 | 1 | 11 | 65 | 3 | 3 |
| 1989 | NE | 5 | 3 | 1–2 | 36 | 91 | 39.6 | 493 | 5.4 | 36 | 2 | 4 | 46.6 | 16 | 87 | 5.4 | 22 | 0 | 6 | 52 | 1 | 1 |
| 1998 | BUF | 13 | 10 | 7–3 | 202 | 354 | 57.1 | 2,711 | 7.7 | 84 | 20 | 11 | 87.4 | 48 | 248 | 5.2 | 23 | 1 | 12 | 78 | 3 | 0 |
| 1999 | BUF | 15 | 15 | 10–5 | 264 | 478 | 55.2 | 3,171 | 6.6 | 54 | 19 | 16 | 75.1 | 88 | 467 | 5.4 | 24 | 1 | 26 | 176 | 6 | 4 |
| 2000 | BUF | 11 | 5 | 4–1 | 132 | 231 | 57.1 | 1,700 | 7.4 | 52 | 8 | 3 | 86.5 | 36 | 161 | 4.5 | 32 | 1 | 10 | 68 | 5 | 2 |
| 2001 | SD | 16 | 16 | 5–11 | 294 | 521 | 56.4 | 3,464 | 6.6 | 78 | 15 | 18 | 72.0 | 53 | 192 | 3.6 | 16 | 1 | 25 | 168 | 7 | 2 |
| 2002 | SD | 1 | 0 | – | 3 | 11 | 27.3 | 64 | 5.8 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 51.3 | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | SD | 7 | 5 | 2–3 | 91 | 167 | 54.5 | 1,097 | 6.6 | 73 | 9 | 4 | 82.8 | 33 | 168 | 5.1 | 17 | 2 | 8 | 27 | 7 | 2 |
| 2004 | SD | 2 | 1 | 1–0 | 20 | 38 | 52.6 | 276 | 7.3 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 85.0 | 5 | 39 | 7.8 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | NE | 5 | 0 | – | 5 | 10 | 50.0 | 29 | 2.9 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 56.2 | 5 | −1 | −0.2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 1 |
| Career | 91 | 66 | 38–28 | 1,177 | 2,151 | 54.7 | 14,715 | 6.8 | 84 | 86 | 68 | 76.3 | 338 | 1,634 | 4.8 | 32 | 10 | 107 | 687 | 37 | 16 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Sacks | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Sck | SckY | Fum | Lost | ||
| 1986 | CHI | 1 | 1 | 0–1 | 11 | 31 | 35.5 | 134 | 4.3 | 50 | 1 | 2 | 33.5 | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 1998 | BUF | 1 | 1 | 0–1 | 21 | 36 | 58.3 | 360 | 10.0 | 65 | 1 | 1 | 90.0 | 4 | 29 | 7.3 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 21 | 2 | 2 |
| 1999 | BUF | 0 | 0 | – | DNP | |||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | SD | 0 | 0 | – | DNP | |||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | NE | 0 | 0 | – | DNP | |||||||||||||||||
| Career | 2 | 2 | 0–2 | 32 | 67 | 47.8 | 494 | 7.4 | 65 | 2 | 3 | 63.9 | 6 | 41 | 6.8 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 28 | 3 | 3 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 1990 | BC | 16 | 8 | 207 | 392 | 52.8 | 2,960 | 7.6 | 16 | 19 | 71.0 | 79 | 662 | 8.1 | 3 |
| 1991 | BC | 18 | 18 | 466 | 730 | 63.8 | 6,619 | 9.1 | 38 | 24 | 96.7 | 120 | 610 | 5.1 | 14 |
| 1992 | CAL | 18 | 18 | 396 | 688 | 57.5 | 5,945 | 8.6 | 32 | 30 | 83.4 | 96 | 669 | 7.0 | 11 |
| 1993 | CAL | 18 | 18 | 416 | 703 | 59.1 | 6,092 | 8.7 | 44 | 17 | 98.3 | 74 | 373 | 5.0 | 11 |
| 1994 | CAL | 18 | 18 | 403 | 659 | 59.1 | 5,726 | 8.7 | 48 | 19 | 101.5 | 96 | 760 | 7.9 | 8 |
| 1995 | CAL | 11* | 10 | 223 | 332 | 67.1 | 2,788 | 8.4 | 16 | 5 | 102.8 | 46 | 288 | 6.3 | 5 |
| 1996 | TOR | 18 | 18 | 434 | 677 | 65.0 | 5,720 | 8.4 | 29 | 17 | 94.5 | 101 | 756 | 7.5 | 9 |
| 1997 | TOR | 18 | 18 | 430 | 673 | 63.9 | 5,505 | 8.2 | 47 | 24 | 97.8 | 92 | 542 | 5.9 | 5 |
| Career | 135 | 126 | 2,975 | 4,854 | 61.3 | 41,355 | 8.5 | 270 | 155 | 93.9 | 704 | 4,660 | 6.6 | 66 | |
* Flutie only saw game action in 10 of the 11 games he dressed for during the 1995 season.
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmp | Att | Yds | TD | Int | Att | Yds | TD | |||
| 1991 | BC | West Semi-Final | 1 | 1 | 17 | 32 | 257 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 45 | 1 |
| 1992 | CAL | West Final | 1 | 1 | 13 | 27 | 185 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 94 | 2 |
| 1993 | CAL | West Semi-Final | 1 | 1 | 14 | 26 | 145 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 83 | 0 |
| 1993 | CAL | West Final | 1 | 1 | 22 | 47 | 276 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 44 | 0 |
| 1994 | CAL | West Semi-Final | 1 | 1 | 26 | 40 | 359 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 45 | 0 |
| 1994 | CAL | West Final | 1 | 1 | 24 | 34 | 311 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 84 | 0 |
| 1995 | CAL | North Semi-Final | 1 | 1 | 10 | 21 | 131 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 28 | 0 |
| 1995 | CAL | North Final | 1 | 1 | 21 | 30 | 261 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 50 | 0 |
| 1996 | TOR | East Final | 1 | 1 | 30 | 38 | 381 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 2 |
| 1997 | TOR | East Final | 1 | 1 | 23 | 37 | 398 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 44 | 0 |
| Career | 10 | 10 | 200 | 332 | 2,704 | 8 | 9 | 74 | 532 | 5 | ||
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmp | Att | Yds | TD | Int | Att | Yds | TD | ||
| 1992 | CAL | 1 | 1 | 33 | 49 | 480 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 0 |
| 1995 | CAL | 1 | 1 | 23 | 48 | 286 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 45 | 1 |
| 1996 | TOR | 1 | 1 | 22 | 35 | 302 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 103 | 1 |
| 1997 | TOR | 1 | 1 | 30 | 38 | 352 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 35 | 1 |
| Career | 4 | 4 | 108 | 170 | 1,420 | 6 | 2 | 31 | 203 | 3 | |
After retirement from the NFL, Flutie took a commentating job calling college football forESPN andABC from 2006 until 2008.[40]
Drawing on his USFL experience, Flutie served as an analyst forUnited Football League games forVersus in 2010.[41]
Flutie served as a studio and pre-game analyst forNotre Dame Football on NBC from 2011 through 2013,[42][43] then served as the lead analyst from 2014 through 2019.[44]
On March 8, 2016, Flutie was announced as one of the celebrities who would compete onseason 22 ofDancing with the Stars. He was partnered with professional dancerKarina Smirnoff. On April 25, 2016, Flutie and Smirnoff were eliminated, finishing in ninth place.[45]
On November 20, 2018, a partnership deal was announced between Flutie and theMaximum Football video game (Canuck Play/Spear Interactive). Future iterations of the game will be rebranded as Doug Flutie's Maximum Football and feature Flutie's likeness. The game released on the PS4 and Xbox One in the Fall of 2019.[46] On February 4, 2020, the game was available to purchase as a physical copy.
In 2011, Flutie signed a deal to endorse joint support supplement Instaflex.[47]
Since 2021, he has endorsedtestosterone supplement Nugenix. He and fellow pitchmanFrank Thomas were spoofed in aSaturday Night Live skit, withKyle Mooney's Flutie andKenan Thompson's Thomas extolling the virtues of the product to an unsuspecting man.[48]
On July 6, 2025, Flutie played a game for theSavanah Bananas atFenway Park. Flutie opened the game as the starting pitcher throwing 8 pitches and recording 1 out. The Bananas' 3rd baseman, Kyle Jackson, enthusiastically ran across the infield after making the out with holding his glove in the air so that everybody in the stands could see. Flutie then ran off the mound giving high fives to all the Bananas’ infield players as Fenway cheered on.[49]
On August 12, 2025, Flutie signed with theBrockton Rox baseball team.[50] The team held Doug Flutie night, a charity event on August 21, during the game Flutie came out of thebullpen in the first inning against theQuebec Capitales. Throwing seven pitches five of them being strikes. After getting two strikes on the leadoff hitter, Flutie allowed an infield single before retiring his final batter on a grounder to third base.[51]
Flutie made his acting debut in 2002, on the television showArliss where he plays himself in the episodeWhen Opportunity Knocks.[52] In 2005 he appeared as himself in an episode of the sitcomListen Up.[53]
In 2002 he appeared in the direct-to-TV filmSecond String, which is about theBuffalo Bills who find their first-string quarterback Flutie, out for a month after a food poisoning incident, leading the team's head coach, "Chuck Dichter”, to hire an insurance salesman and former college quarterback named Dan Heller as the team's backup quarterback.[54]
Flutie has since made numerous guest appearances on shows such asThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno,Late Show with David lettermanWicked Bites andGood Morning America.[55]
In 2019 he and his family appeared onCelebrity Family Feud, winning 25 thousand dollars for his charity.[56][57]
Flutie is the older brother of the CFL's fourth all-time receptions leader,Darren Flutie. Flutie also has an older brother, Bill, and an older sister, Denise. His nephew Billy Flutie (son of Bill) was a wide receiver/punter at Boston College from 2007 to 2010.[58] Another one of Flutie's nephews, Troy (son of Darren), played quarterback and wide receiver at Boston College from 2015 to 2017.[59] Flutie is the second son of Richard and Joan Flutie.[60]
Flutie is married to his high school sweetheart, Laurie (née Fortier). They have a daughter, Alexa, formerly aNew England Patriots Cheerleader andSan Diego Chargers Cheerleader,[61] and a son, Doug Jr, who haschildhood disintegrative disorder,[62] a very rare severe late onset form ofautism spectrum disorder. The Fluties established The Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism, Inc. in honor of him.[63] Flutie also created a cereal,Flutie Flakes, with the benefits going toward this organization. On top of this he holds a yearly 5k race inNatick with the proceeds benefiting over 30+ New England based autism serving organizations.[64][65]
In 2006, Flutie was honored by the city of Boston, being given the Red, White & Blue Award for his unyielding support of the Boston community. In 2010 he was named the Central Florida Humanitarian of the year for his philanthropic efforts.[66]
In his free time, he attends college football and basketball games at his alma materBoston College and was a season ticket-holder. He has spent his summers inBethany Beach, Delaware, frequenting basketball courts. He also has worked with the local MassachusettsEastern Bank and is a spokesman for Natick/Framingham's Metrowest Medical Center. He is a member of the Longfellow Sports Clubs at their Wayland and Natick locations. Flutie relocated fromNatick to Florida, but was honored by Natick in November 2007 by being inducted into theNatick High School Wall of Achievement. A short stretch of road connecting theNatick Mall and theShoppers World in Natick/Framingham, Massachusetts is named "FlutiePass" in honor of his historic 1984 play against Miami.
Flutie frequentsMelbourne Beach, Florida in winter, and a sports field complex there is named after him.
For a time, he was part-owner of a restaurant in New York City'sSouth Street Seaport named "Flutie's".[67]
In February 2021, Flutie won theWWE 24/7 Championship fromR-Truth during a celebrity flag football tournament, though he would then immediately drop the title back to Truth.[68]
Flutie has a large collection of Batman memorabilia from theBatman TV series. Most famously he owns the iconic 1960sBatmobile that he rebuilt. In 2022 he added to his collection when he purchased a replica of the Batmobile that was featured inBatman 89.[69] Flutie drives them both frequently and puts them to good use by bringing them to charity events.[70][71]
In 2024 the Athletes For A Better World organization announced Flutie was the winner of their Pro Wooden Citizenship Cup, the award is given out to athletes that epitomize high standards of character, leadership, and community service.[72]
With his brotherDarren on guitar, Doug plays drums in the Flutie Brothers Band, and once played forBoston at a tribute honoring Doug. November 13, 2006, was Doug Flutie Day in Boston. Flutie endorsedScott Brown for the U.S. Senate inMassachusetts for 2010,[73][74] and the Flutie Brothers Band played at Brown's victory celebration.[75] The Flutie Brothers released a 9 song album in 1996 titledCatch This, along with a CD,Ramblin'Scramblin Man that was released in 1999 they still occasionally play shows to this day.[76][77][78]
In 2014, Flutie, who has a charity team that was running the Boston Marathon, decided to run it himself two days before the race,[79] and finished in 5:23:54.[80] Since then Flutie has run the marathon 4 more times, with his most recent run coming in 2023.[81]
On November 18, 2015, Flutie's parents Dick and Joan Flutie died ofheart attacks one hour apart.[82] Dick Flutie had been ill and hospitalized.[83]
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