Craig Whelihan
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Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||
Born: | San Jose, California, U.S. | April 15, 1971||||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||||
Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||
High school: | Santa Teresa (San Jose) | ||||||||||
College: | Pacific | ||||||||||
NFL draft: | 1995 / Round: 6 / Pick: 197 | ||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||
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* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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Career Arena statistics | |||||||||||
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Player stats at PFR · ArenaFan.com |
Craig Dominic Whelihan (born April 15, 1971) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL), XFL, and Arena Football League (AFL). He played college football for the Pacific Tigers. He was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL draft.
High school years
Born in San Jose, California, Whelilhan graduated from Santa Teresa High School of San Jose in 1989 and lettered in football, baseball and basketball. In football, as a senior, he passed for 1,314 yards and 11 touchdowns.[1]
College years
After graduating from Santa Teresa High, Whelihan enrolled at Oregon State University and redshirted his freshman year.[1] In 1990, Whelihan transferred to the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California and played on the Pacific Tigers football team from 1992 to 1994.[1][2] He ended his college career ranked third on the school's list for completions (300), attempts (591) and TDs (27).
NFL career
1995–1997
The
Whelihan replaced Humphries as starter effective Week 10 (November 9) because Humphries suffered concussions.[4][6] In Whelihan's debut as starter, Whelihan completed 17 of 29 passes for 206 yards, 2 touchdowns, and an interception in a 37–31 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.[4] Whelihan also lost a fumble in the Chargers' own end zone, and Michael Sinclair recovered the fumble for a defensive touchdown.[7] In the last play of the game, Sinclair sacked Whelihan to seal the Seahawks win.[8]
Playing for only the first three quarters, Whelihan had a season-low 22.2% completion rate in Week 12 (November 23) against the San Francisco 49ers, completing 4 of 18 passes for 81 yards and 3 interceptions before Todd Philcox replaced him.[4][9] San Diego finished 1997 with a 4–12 record, including 0-7 with Whelihan as starter.[10] In 9 games (7 starts), Whelihan finished 1997 with 118 of 237 passes completed for 6 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, 21 sacks for 168 lost yards, and 29 rushing yards on 13 carries.[11]
1998–2000
Whelihan again was second-string quarterback in
In Week 6 (October 11), a 7–6 loss to the
San Diego finished 1998 with a 5–11 record, just one game better than in 1997; Whelihan had a 2–5 record as starter.[16] Both of Whelihan's wins were by one point: 14-13 over Baltimore Ravens in Week 11 and 38-37 over Kansas City Chiefs in Week 12 (November 22). In Week 11, Whelihan completed 15 of 42 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown, and Whelihan improved in the next game with 19-for-37 passing for 279 yards, 2 touchdowns, and an interception.[4]
A five-game losing streak followed those two wins. In the season finale on December 28 against the Arizona Cardinals, Arizona safety Kwamie Lassiter intercepted Whelihan four times; one of Lassiter's interceptions bounced off Chargers receiver Ryan Thelwell.[17][18] With 16 seconds left on 4th-and-20, Thelwell caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Whelihan, and the extra point tied the game at 13. However, Chris Jacke kicked the winning field goal as time expired, and Arizona's win qualified the team for the playoffs for the first time in nearly 15 years.[19]
The Chargers cut Whelihan after the 1999 preseason.
XFL career
Whelihan played in the
Arena Football League career
Whelihan played for three different
After Orlando started 0-3, Whelihan led the Predators to a four-game winning streak by June 2001.[22] Whelihan finished the 2001 season with 224 of 377 passes completed for 3,004 yards, 60 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.[23] Whelihan spent the entire 2002 season on injured reserve.[1]
In 2003, the Predators traded Whelihan to the Indiana Firebirds. In four games (with two starts), Whelihan completed 42 of 73 passes for 461 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions.[1][23]
Whelihan returned to Orlando as a backup in 2004 and completed just 7 of 18 passes for 50 yards.[1]
Whelihan signed with the
On October 29, 2006, Whelihan signed as a free agent with the
Coaching career
In 2003, Whelihan became quarterbacks coach at La Costa Canyon High School of Carlsbad, California.[27] He continued in that position until 2005.[28] Whelihan also studied for a teaching credential in physical education.[29]
See also
- List of Arena Football League and National Football League players
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Craig Whelihan". San Jose SaberCats. Archived from the original on August 17, 2007.
- ^ "Craig Whelihan". ESPN. Archived from the original on August 23, 2000.
- ^ "1995 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Craig Whelihan Career Game Log". pro-football-reference. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
- ^ "Carrying On Without a Big Name". Los Angeles Times. November 3, 1997. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
- ^ "Humphries Still Reeling". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. November 12, 1997. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
- ^ Shanahan, Tom (November 10, 1997). "Whelihan Experiences Growing Pains In 1St Start". Seattle Times. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
- ^ "Seahawks Vs. New Orleans". Seattle Times. November 16, 1997. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
The league officially awarded Michael Sinclair a sack for his tackle of San Diego quarterback Craig Whelihan on the last play of Sunday's game.
- ^ Swan, Gary (November 24, 1997). "Defense Carries the Day For Sputtering Offense". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
- ^ "1997 San Diego Chargers". pro-football-reference. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
- ^ "Craig Whelihan". pro-football-reference. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
- ^ Pennington, Bill (September 28, 1998). "Giants Relentlessly Regain Their Strut". The New York Times. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
- ^ "New York Giants 34 at San Diego Chargers 16, Sunday, September 27, 1998". pro-football-reference. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
- ^ Kroichick, Ron (October 12, 1998). "Raiders Pull Off the Improbable / Listless game saved by 68-yard TD strike in final 2 minutes". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on July 20, 2003. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
- ^ "San Diego Chargers 10 at Denver Broncos 27, Sunday, November 8, 1998". pro-football-reference. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
- ^ "1998 San Diego Chargers". pro-football-reference. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
- ^ Simers, T.J. (December 28, 1998). "Officials and Jacke Help Raise Arizona". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- ^ Walsh, Chris (December 28, 1998). "Wild Cards". Tucson Citizen. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
- ^ "Cardinals 16, Chargers 13". Associated Press. December 27, 1998. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- ^ "Salaam Is Released As Teams Make Cuts". The New York Times. September 6, 1999. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^ "Raiders Sign QB Craig Whelihan". Associated Press. January 6, 2000. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^ Cotey, John C. (June 10, 2001). "Preds prowl with Whelihan". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Craig Whelihan". Arenafan.com. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^ Thien, Glae (January 28, 2005). "Riptide has Whelihan". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^ Thien, Glae (January 29, 2005). "Riptide offense in hands of Whelihan". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^ Thien, Glae (March 13, 2005). "Riptide ready to roll – without Whelihan". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^ Reid, Whitelaw (November 16, 2003). "Coach Craig; Former Chargers quarterback helps with coaching duties at La Costa Canyon High, hopes for a return to NFL". San Diego Union-Tribune. p. N9. Retrieved July 26, 2019 – via NewsBank.
- ^ Highfill, Bob (March 9, 2006). "Vagabond QB is still slinging it". The Record. Stockton, California. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
- ^ Phillips, Roger (February 14, 2007). "Former Tiger brings football career back to Stockton". The Record. Stockton, California. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2019.