Chris Greisen

Chris Greisen
No. 15, 14
Position: Quarterback
Personal information
Date of birth: (1976-07-02) July 2, 1976
Place of birth: Berlin, Wisconsin
Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight: 223 lb (101 kg)
Career information
College: Northwest Missouri State
NFL Draft: 1999 / Round: 7 / Pick: 239
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
  • MIAA Offensive P.O.Y. (1998)
  • 2× First-team All-MIAA (1997–1998)
  • 2× Division II All-American (1997–1998)
  • Division II National Champion (1998)
  • First Team All-Arena (2007, 2010)
  • AFL Offensive Player of the Year (2007, 2010)
  • AFL record 117 passing touchdowns, season (2007, since broken)
  • AFL record 5,139 passing yards, season (2010, since broken)
  • 2× AFL passing yards leader (2008, 2010)
  • UFL Champion (2011)
Career NFL statistics
Pass attempts: 16
Pass completions: 7
Percentage: 43.8
TD–INT: 1-0
Passing yards: 69
QB Rating: 77.3
Player stats at NFL.com
Career Arena statistics
TD-INT: 324–40
Passing yards: 15,108
QB Rating: 127.23
Player stats at ArenaFan.com

Christopher J. Greisen (born July 2, 1976) is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Northwest Missouri State. He played high school football in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

Greisen was also a member of the Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Blizzard, Dallas Desperados, Georgia Force, Milwaukee Iron, and Florida Tuskers (later named the Virginia Destroyers). He is the older brother of former NFL linebacker Nick Greisen.

College career

Greisen attended Northwest Missouri State University where he was a two-year starter and two-time All-America selection after leading the Bearcats to their first ever Division II National Championship Title in his senior season. He ranks first in school history for single-season touchdowns (25) and passing yards (2,937) and earned Academic All-MIAA honors as a sophomore while taking MIAA Player of the Year honors in 1998.

Professional career

Early NFL career

Greisen was drafted in the seventh round by the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League in 1999, where he served as the third-string quarterback for three seasons. Greisen appeared in a total of five games for the Cardinals between 1999 and 2000, completing 7 of his 16 pass attempts for a touchdown and no interceptions. He would not see any playing time the following two seasons, and was released in September 2002.

Greisen was signed to the Washington Redskins' practice squad in December 2002 for the remainder of the football season, before signing with the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe for the 2003 season.

Arena Football

Green Bay Blizzard

In 2004, Greisen pursued a career in the Arena Football League, and joined the AF2's Green Bay Blizzard. The AF2 was the AFL's development league. In his first and only year in the AF2, Greisen threw for 2,718 yards and 61 touchdowns.

Dallas Desperados

Following his stint in the development league, Greisen signed a two-year contract with the AFL's Dallas Desperados, to serve as the team's backup. In the two seasons, Greisen threw 16 passes with three touchdowns and no interceptions. After the 2007 season, Greisen became a free agent.

Georgia Force and the UFL

After spending two seasons as the backup quarterback for the Desperados, Greisen signed with the Georgia Force. In 2007, Greisen and the Force finished the regular season at 14-2 and won the Southern Division championship. Georgia hosted the National Conference Championship, but lost 66–56 to the Columbus Destroyers. On the season, Greisen completed 74 percent of his passes (393-for-531) with 117 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and 4,871 yards. His 117 touchdowns were the AFL single season record until broken by Tommy Grady in 2012 (142 touchdowns).

In 2008, Georgia started the year 3–5, but finished 10–6 and once again won the Southern Division championship. But after a first round bye in the playoffs, the team lost 73-70 to the Cleveland Gladiators in the Divisional Round, the team's second straight home playoff loss. On the year, Greisen was 399-for-585 (68.2%), 4,956 yards, 97 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

The AFL ceased operations in 2009,[1] so Greisen chose to join the Florida Tuskers for the inaugural season of the UFL.[2]

Milwaukee Iron

Following the conclusion of the 2009 UFL season, Greisen returned to the AFL who had resumed operations. He signed with his hometown team, the Milwaukee Iron on January 2, 2010. He led the Iron to an 11-5 record and the Midwest Division championship. On the year, he was 382-for-563 (67.9%) with 107 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. His 5,139 yards passing broke the AFL's record for yards in a season. In the first round of the playoffs, the Iron beat the Chicago Rush to advance to the Arena Football League's conference championship, but lost to the eventual ArenaBowl champion Spokane Shock 60–57.

After the 2010 season, Greisen had completed 69.9 percent of his passes in his Arena Football career with over 15,000 yards, 324 touchdowns and 40 interceptions.

Florida Tuskers

Following the conclusion of the 2010 AFL season, Greisen re-signed with the Florida Tuskers for the 2010 UFL season. Greisen saw significant playing time after injuries sidelined starting quarterback Brooks Bollinger. Greisen helped lead the Tuskers to the 2010 UFL Championship Game where they played the Las Vegas Locomotives in a rematch of the previous year's UFL Championship.

The Tuskers would go on to lose, by a score of 23–20. In the game, Greisen threw for 346 yards and ran for two touchdowns.

Dallas Cowboys

Thanks in part to his strong showing in the UFL, Greisen was signed by the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad on December 27, 2010.[3] He was promoted to the active roster four days later for the season finale against Philadelphia in which he did not play.[4]

Virginia Destroyers

Following his stint in the NFL, Greisen returned to the UFL to play for the Virginia Destroyers, who assumed rights over the Tuskers' players when that team folded. He officially signed with the Destroyers on June 16, 2011.[5] In the shortened-season, Greisen lead the Destroyers to a 3-1 record, with the one loss coming in the season finale against the Sacramento Mountain Lions in a game he sat out most of due to injury.[6]

He helped lead the Destroyers to the 2011 UFL Championship Game, his third consecutive appearance in the UFL Championship game. Greisen completed 21 of 31 passes for 154 yards, as Virginia won the game 17-3.[7]

After Football

Griesen now is a gym teacher for Notre Dame Academy, Green Bay Wis.

Second stint with Dallas Cowboys

Greisen was signed to the Cowboys practice squad on December 14, 2011 after QB Jon Kitna was placed on season-ending injured reserve.[8] Despite first appearing in the NFL in the 1999 season, Greisen has maintained practice squad eligibility because he has only been active for eight NFL games, while the practice squad is limited to players who have played less than nine games.[9]

On March 15, 2012, Greisen was declared a free agent. He returned to the Destroyers for the 2012 season, which was cut short due to financial shortfalls; it is his last stint in professional football to date.

Personal life

Greisen earned a degree in physical education with a minor in mathematics from Northwest Missouri State. He teaches at Notre Dame Academy (Green Bay, Wisconsin) and is a convert to Catholicism from Lutheranism.[10][11] Greisen also runs the Chris Greisen Quarterback Academy during the season at Texas Stadium and through the offseason in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Greisen and his wife, Shannon, have four children.

References

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