David Michael Krieg ( ; born October 20, 1958) is a former
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL). He attended
Milton College
Milton College was a private college located in Milton, Wisconsin. Founded in 1844 as the Milton Academy, it closed in 1982. Its campus is now part of the Milton Historic District.
History
The college was founded as the Milton Academy (high scho ...
in his home state of
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
and made the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
as an
undrafted
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
. In his 19-year NFL career, Krieg played for the Seahawks (1980–1991),
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
(1992–1993),
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
(1994),
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...
(1995),
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
(1996), and
Tennessee Oilers
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to the ...
(1997–1998).
College career
At
Milton
Milton may refer to:
Names
* Milton (surname), a surname (and list of people with that surname)
** John Milton (1608–1674), English poet
* Milton (given name)
** Milton Friedman (1912–2006), Nobel laureate in Economics, author of '' Free t ...
, a now-defunct small
private college
Private universities and private colleges are institutions of higher education, not operated, owned, or institutionally funded by governments. They may (and often do) receive from governments tax breaks, public student loans, and grants. D ...
in
Milton, Wisconsin
Milton is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 5,716 at the 2020 census.
History
The city was formed as a result of the 1967 merger of the villages of Milton and Milton Junction. In November of that year, ballot ...
, Krieg began as the 7th-string quarterback for his school's
NAIA team, the
Wildcats
The wildcat is a species complex comprising two small wild cat species: the European wildcat (''Felis silvestris'') and the African wildcat (''F. lybica''). The European wildcat inhabits forests in Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus, while the ...
. Given the opportunity to play in the fourth game of his freshman season (1976), he
completed four passes—three of them for
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Ameri ...
s—and continued to play well enough to start for the rest of his college career. He and
Dave Kraayeveld (who also played for the Seahawks) are the only NFL players to have attended Milton College.
Professional career
In 19 seasons, Krieg played in 213 games, completed 58.5 percent of his passes (3,105 of 5,311) for 38,147 passing yards, 261 touchdowns, 199
interception
In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team b ...
s and an 81.5 rating. He also had 417 rushing attempts for 1,261 yards and 13 touchdowns and 3 pass
receptions for 10 yards. His regular season
career win–loss record is 98-77.
Dave Krieg played in 12
postseason games (9 as a
starter), and completed 51.1 percent of his passes (144 for 282) for 1,895 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 70.86 rating. He also had 17 rushing attempts for 20 yards and 1 touchdown.
Seattle Seahawks (1980–91)
Undrafted in
1980
Events January
* January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission.
* January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC.
* January 9 – ...
, Krieg tried out for the Seahawks and caught on as a third-string quarterback. He saw the field only once, taking a few
snaps
Snaps ( ) is a Danish and Swedish word for a small shot of a strong alcoholic beverage taken during the course of a meal. A ritual that is associated with drinking snaps is a tradition in Scandinavia, especially in Denmark and Sweden, where ...
with two incompletions in the final game in
1980
Events January
* January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission.
* January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC.
* January 9 – ...
, the Seahawks' ninth straight loss in a disappointing 4–12 season in which they lost all eight home games.
By the middle of the
1981
Events January
* January 1
** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union.
** Palau becomes a self-governing territory.
* January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major offensiv ...
season, Krieg overtook
Sam Adkins on the
depth chart to become the Seahawks' second-string quarterback. When injuries sidelined
Jim Zorn
James Arthur Zorn (born May 10, 1953) is a former American football player and coach. Zorn was a left-handed quarterback, and is best known as the starting quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks for their first eight seasons. He was the quarterback ...
late in the season, Krieg
started the last three games and played well, helping the team record two of its six wins that year. In his first NFL start against the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
on December 6, Krieg ran for one touchdown and threw for two others, including a 57-yard game-winning completion to
Steve Largent
Stephen Michael Largent (born September 28, 1954) is an American former football wide receiver and politician who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. A member of the Republican Party, he serv ...
.
[Dave Krieg profile, statistics and more]
/ref>
Krieg began the strike-shortened 1982
Events January
* January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00).
* January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street bridges, 14th Street Bridge in ...
season as the Seahawks' starting quarterback and played respectably until a thumb injury sidelined him for several weeks. Zorn reclaimed his former role, but played inconsistently. When Zorn continued to struggle in the final game of the season, Coach Mike McCormack inserted Krieg, who rallied Seattle to a victory over the Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
.
Returning to the bench at the outset of the 1983
The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call.
Events January
* January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to Internet protocol suite, TCP/IP is officially completed (this is consid ...
campaign, Krieg remained there until Zorn's performance faltered in midseason. At that point, head coach Chuck Knox named Krieg the Seahawks' new starting quarterback. The Milton product's consistent play complemented the considerable talents of All-Pro
All-Pro is an honor bestowed upon professional American football players that designates the best player at each position during a given season. All-Pro players are typically selected by press organizations, who select an "All-Pro team," a list th ...
wide receiver Steve Largent and Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...
Curt Warner
Curtis Edward Warner (born March 18, 1961) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). A two-time All-American at Penn State University, Warner was drafted by the Seattle Se ...
, allowing the Seahawks to make the playoffs
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
for the first time in the team's eighth season. Krieg played brilliantly in the wild card round of the playoffs, helping his team rout Steve DeBerg
Steven Leroy DeBerg (born January 19, 1954) is an American retired professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 years.
Early life
DeBerg is an alumnus of Savanna High School in Anaheim, Califo ...
and the Broncos in the Kingdome
The Kingdome (officially the King County Stadium) was a multi-purpose stadium located in the Industrial District, Seattle, Industrial District (later SoDo, Seattle, SoDo) neighborhood of Seattle, Washington (state), Washington, United States. O ...
. The next week, Krieg's steady performance helped the Seahawks upset Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine Marino Jr. (born September 15, 1961) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons with the Miami Dolphins. After a successful college career at Pittsburgh and be ...
and the Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
on the road. However, Krieg and Seahawks offense were overwhelmed by the aggressive defense of the L.A. Raiders in the American Football Conference
The American Football Conference (AFC) is one of the two conferences of the National Football League (NFL), the highest professional level of American football in the United States. The AFC and its counterpart, the National Football Conference ...
Championship Game. Knox replaced Krieg with Jim Zorn to finish out the game as the visiting Seahawks lost to the Raiders, who went on to win Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1984, at Tampa Stadium between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion and defending Super Bowl XVII champion Washington Redskins and the American Football Conference ( ...
.
Despite a prodigious effort by Mike McCormack to recruit Warren Moon
Harold Warren Moon (born November 18, 1956) is an American former football quarterback who played professionally for 23 seasons. He spent the majority of his career with the Houston Oilers of the National Football League (NFL) and the Edmonto ...
to join the QB ranks in Seattle, Krieg resumed his starting role 1984
Events
January
* January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888.
* January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeast A ...
after Moon declined Seattle's offer and chose to play for the Houston Oilers
The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston from its founding in 1960 to 1996 before relocating to Memphis, and later Nashville, Tennessee becoming the Tennessee Titans. The Oilers began play in 1960 as ...
instead. In the year's first game, a knee injury sidelined the Seahawks' star running back Curt Warner for the rest of the season, forcing Coach Knox to discard his run-oriented "Ground Chuck" offense and adopt a new, more pass-intensive philosophy "Air Knox." Rising to the occasion, Krieg threw for 3,671 yards and 32 touchdowns, leading his team to a 12-4 record and another wild card playoff appearance. In recognition of this impressive performance, Krieg's NFL peers named him to his first Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
. Moreover, his steady play helped the Seahawks eliminate the reigning Super Bowl champion Raiders in a wild card showdown in the Kingdome. Krieg also played well in Miami the following week, but the Dolphins
A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (t ...
defeated the Seahawks and went on to lose Super Bowl XIX
Super Bowl XIX was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion 1984 Miami Dolphins season, Miami Dolphins and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion 1984 San Francisco 49ers season, San Francisco 49 ...
.
Krieg's inconsistency contributed to the mediocrity of the Seahawks in 1985
The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** The Internet's Domain Name System is created.
** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...
. In the team's eight victories, Krieg's passer rating averaged more than 114—an excellent mark—but in their eight losses, his rating hovered just above a dismal 40.
In 1986
The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles.
**Spain and Portugal ente ...
, Krieg played well initially, leading the Seahawks to a 5–3 record. However, he faltered in midseason, so Coach Knox benched him in favor of Gale Gilbert
Gale Reed Gilbert (born December 20, 1961) is a former American football quarterback who played eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, and San Diego Chargers. He is the only player in NFL ...
. When that remedy failed to avert a four-game losing streak, Knox gave Krieg another chance. Nicknamed "Mudbone" by his Seattle teammates,[Seahawks/NFL: 'Mudbone' embodied Hawks' grit]
/ref> Krieg led the Seahawks on five-game winning streak to finish the season, during which his passer rating exceeded 126. That December, Krieg was named AFC Player of the Month.
However, the 10-6 Seahawks failed to qualify for the playoffs.
Despite a brief midseason slump, Krieg played more consistently during the strike-shortened 1987
File:1987 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The MS Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes after leaving the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, killing 193; Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, k ...
season. In the year's first game, Krieg set a team record by throwing his 108th touchdown; in less than four years as a starter, Krieg had broken a record Zorn had compiled over more than seven starting seasons. Krieg proceeded to lead the Seahawks to another playoff appearance, but Krieg's performance failed to prevent a narrow loss on the road in the first round against the Houston Oilers
The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston from its founding in 1960 to 1996 before relocating to Memphis, and later Nashville, Tennessee becoming the Tennessee Titans. The Oilers began play in 1960 as ...
.
During the offseason, the Seahawks acquired Kelly Stouffer
Kelly Wayne Stouffer (born July 6, 1964) is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He spent most of his career with the Seattle Seahawks from 1988–1992.
Early years
Born in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, Stouff ...
from the Phoenix Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play th ...
, and began to groom him as the franchise
Franchise may refer to:
Business and law
* Franchising, a business method that involves licensing of trademarks and methods of doing business to franchisees
* Franchise, a privilege to operate a type of business such as a cable television p ...
quarterback of the future.
Perhaps due to this increased competition, Krieg's consistency increased further in 1988
File:1988 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The oil platform Piper Alpha explodes and collapses in the North Sea, killing 165 workers; The USS Vincennes (CG-49) mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655; Australia celebrates its Australian ...
. Although he missed seven games with a separated shoulder
A separated shoulder, also known as acromioclavicular joint injury, is a common injury to the acromioclavicular joint. The AC joint is located at the outer end of the clavicle where it attaches to the acromion of the scapula. Symptoms include no ...
, his excellent play helped propel the Seahawks to their first AFC West
The American Football Conference – Western Division or AFC West is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division comprises the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las ...
Division Championship. In the regular season finale, Krieg dissected the Raiders' secondary, throwing for 410 yards and four touchdowns, thereby securing the division title at 9–7 and relegating the Raiders to a wild card berth. However, Krieg's pedestrian performance on the road in the playoffs
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
contributed to the Seahawks' swift elimination at the hands of the top-seeded Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
. Nevertheless, Krieg's strong regular season showing earned him another Pro Bowl appearance.
In the spring of 1989, Krieg competed in NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
's prestigious '' Superstars'' competition, a series of physical challenges pitting athletes from various sports against one another. Krieg placed third overall, behind Willie Gault
Willie James Gault (born September 5, 1960) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons with the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Raiders. Considered one of the f ...
and Herschel Walker
Herschel Junior Walker (born March 3, 1962) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. He was also the Republican nominee in the 2022 United States Senate election in Georgia.
...
. He placed first in the basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
and rowing
Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically atta ...
events, beating athletes including Gault, Walker, Randall Cunningham
Randall Wade Cunningham Sr. (born March 27, 1963) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He spent the majority of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles and is also known for ...
, Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield (born October 19, 1962) is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1984 and 2011. He reigned as the undisputed champion at cruiserweight in the late 1980s and at heavyweight in the early 1990s, and is the on ...
, and Carl Lewis
Frederick Carlton Lewis (born July 1, 1961) is an American former track and field athlete who won nine Olympic gold medals, one Olympic silver medal, and 10 World Championships medals, including eight gold. His career spanned from 1979 to 1996, ...
.
In 1989, Krieg struggled to lead an offense depleted by injuries. All-Pro Steve Largent missed several games because of a fractured elbow. The running game sputtered as injuries slowed Curt Warner, and the aging offensive line
In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numbe ...
struggled to open holes for him. Krieg came to rely on fullback John L. Williams after Largent retired that season. Although the Seahawks managed only a 7–9 record, Krieg played well enough to earn a return trip to the Pro Bowl, where he performed impressively, helping lead the AFC to victory.
Krieg's burden grew heavier in 1990
File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of Humankind, humanity on Earth, Astroph ...
, with the retirement of Largent and the continued decline of the offensive line and the running game. Consequently, inconsistency again plagued Krieg. His play ranged from awful (2 games with passer ratings below 15) to mediocre (5 games in the 50s and 60s) to good (4 games in the 70s, 80s, or 90s) to brilliant (5 games with ratings over 100). In the most memorable game of the season, on November 11, the Seahawks made their annual visit to Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium is an American football stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. It primarily serves as the home venue of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). The stadium has been officially named GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stad ...
, where they had not won since 1980. The Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
sacked Krieg 9 times, including an NFL-record 7 sacks by linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
Derrick Thomas
Derrick Vincent Thomas (January 1, 1967 – February 8, 2000), nicknamed D.T., was an American football linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). Considered one of the greatest pass rushers of all time, he p ...
. However, on the last play of the game, as time expired, Thomas closed in for yet another apparent sack, but Krieg eluded the linebacker and threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Paul Skansi
Paul Anthony Skansi (born January 11, 1961) is an American football scout for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). A former wide receiver, he played college football for the Washington Huskies and was drafted by the ...
for the win. Krieg's leadership helped the Seahawks compile a respectable 9–7 record in 1990, but they again missed the playoffs.
In the 1991 NFL Draft
The 1991 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 21–22, 1991, at the Marriott Mar ...
, the Seahawks used their first round pick on another quarterback of the future, Dan McGwire.
After breaking his thumb in the season opener, Krieg missed six games in 1991
File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phil ...
. Without a strong supporting cast, Krieg turned in another inconsistent year. The Seahawks finished a disappointing 7–9, leading to the resignation of Coach Knox. Seattle General Manager
A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...
Tom Flores
Thomas Raymond Flores (born March 21, 1937) is a former American football coach and quarterback. After his retirement as a coach, he was a radio announcer for more than twenty years.
Flores won a total of four Super Bowls in his playing and c ...
decided to retain Stouffer and McGwire, and to let Krieg become a free agent. That decision helped doom the Seahawks to several seasons of misery and mediocrity under a succession of uninspired quarterbacks. Despite having an outstanding defense in 1992
File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
, their overall record of remains the worst in franchise history.
Kansas City Chiefs (1992–93)
Krieg signed with the Seahawks' division rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
, and started for them throughout 1992
File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
, leading his new team to a 10–6 record, including two victories over Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
. However, Krieg's poor performance in the playoffs on the road contributed to the wild-card Chiefs' swift elimination by the San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
.
In the offseason, the Chiefs signed Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford Montana Jr. (born June 11, 1956) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers. Nicknamed "Joe Cool" and "the Comeback Kid", ...
and made him their starting quarterback. However, Krieg still saw substantial action in 1993
File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...
, relieving Montana in six games, and starting five games for the oft-injured Hall of Famer
A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...
. Together, Montana and Krieg led the Chiefs to an 11–5 record and an AFC West Championship. In the wild-card round of the playoffs, when the Chiefs hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
, an injured Montana briefly left the game. In relief, Krieg threw just one pass, a 23-yard touchdown. Two weeks later, at the AFC Championship Game
The AFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the American Football Conference (AFC) and one of the two semi-final playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional American football league in the world. ...
in Buffalo, Montana sustained a concussion
A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include loss of consciousness (LOC); memory loss; headaches; difficulty with thinking, concentration, ...
and left the game in the third quarter. Krieg led a 90-yard touchdown drive to bring the Chiefs within 7 points, but the Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to qualify for their fourth straight Super Bowl appearance.
Detroit Lions (1994)
In 1994, Krieg signed with the Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
to back up Scott Mitchell. Although Mitchell's erratic play contributed to the team's poor 4-5 start, coach Wayne Fontes
Wayne Fontes (; born February 2, 1940) is a former American football coach and college and professional football player who was the head coach of the National Football League's Detroit Lions from 1988 to 1996. His 67 wins and 71 losses are each t ...
stuck with the young quarterback as his starter until an injury sidelined him in mid-season. Krieg came off the bench and ignited a dynamic offense showcasing the talents of running back Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders (born July 16, 1968) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL), from 1989 to 1998 for the Detroit Lions. Sanders led the league in rushing yards four times and ...
and wide receiver Herman Moore
Herman Joseph Moore (born October 20, 1969) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. He played college football for the Virginia Cavaliers. He was drafted by ...
. Statistically, the 1994 season was the best of Krieg's career: Krieg completed 61.8% of his passes and threw 14 touchdowns versus only 3 interceptions, for a passer rating of 101.7. Moreover, Krieg's leadership rallied the Lions to a 5-2 regular season finish and a wild card playoff berth. Despite Krieg's solid play, the visiting Lions lost narrowly to the Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
in the first round of the playoffs. Although Krieg had set Detroit Lions regular-season records for fewest passes intercepted (3) and highest passer rating (101.7), the team decided to stick with Mitchell and let Krieg become a free agent.
Arizona Cardinals (1995)
The Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...
rewarded Krieg for his 1994 performance by signing him to be their starting quarterback in 1995. However, operating behind a porous offensive line, Krieg had another inconsistent year. Again, his passer rating told the tale: 3 horrible games (below 50), 4 mediocre ones (50s and 60s), 5 good efforts (70s and 80s), and 4 outstanding performances (90s or better). However, even Krieg's good games rarely resulted in Cardinals victories. The team went 4-12. Both Coach Buddy Ryan
James David "Buddy" Ryan (February 17, 1931 – June 28, 2016) was an American football coach in the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL). During his 35-season coaching career, Ryan served as the head coach of the ...
and Krieg lost their jobs.
Chicago Bears (1996)
In 1996, the Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
signed Krieg to back up Erik Kramer
William Erik Kramer (born November 6, 1964) is an American former football quarterback. He attended John Burroughs High School in Burbank, California. After attending Pierce College and playing as their quarterback, Kramer transferred to North Car ...
. Although Kramer's poor play contributed to the Bears' feeble 1–3 beginning, Coach Dave Wannstedt
David Wannstedt (born May 21, 1952) is a former American football coach. He has been the head coach of the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He was also the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh footbal ...
allowed him to continue starting until an injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Krieg – by then 38 years old – came off the bench and helped rally an injury-wracked Bears team to a respectable 6–6 finish. Statistically, Krieg's performance was inconsistent: his passer rating ranged from subpar (4 games below 60) to mediocre (2 games in the 60s) to good (3 games in the 80s and 90s) to outstanding (3 games over 100).
Tennessee Oilers (1997–98)
Dave Krieg finished his career with the Tennessee Oilers
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to the ...
, backing up the seldom-injured Steve McNair
Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),[Steve McNair Found Dead](_blank)
...
in 1997 and 1998. Even when the young starter played poorly, coach Jeff Fisher
Jeffrey Michael Fisher (born February 25, 1958) is an American football coach who is the head coach and general manager for the Michigan Panthers of the United States Football League (USFL). He is a former cornerback and return specialist. He ...
declined to insert Krieg. On rare occasions, Krieg would mop up in garbage time
In sports, garbage time is the period toward the end of a timed sports competition that has become a blowout when the outcome of the game has effectively already been decided, and the coaches of one or both teams will decide to replace their best ...
or take a knee at the end of a game.
However, in the 1998 season opener in Cincinnati, McNair exited the game with a bruised elbow. Krieg—by then nearly 40 years old—came off the bench to rally the Oilers to victory, going 7-of-13 for 129 yards. Although McNair recovered from his injury and could have re-entered the game, the team let Krieg finish. "Dave was in the zone", McNair explained. "He was doing a great job moving the team up and down the field. It's a matter of doing what's right (for the team). At that time, what was right was letting Dave stay in."
Later that month, the Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
knocked McNair out of a game, but Krieg's comeback effort failed. He went 1-of-3 for 10 yards while being sacked twice. He appeared in two other games, going 3-of-3 for 57 yards in relief during a 44-14 blowout of Cincinnati and going 1-of-2 for 3 yards in a loss to the Jets. His final completion was to Mike Archie, done in the final quarter.
Krieg was released by the rechristened Tennessee Titans in July 1999 after the team signed Neil O'Donnell to backup McNair. Krieg was not in training camp that season, but intended on playing a 20th NFL season. He wouldn't make his retirement official until 2000 after no takers emerged for his services. He retired as a Seahawk, and held his press conference in Cheney because it was the site of his first camp in 1980. Head coach Mike Holmgren said of Krieg, "I always wanted him to play for me, but he was way too expensive every year."
Notable accomplishments
*One of three quarterbacks to record at least 20,000 yards, 169 touchdowns, and 57 wins as a starter in the 1980's, joining hall of famers Dan Marino and Joe Montana
* Holds NFL record for most seasons in career having played every play at QB in a year (3)
* Holds Seahawks record for most games with 400 or more yards passing (4)
* Had two games with a perfect passer rating
In the National Football League (NFL), the highest official passer rating that a quarterback can achieve is 158.3, which is called a "perfect passer rating". To qualify, during a single game a quarterback must attempt at least 10 passes, have zero ...
.
* Led three different franchises to the playoffs (Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
, Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
, Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
)
Other
For many years Krieg held the NFL record for most career fumbles, a result of both a lengthy career at quarterback and unusually small hands for the position. Krieg has now been surpassed by both Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre ( ; born October 10, 1969) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. Favre had 321 consecutive starts from 1992 to 20 ...
and Warren Moon
Harold Warren Moon (born November 18, 1956) is an American former football quarterback who played professionally for 23 seasons. He spent the majority of his career with the Houston Oilers of the National Football League (NFL) and the Edmonto ...
for career fumbles.
Since retirement
Krieg is now a motivational speaker
A motivational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. Such speakers may attempt to challenge or transform their audiences. The speech itself is popularly known as a pep talk.
Motivational speakers ca ...
and real estate investor
Real estate investing involves the purchase, management and sale or rental of real estate for profit. Someone who actively or passively invests in real estate is called a real estate entrepreneur or a real estate investor. Some investors actively ...
in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...
.
He was inducted into the Seattle Seahawks Ring of Honor
The Seattle Seahawks Ring of Honor is a group of people honored for their contributions to the Seattle Seahawks, a professional football team in the National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American ...
in 2004.
Krieg also became part owner of the af2
The AF2 (often styled as af2, and short for arenafootball2) was the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like its parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football ru ...
's Green Bay Blizzard
Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a combin ...
in 2007 along with former Green Bay Packer linebacker Brian Noble.
In January 2017, Krieg raised the 12 Flag atop the Space Needle
The Space Needle is an observation tower in Seattle, Washington, United States. Considered to be an icon of the city, it has been designated a Seattle landmark. Located in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood, it was built in the Seattle Center f ...
a few days before the Seahawks defeated the Detroit Lions, 26-6, in an NFL Wild Card playoff game.
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Krieg, Dave
1958 births
Living people
American football quarterbacks
Arizona Cardinals players
Chicago Bears players
Detroit Lions players
Kansas City Chiefs players
Milton Wildcats football players
Seattle Seahawks players
Tennessee Oilers players
American Conference Pro Bowl players
People from Iola, Wisconsin
Players of American football from Wisconsin
Ed Block Courage Award recipients