Jets sign Mark Brunell
Mark Brunell has found a new home in the Big Apple. The former Jacksonville Jaguar and New Orleans Saint agreed to a two-year deal with the New York Jets.
The Jets have made the biggest splash this off-season and while their latest move certainly is no jaw-dropper, it is still a solid move. Mark Sanchez is the undisputed starting quarterback for the Jets so that leaves Brunell and Kellen Clemens to compete for the backup role.
Brunell filed for bankruptcy this past month as a result of some failed real estate investments. In his career he has made over $52 million over 15 years but his real estate investment losses were massive and he faces multiple lawsuits for his involvement in the projects as a result of loans not being paid off on time.
Brunell will now get a chance to earn some money back and will see what kind of role he can play on the team. The 40-year-old quarterback obviously has his share of experience in the league and can be a help to a young Mark Sanchez, entering his second year in the league.
Brunell started off his career with the Green Bay Packers but his time was short lived.
He was originally drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL draft after playing his college ball at Washington. After a limited number of starts in Green Bay, the Packers traded Brunell to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Brunell went on to play his best games as an NFL quarterback in Jacksonville.
In his first season, he threw for 2,168 yards and 15 touchdowns in 13 starts. He also rushed for 480 yards.
Brunell went on to improve and went on to three Pro-Bowls as a Jaguar in 1997, 1998 and 2000 winning the Pro Bowl MVP award in the 1997 game.
The quarterback led the expansion team to its greatest success to date, as the Jaguars reached the 1996 AFC Championship game only to lose to the New England Patriots. In 1999, the team made it back there, this time with a 14-2 record, but eventually lost to the one team they couldn’t beat that season, the Tennessee Titans.
The Jaguars still became the first expansion team to reach the postseason in three of its first four years and Brunell was a major reason for that.
Nonetheless all great things come to an end and Brunell’s time in Jacksonville was put to an end after he was benched in favour of Byron Leftwich and was eventually traded to the Washington Redskins.
After being benched in his first season, in 2005, Brunell led the Redskins to a 10-6 record and a Wild Card round victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In 2006, Brunell set a new NFL record when he completed 22 passes in a row in a single game. He also broke the Redskins’ record for completion percentage in a game with 88.9 per cent of his passes completed, breaking the 66-year old record of Sammy Baugh's 87.5 per cent.
Just like in Jacksonville, Brunell ended up being benched for a young quarterback when the team placed Jason Campbell as the starter. Many felt Brunell was being used as a scapegoat for the underperforming Redskins.
Brunell never played another game for the Redskins and eventually signed with the New Orleans Saints in 2008. He served as the backup for Drew Brees the past two seasons and was a part of the championship-winning team last season.
His experience speaks for itself and there are certainly a few things he can teach the brash Jets and the young Sanchez.
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