 Everett in 2021 | |||||||||
| No. 11, 17 | |||||||||
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| Position | Quarterback | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | (1963-01-03)January 3, 1963 (age 62) Emporia, Kansas, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||
| Weight | 212 lb (96 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Eldorado (Albuquerque, New Mexico) | ||||||||
| College | Purdue (1981–1985) | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1986: 1st round, 3rd overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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James Samuel Everett III (born January 3, 1963) is an American former professionalfootball player who was aquarterback in theNational Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with theLos Angeles Rams. He playedcollege football for thePurdue Boilermakers and was selected third overall in the1986 NFL draft by theHouston Oilers.[1] Unable to work out a contract agreement with Everett,[2][3] the Oilers traded his rights to the Rams, with whom Everett played from 1986 to 1993. Everett then played with theNew Orleans Saints from 1994 to 1996 and ended his career with a stint with theSan Diego Chargers in 1997.
Purdue University recruited Everett out ofEldorado High School inAlbuquerque, New Mexico. He led his high school team to the state championship game in 1979 against the Demons ofSanta Fe High School. The Demons' stifling defense (held opponents to 100 points) and record-setting offense (547 points scored) handed Everett and his Eagle teammates their second loss of the season, and avenged a loss the Demons suffered earlier in the year. In 1980, they finally won the school's only state championship. In addition toquarterbacking the team, he played defense as asafety.
Recruited to play either safety or quarterback, he was soon slotted into the quarterback role where he narrowly missed out on being a 1st year starter at Purdue, as a game-day decision before his first game as a freshman led toScott Campbell getting the nod over Everett. Campbell held off Everett for three years, one of which Everett was able toredshirt to gain an extra year of eligibility. Upon Campbell's graduation to a seven-year career in the NFL, Everett took over the reins of the pass-orientedBoilermakers offense.
As a junior, Everett opened the1984 season by leading the Boilermakers to an upset of the No. 8 Notre Dame Irish in the inaugural game of theHoosier Dome, Everett was great, connecting on 20 of 28 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns, the Boilers won 23-21; four weeks later he again led the Boilers to an upset of No. 2 Ohio State. On November 3rd, he scored ahat-trick of sorts by leading the Boilers over Michigan, a feat no other Purdue quarterback has achieved in a single season. Capping off his junior season, he led the Boilermakers to the1984 Peach Bowl, where he passed for 253 yards and three touchdowns. Purdue lost the game toVirginia, quarterbacked by futureGreen Bay PackerDon Majkowski, 27–24.[4]
During the 1985 season, Everett finished with 3,589 yards of total offense, second in the nation behindRobbie Bosco ofBYU, and a school record at the time (later surpassed byDrew Brees). He finished sixth in balloting for the 1985Heisman Trophy,[5] and was a second-teamAll-American.[6]
Everett earned regular membership on the Distinguished Students list at Purdue, and graduated with a degree inindustrial management. During his time at Purdue, Everett regularly tutored fellow Purdue athletes in courses such ascalculus andstatistical analysis.[citation needed] He was also initiated into theSigma Chi fraternity as an undergraduate. During his senior year, he was awarded theBig Ten Medal of Honor in recognition of his athletic and academic achievements.[7]
Beforethe 1986 draft, Everett was generally rated the best quarterback available,[8] although some scouts had him behindIowa’sChuck Long.[9]The Indianapolis Colts traded up from the sixth position to the fourth with the expected goal of drafting Everett[10] beforethe St. Louis Cardinals, who picked fifth, did so.[11] However, Everett would be drafted third overall bythe Houston Oilers. It is widely believed the Oilers, who possessed a developing franchise quarterback inWarren Moon and a capable backup inOliver Luck — drafted Everett merely to prevent the Colts doing so.[12]
Conflicts between Oiler general managerLadd Herzeg and Everett's agent Marv Demoff[13] meant Everett would never sign with the Oilers,[12] although the team offered him a four-year, $3.7 million contract in mid-August.[2] A wait-and-see attitude regarding established starter Moon meant that the Oilers did not consider trading Everett until the last week of August.[14] Eventually, when protracted negotiations between ownership and Demoff broke down with the regular season already underway, the Oilers decided to trade Everett.[3]The San Francisco 49ers — who had lost championJoe Montana for the season to back surgery — were initially expected to gain his services,[3] but on September 18 he would be signed bythe Los Angeles Rams, who were seeking a change of policy from their previous reliance on aging veterans at quarterback.[3]
With the Rams, Everett became a statistical leader in several passing categories. His Rams teams were successful early in his career, earning playoff berths in 1986, 1988, and 1989, despite never reaching the Super Bowl. Everett continued to produce fine statistics, and was rewarded with a trip to the1991 Pro Bowl inHonolulu, Hawaii.
Despite productive years with the Rams, 1989 marked Everett's final playoff season in his NFL career. Starting in 1990, the Rams began to trade or release players due to financial concerns. For example,LeRoy Irvin spenthis final season withthe Lions, whileGreg Bell, who had been the team's starting running back, spent 1990across town. After winning 13 games in 1989 (including 2 playoff wins), the Rams won 19 gamescombined in the next four seasons (5 in 1990, 3 in 1991, 6 in 1992, 5 in 1993).
The 1993 season was a low point in Everett's career. He played in only 10 games but managed to throw 12 interceptions. He threw only eight touchdown passes, tying the lowest yearly total of his career and matching his rookie total when he only played in six games. Around mid-season, Rams coachChuck Knox benched him forT. J. Rubley.[15]
The Rams traded Everett tothe Saints in March 1994. In return, theLos Angeles Times reported, Los Angeles received "a seventh-round pick in the 1995 draft".[16]
In three years with the Saints, benefiting from receivers such asQuinn Early and formerFalcon receiverMichael Haynes and formerBear fullbackBrad Muster in the backfield, Everett threw 22, 26, and 12 touchdowns. Nevertheless, the team finished 7–9, 7–9, and 3–13 in those three years, respectively. The Saints, like many other NFL teams, released or traded core players when the NFL's salary cap took effect around the time Everett arrived. TheDome Patrol defense had also largely been dismantled by 1994. OnlySam Mills remained on the Saints' roster by 1994, and that was Mills's final season, as he departed forthe expansion Carolina Panthers the following year. Running backsDalton Hilliard andCraig Heyward had also both left the Saints by 1994.
Everett signed withthe Chargers in June 1997.[17] In his first start for San Diego, he defeated the Saints, 20–6, in his return to the Superdome.[18] 1997 was his final NFL season.
Over his career, Everett performed well enough to be among league leaders in several passing categories. His 203 touchdown passes rank 45th all-time, and his 34,837 passing yards are 33rd all-time. He also ranks 35th all-time in completions and 32nd all-time in pass attempts. On a year-to-year basis, he was among the top ten league leaders in pass attempts (seven times), completions (eight times), pass yards (seven times), and passing touchdowns (six, including leading the league twice).
Everett's two postseason victories (both in 1989) tied him withVince Ferragamo,James Harris, andNorm Van Brocklin for second-most playoff victories during the Rams' first stint in Los Angeles (as of 2018, it is now the third-most). Only Ferragamo had more wins (three) during the Rams' 49-year stint in Los Angeles.Kurt Warner's five playoff victories during the Rams' years in St. Louis have since superseded Ferragamo's record.
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Pro Bowl selection | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Lng | Rtg | ||
| 1986 | LAR | 6 | 5 | 3–2 | 73 | 147 | 49.7 | 1,018 | 6.9 | 8 | 8 | 60 | 67.8 |
| 1987 | LAR | 11 | 11 | 5–6 | 162 | 302 | 53.6 | 2,064 | 6.8 | 10 | 13 | 81 | 68.4 |
| 1988 | LAR | 16 | 16 | 10−6 | 308 | 517 | 59.6 | 3,964 | 7.7 | 31 | 18 | 69 | 89.2 |
| 1989 | LAR | 16 | 16 | 11−5 | 304 | 518 | 58.7 | 4,310 | 8.3 | 29 | 17 | 78 | 90.6 |
| 1990 | LAR | 16 | 16 | 5−11 | 307 | 554 | 55.4 | 3,989 | 7.2 | 23 | 17 | 55 | 79.3 |
| 1991 | LAR | 16 | 16 | 3–13 | 277 | 490 | 56.5 | 3,438 | 7.0 | 11 | 20 | 78 | 68.9 |
| 1992 | LAR | 16 | 16 | 6–10 | 281 | 475 | 59.2 | 3,323 | 7.0 | 22 | 18 | 67 | 80.2 |
| 1993 | LAR | 10 | 9 | 3−6 | 135 | 274 | 49.3 | 1,652 | 6.0 | 8 | 12 | 60 | 59.7 |
| 1994 | NO | 16 | 16 | 7−9 | 346 | 540 | 64.1 | 3,855 | 7.1 | 22 | 18 | 78 | 84.9 |
| 1995 | NO | 16 | 16 | 7−9 | 345 | 567 | 60.8 | 3,970 | 7.0 | 26 | 14 | 70 | 87.0 |
| 1996 | NO | 15 | 15 | 3−12 | 267 | 464 | 57.5 | 2,797 | 6.0 | 12 | 16 | 51 | 69.4 |
| 1997 | SD | 4 | 1 | 1−0 | 36 | 75 | 48.0 | 457 | 6.1 | 1 | 4 | 62 | 49.7 |
| Career | 158 | 153 | 64–89 | 2,841 | 4,923 | 57.7 | 34,837 | 7.1 | 203 | 175 | 81 | 78.6 | |
Following the1989 regular season, Everett was reportedly "shellshocked" from the numerous times he wassacked and hit in theNFC Championship Game against theSan Francisco 49ers (the 49ers won, 30–3). At one point in the game, Everett was so rattled that he collapsed to the ground in the pocket in anticipation of a sack, even though the 49ers' defensive players had not yet reached him,[19] a play now known as Everett's "phantom sack".[20]
His struggle eventually led to a 1994 confrontation with thenTalk2 hostJim Rome. Rome had regularly mocked Everett's aversion to taking hits on the field, mockingly referring to him as "Chris" Everett (a reference to female tennis player,Chris Evert). When Everett appeared as a guest onTalk2, Rome wasted no time, calling him "Chris". Everett dared Rome to repeat it to his face again, implying that a physical confrontation would ensue were Rome to do so. When Rome did it anyway, Everett overturned the table between them and shoved Rome to the floor while still on the air. Rome was not injured and no legal action was taken following the confrontation.[21]
In a 2012 interview withDeadspin, Everett stated that "a large burger franchise" wanted to use the footage in an ad. Everett agreed, but Rome did not, blocking the deal.[22]
After his NFL career ended, Everett received anMBA degree fromPepperdine University and started an asset management business.[23] Eventually, he settled inDana Point, California.[24]
Play occurs on a third-and-ten with about four minutes left in the third quarter