 Majkowski (right) greetingBrett Favre in2007 | |||||||||
| No. 1, 5, 7 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Quarterback | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | (1964-02-25)February 25, 1964 (age 61) Buffalo, New York, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Weight | 208 lb (94 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Depew (NY) | ||||||||
| College | Virginia | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1987: 10th round, 255th overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Donald "Majik" Vincent Majkowski (born February 25, 1964) is an American former professionalfootball player who was aquarterback in theNational Football League (NFL) for theGreen Bay Packers,Indianapolis Colts, andDetroit Lions. He playedcollege football for theVirginia Cavaliers.
Following graduation from theFork Union Military Academy in centralVirginia, Majkowski played college football at theUniversity of Virginia in nearbyCharlottesville. He became the starting quarterback for the Cavaliers partway into the 1983 season, his first year there. The next year, Majkowski led the Cavaliers to the school's first ever bowl appearance and bowl win, in thePeach Bowl. During his college career, Majkowski wore jersey number one.
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Vertical jump | Wonderlic | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft1+1⁄2 in (1.87 m) | 199 lb (90 kg) | 32+1⁄4 in (0.82 m) | 9 in (0.23 m) | 4.83 s | 1.62 s | 2.80 s | 4.13 s | 34.0 in (0.86 m) | 21[1] | |||
| All values fromNFL Combine[2] | ||||||||||||
Majkowski was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the tenth round of the1987 NFL draft.[3] He was originally issued jersey #5, but switched to #7 the following season in anticipation that #5 would be retired forPaul Hornung. The jersey was never officially retired. As a rookie in1987, he split time withRandy Wright, with whom he also shared quarterback duties in1988. During the 1987 season Majkowski's salary was $65,000; he also received a $10,000 roster bonus.[4]
Nicknamed "The Majik Man", Majkowski broke out during the1989 season. He was given the starting job and Randy Wright was released. Majkowski had one of the finest seasons in Packers history, with 353 completed passes in 599 attempts. He also threw for 27 touchdowns, and his 4,318 passing yards led the NFL. Notably, the Packers won their first game against the hated rivalChicago Bears since1984. The key was a touchdown play, first nullified by an illegal forward pass by Majkowski, then upheld byinstant replay as a legal pass. The season ended with 10 wins and 6 losses; Majkowski capped the season with being selected to thePro Bowl.
Majkowski signed a new one-year contract for over $1.5 million in September1990,[5][6][7] but his success was cut short in the tenth game of the season. He was injured when he was upended and tackled on his shoulder byFreddie Joe Nunn of thePhoenix Cardinals, who drew a personal foul on the play. At first thought to be a bruise, Majkowski's injury turned out to be more serious, a tornrotator cuff. The Packers finished the season with backupsAnthony Dilweg andBlair Kiel. During the1991 season, Majkowski was benched by head coachLindy Infante and replaced byMike Tomczak as starter, but resumed starting duties at the beginning of1992. On a play on September 20 against theCincinnati Bengals, Majkowski tore a ligament in his ankle in the first quarter. He was replaced by 22-year-oldBrett Favre, who completed the game, a one-point victory,[8] and went on to start every Packers game through2007. In 2005, Majkowski was inducted into theGreen Bay Packers Hall of Fame.[9]
After the Packers elected to keepBrett Favre as their starting quarterback and bench Majkowski, he decided to leave Green Bay after the 1992 season and signed with theIndianapolis Colts as a backup fortwo seasons.
Majkowski finished his football career with theDetroit Lions in1995 and1996 as a backup to starterScott Mitchell. In his final season in 1996, Majkowski faced Favre and theGreen Bay Packers on November 3, completing 15 of 32 passes for 153 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions in a 28–18 loss. He was alsosacked five times. Majkowski's final career start was two weeks later against theSeattle Seahawks at thePontiac Silverdome. He went 18 for 23 (78% completion percentage) for 157 yards, one TD and one interception for a passer rating of 91.5. The Lions won the game, 17–16, and improved their record to 5–6.[10] However, this was the Lions' last win of the season; Mitchell started the remaining five games, which the Lions lost to finish 5–11.
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Sacks | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Sck | Yds | ||
| 1987 | GB | 7 | 5 | 2-2-1 | 55 | 127 | 43.3 | 875 | 6.9 | 70 | 5 | 3 | 70.2 | 15 | 127 | 8.5 | 33 | 0 | 10 | 77 |
| 1988 | GB | 13 | 9 | 3-6 | 178 | 336 | 53.0 | 2,119 | 6.3 | 56 | 9 | 11 | 67.8 | 47 | 225 | 4.8 | 24 | 1 | 31 | 176 |
| 1989 | GB | 16 | 16 | 10-6 | 353 | 599 | 58.9 | 4,318 | 7.2 | 79 | 27 | 20 | 82.3 | 75 | 358 | 4.8 | 20 | 5 | 47 | 268 |
| 1990 | GB | 9 | 8 | 4-4 | 150 | 264 | 56.8 | 1,925 | 7.3 | 76 | 10 | 12 | 73.5 | 29 | 186 | 6.4 | 24 | 1 | 32 | 178 |
| 1991 | GB | 9 | 8 | 2-6 | 115 | 226 | 50.9 | 1,362 | 6.0 | 39 | 3 | 8 | 59.3 | 25 | 108 | 4.3 | 15 | 2 | 30 | 152 |
| 1992 | GB | 14 | 3 | 1-2 | 38 | 55 | 69.1 | 271 | 4.9 | 32 | 2 | 2 | 77.2 | 8 | 33 | 4.1 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 60 |
| 1993 | IND | 3 | 0 | 0-0 | 13 | 24 | 54.2 | 105 | 4.4 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 48.1 | 2 | 4 | 2.0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 1994 | IND | 9 | 6 | 3-3 | 84 | 152 | 55.3 | 1,010 | 6.6 | 29 | 6 | 7 | 69.8 | 24 | 34 | 1.4 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 76 |
| 1995 | DET | 5 | 0 | 0-0 | 15 | 20 | 75.0 | 161 | 8.1 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 114.8 | 9 | 1 | 0.1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 1996 | DET | 5 | 2 | 1-1 | 55 | 102 | 53.9 | 554 | 5.4 | 27 | 3 | 3 | 67.2 | 14 | 38 | 2.7 | 12 | 0 | 10 | 61 |
| Career | 90 | 57 | 26-30-1 | 1,056 | 1,905 | 55.4 | 12,700 | 6.7 | 79 | 66 | 67 | 72.9 | 248 | 1,114 | 4.5 | 33 | 12 | 180 | 1,058 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Sacks | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Sck | Yds | ||
| 1995 | DET | 1 | 0 | 0-0 | 14 | 23 | 60.9 | 206 | 9.0 | 68 | 3 | 2 | 93.5 | 3 | 16 | 5.3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 1 | 0 | 0-0 | 14 | 23 | 60.9 | 206 | 9.0 | 68 | 3 | 2 | 93.5 | 3 | 16 | 5.3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Majkowski lived inJohns Creek, Georgia with his family. He previously ran a real estate investment company, but sold it due to being unable to keep up with its demands because of a string of serious health issues related to his playing career.[11] His son Bo playedbaseball atClemson University.[12]
In 2020, Majkowski andAveion Cason filed a lawsuit against the NFL and theNFLPA over cuts made to their disability payments.[13] It was dismissed in 2021 by U.S. District Court JudgeTrevor N. McFadden.[14]
In 2025, Majkowski was involved in an altercation in anEau Claire bar, in which he grabbed the throat of an employee of the bar. He was cited for disorderly conduct and fined $213.[15]
Media related toDon Majkowski at Wikimedia Commons