John Brodie Croyle (; born February 6, 1983) 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 wi ...

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 Am ...

. He was drafted by 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 t ...

of 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 majo ...

(NFL) in the third round of the

2006 NFL Draft The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City, New York, at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with add ...

. He played

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football in the United States, American football rules first gained populari ...

for the

University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and largest of the publ ...

from 2002 to 2005. Despite being hindered by knee injuries in his senior season in

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

, Croyle was a highly recruited prospect by

Louisiana State University Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 n ...

Florida State University Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...

, and the

. On the night Croyle was ready to announce his decision to attend Florida State, he changed his mind and chose Alabama, his father's alma mater, instead. In Croyle's four years playing for the

Alabama Crimson Tide football The Alabama Crimson Tide football program represents the University of Alabama (variously Alabama, UA, or Bama) in the sport of American football. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Ass ...

team, he set numerous school records, and was a finalist for the

Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is given annually in the United States to the nation's top upperclassmen quarterback in college football. Candidates are judged on accomplishments on the field as well as on their character, scholastic achievemen ...

. Croyle led the Crimson Tide to the

2006 Cotton Bowl Classic The 2006 AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic was held on January 2, 2006, in Dallas, Texas at the Cotton Bowl. The game featured the Alabama Crimson Tide of the SEC, and the Texas Tech Red Raiders of the Big 12 Conference. During the 2005 season, Alabama ...

and was named the game's offensive MVP. Though he saw little playing time in his rookie season in the NFL, Croyle shared the starting position with

Damon Huard Damon Paul Huard (born July 9, 1973) is a former American football quarterback. He is the director of community relations and fundraising for the University of Washington football program, his alma mater. Huard was signed by the Cincinnati Ben ...

2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple Inc., Apple's first iPhone (1st generation), iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakis ...

. On November 18, Croyle started his first game, as the Chiefs' quarterback, against the

Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...

. Croyle remained the Chiefs' starting quarterback for the remainder of the season despite losing all six games that he started. He was the incumbent starter heading into the 2008 regular season, but suffered a shoulder injury in the Chiefs' first game. Croyle returned in Week 7 but suffered a torn MCL and was ruled out for the remainder of the season. Croyle began the 2009 season once again as the Chiefs' starting quarterback, filling in for an injured

Matt Cassel Matthew Brennan Cassel (born May 17, 1982) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. A member of seven NFL teams, Cassel's most notable stints were with the New England Patriots ...

. Croyle was released by the Chiefs in 2011 and later signed with the Arizona Cardinals. On May 21, 2012, he announced his retirement. Croyle is the only quarterback in Chiefs franchise history to start at least three games as a quarterback and not win a single game. He is also one of only 4 quarterbacks since 1960 (when starts first were tracked) to start at least 10 games in their career and not win a single game. He has the fewest passing yards and touchdowns in franchise history among quarterbacks with 10 or more starts. In 2015 he was named by

Fansided FanSided is a fandom-focused sports, lifestyle and entertainment network of more than 300 websites. It was co-founded and launched in 2009 by brothers Zach Best and Adam Best.Gounley, Thoma"Fan-focused websites started by Hillcrest grads acquire ...

as the 2nd worst quarterback in Chiefs franchise history.

Early years

The son of John Croyle, a former

defensive end Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football. This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations over the years have substantially changed how the position is p ...

for the

, Croyle was born on February 6, 1983. He attended

at Westbrook Christian School in

Rainbow City, Alabama Rainbow City is a city in Etowah County, Alabama, United States. It incorporated in 1950. The population was 9,602 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Gadsden Metropolitan Statistical Area. History This city was named after U.S. Highway 411 ...

and became a Super-Prep All-American selection in football. In his sophomore season, Croyle passed for 3,787 yards and 44 touchdowns. That same season, he passed for 528 yards and seven touchdowns in one game. Croyle had an equally successful junior year passing for 2,838 yards and 38 touchdowns. Croyle led his team to the state championship that year, but the team lost by a field goal. Entering his senior year, many scouts had Croyle ranked as high as the #2 quarterback in the country behind

Joe Mauer Joseph Patrick Mauer (born April 19, 1983) is an American former professional baseball catcher and first baseman, who spent his entire 15-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Minnesota Twins. A six-time All-Star, Mauer is the onl ...

, who would go on to play

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...

. However, Croyle's high school career ended abruptly in the first game of his senior season against Glencoe High School after a hit by an opposing player tore Croyle's

anterior cruciate ligament The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of a pair of cruciate ligaments (the other being the posterior cruciate ligament) in the human knee. The two ligaments are also called "cruciform" ligaments, as they are arranged in a crossed formati ...

(ACL), causing him to miss the remainder of his senior year.Thorman, Chris
For every Croyle injury...
''Scout.com'', December 27, 2007. When he graduated, he held the Alabama state records for career passing yards with 9,323, and career touchdowns with 105. He set marks for most passing yards in a single season, passing yards in a single game, touchdown passes in a season, and touchdown passes in a game.
''Scout.com'', September 3, 2007.

College career

Despite the knee injury, Croyle received interest from members the

Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is an American college athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central and Southeastern United States. Its fourteen members include the flagship public universities o ...

and the

Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Assoc ...

, including

Louisiana State Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisian ...

and

Florida State Florida State University (FSU) is a public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher education in the sta ...

. Croyle showed interest in playing for Florida State due in part because of the team's offensive coordinator,

Mark Richt Mark Allan Richt (born February 18, 1960) is a retired American football head coach, former player, and television analyst. He was the head football coach at the University of Georgia for 15 years and at the University of Miami, his alma mater, ...

. Croyle initially showed little interest in playing for Alabama after their head coach, Mike DuBose had recently been fired, but once Richt took the head coaching job with the

Georgia Bulldogs The Georgia Bulldogs are the athletic teams that represent the University of Georgia. The female athletic teams are sometimes referred to as Lady Bulldogs. The Bulldogs compete in NCAA Division I and are members of the Southeastern Conference ( ...

, Croyle followed in his father's footsteps. On the night before he was to announce his college decision to play for Florida State, Croyle announced that he would instead play for the

Alabama Crimson Tide The Alabama Crimson Tide refers to the intercollegiate athletic varsity teams that represent the University of Alabama, located in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide teams compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I as a me ...

. The Crimson Tide were not fazed by Croyle’s rather serious ligament tear, for they felt he would heal well enough that his talent still warranted a spot on the roster. Croyle graduated early from high school and enrolled at the

in January 2001. After red-shirting his freshman year at Alabama, Croyle earned a spot as the top backup in his second season behind senior starter Tyler Watts. Croyle's coaches voted for him as the

Ozzie Newsome Ozzie Newsome Jr. (born March 16, 1956) is an American former professional football player and executive who is the executive vice president of player personnel of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). Newsome was a tight e ...

Most Improved Freshman after starting two games in 2002. After the 2002 season, Alabama head coach

Dennis Franchione Dennis Wayne Franchione (born March 28, 1951), also known as Coach Fran, is a retired American football coach. He is the former head football coach at Texas State University, a position he held from 1990 to 1991, when the school w ...

resigned to take the same position at

Texas A&M Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...

Washington State Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a U.S. state, state in the Northwestern United States, Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first President of the United States, U.S. p ...

head coach

Mike Price Michael Bruce Price (born April 6, 1946) is a former American football coach. He was the head coach at Weber State College from 1981 to 1988, Washington State University from 1989 to 2002, and the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) from 2004 ...

was hired to replace Franchione in January 2003. Coach Price mentored Croyle throughout the 2003 spring drills and practice but was dismissed from the head coach position in May 2003 for his conduct off the field. Soon after,

Mike Shula Mike Shula (born June 3, 1965) is an American football coach who is the senior offensive assistant coach for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). A graduate of the University of Alabama, he was the school's head football coa ...

, quarterback coach for 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 p ...

and former quarterback of the Crimson Tide, was named head coach at Alabama. Croyle, now with his third head coach in as many years, had only a few weeks to prepare and practice under coach Shula's system. Despite starting all 11 games in 2003 as a sophomore, Croyle suffered a separated shoulder before half time of the fifth game. Croyle would start the next game against Georgia only to re-aggravate the injury, but still only sat out one game that season, and did not reveal to the public he had suffered from two cracked ribs. The Crimson Tide's 2003 season ended with a record of 4–9. He was subsequently named the Dixie Memorial Award winner as the club’s

MVP In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...

and won the

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 ...

Community Award. His 341 pass attempts on the season were the highest seasonal total in Crimson Tide history while his 16 touchdown passes tied the single-season mark. Croyle started the 2004 season hoping to help his team improve on their last season's record of 4–9. Croyle started three games, completing 44-of-66 passes for 534 yards with six touchdowns. But during the third game of the season against

Western Carolina University Western Carolina University (WCU) is a public university in Cullowhee, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina system. The fifth oldest institution of the sixteen four-year universities in the UNC system, WCU was founded ...

, Croyle tore his

in his other knee. Croyle was forced to sit out the rest of the season, and the team finished with a 6–6 record. Undaunted, he fully recovered from the injury in 2005 and started all 12 games as a senior; completing 202 of 339 passes for 2,499 yards with 14 touchdowns and four interceptions and one rushing touchdown. Croyle was sacked eleven times in a loss to Auburn. Croyle led the Crimson Tide to a #8 national ranking, a 10–2 record, and a 13–10 victory over

Texas Tech Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sys ...

in the

Cotton Bowl Classic The Cotton Bowl Classic (also known as the Cotton Bowl) is an American college football bowl game that has been held annually in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex since January 1, 1937. The game was originally played at its namesake stadium in ...

, where he shared the game's

Most Valuable Player In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a partic ...

honors with teammate

DeMeco Ryans DeMeco Ryans (; born July 28, 1984) is an American football coach and former linebacker who is the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). Ryans played college football at the University of Alaba ...

.Last-second field goal lifts Bama to Cotton Bowl win
''ESPN.com'', January 2, 2006. In his final season at Alabama, Croyle attempted a then-school-record 190 passes without an interception and a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as the nation’s most outstanding senior quarterback. He became the first Alabama quarterback to start every game in a season since 1996.Cotton Bowl notebook: Croyle’s UA career ends with win, records
''TideSports.com'', Accessed March 5, 2008. In the 2005 Iron Bowl, he was sacked 11 times, a series record. Croyle's 2,499 passing yards in 2005 were the highest single-season total in Alabama's school history. His total 202 completions and 339 passing attempts rank as the second-best seasonal marks in school history. His 2,311 yards of total offense were the third-best seasonal mark in the history of the school, and his 1.18 interception percentage was the lowest single-season mark in school history as well.

College

Professional career

On April 29, 2006, the

drafted Croyle in the third round of the

as the 85th overall selection, and he signed a four-year contract on July 28.Brodie Croyle #12 Biography
''KCChiefs.com'', Accessed March 5, 2008. Croyle's reputation for being injury prone caused him to drop into the third round of the draft.Chiefs select QB Brodie Croyle in round 3
''KCChiefs.com'', April 29, 2006.Gil Brandt's Analysis By Position: Quarterbacks
''Packers.com'', April 27, 2006. Associated Press
Injury problems raising concerns about Croyle's role with Chiefs
''ESPN.com'', December 26, 2007.

Kansas City Chiefs

2006 season

Croyle played in only two games and saw few snaps in his rookie season.Brodie Croyle
on ''NFL.com'', Accessed March 5, 2008. He completed 3-of-7 passes for 23 yards including two interceptions. One of those interceptions was returned by

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 ...

safety Rian Wallace for a touchdown.

2007 season

In April 2007, nearly a year after Croyle was drafted, Chiefs starting quarterback

Trent Green Trent Jason Green (born July 9, 1970) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for fifteen seasons. He played college football for Indiana University. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in ...

was traded to the

. In the months prior to the trade agreement, Green had stated that he was being treated unfairly on and off the field and that the pre-season quarterback competition was "weighted" towards Croyle.King, Jason
It's not easy being (Trent) Green
''Kansas City Star'', May 22, 2007.Teicher, Adam

''Kansas City Star'', May 22, 2007.Nugent, Mike

''Scout.com'', November 13, 2007.

Head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in asso ...

Herman Edwards Herman Edwards Jr. (born April 27, 1954) is an American football coach and former cornerback who was most recently the head football coach at Arizona State. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons, primarily with the Phi ...

, who was emphasizing a "youth movement" on the team's roster at the time, voiced his displeasure with Green's outspoken comments and simply said that he was "trying to create competition."King, Jason
Herm refutes Green's assertion that quarterback competition stacked against him
''Kansas City Star'', May 23, 2007. Edwards indicated throughout the off-season that the Chiefs' starting quarterback position was up for grabs.Teicher, Adam
QB Croyle has the look of a starter
''Kansas City Star'', June 19, 2007. Throughout the offseason, Croyle was given every opportunity to win the starting job over

. Against the

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...

while Huard sat out with a calf injury, Croyle completed only 5 of 17 passes for 45 yards as the Chiefs lost 30–7 and dropped to 0–3 in exhibition. but poor play in the pre-season led to Huard being named the Chiefs' starting quarterback for the season opener against the

Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their home games at NR ...

.Associated Press
Backup no more: Huard earns starting role in K.C.
''ESPN.com'', August 25, 2007. On October 7, in a regular season home game against 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 pla ...

, Huard was injured in the fourth quarter. Croyle threw six completions in thirteen attempts over the remainder of the game and threw his first NFL touchdown pass on the final play of regulation to

Samie Parker Samie Jabar Parker (born March 25, 1981) is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the wide receiver's coach at the University of North Alabama. Parker most recently played for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Footbal ...

in the 17–7 loss.Associated Press
Jags' defense contains Chiefs' ground attack in near shut-out
''ESPN.com'', October 7, 2007. The touchdown helped Kansas City avoid its first shut-out loss at home since

1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which sank in the Baltic Sea; Nels ...

. Croyle's last-minute drive made him 6-for-13 for 83 yards and one touchdown. On November 11, Croyle again substituted for an injured Huard in the final half of a 27–11 loss to 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 headquar ...

. Croyle finished the game 17-for-30 for 162 yards, with one interception, in the loss that dropped Kansas City to 4–5 on the year.Associated Press
Edwards: Croyle will be Chiefs' starting quarterback
''ESPN.com'', November 12, 2007. The following day, Croyle was named the starting quarterback for the Chiefs' upcoming game against the

, and made his first start on November 18 at the

RCA Dome The RCA Dome (originally Hoosier Dome) was a domed stadium in Indianapolis. It was the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons ( 1984– 2007). It was completed at a cost of $77.5 million, as part of the Indiana Convention ...

in a 13–10 loss.Associated Press
Vinatieri's field goal with 4 ticks left wins it for Colts
''ESPN.com'', November 18, 2007.
''Kansas City Star'', November 12, 2007. Croyle was the first quarterback drafted by Kansas City to start a game for the Chiefs since

Todd Blackledge Todd Alan Blackledge (born February 25, 1961) is a former American football quarterback in both the NCAA and National Football League. In college, he led the Penn State Nittany Lions to a national championship. A member of the famed Class of 19 ...

started a game in

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 Southeas ...

. Croyle was 19-of-27 for 169 yards with one touchdown, but he lost a fumble that set up

Adam Vinatieri Adam Matthew Vinatieri (born December 28, 1972) is an American former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 24 seasons with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. Considered one of the greatest ...

's game-winning field goal. Croyle started his first home game at

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 ...

on November 25 against the

Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Ra ...

, but injured his back in the 20–17 loss. The injury sidelined Croyle for the following week's game against 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 ...

, and Damon Huard started in Croyle's place. The injured quarterbacks continued to rotate playing time, and Croyle was again declared the starter for Kansas City's game against the

on December 9.Pasquarelli, Len
After missing game due to injury, Chiefs QB Croyle set to return vs. Broncos
''ESPN.com'', December 7, 2007. The plan, barring injury, was for Croyle to start the remaining games of the 2007 season, so that coach Herm Edwards and his staff could better evaluate him moving forward into 2008. However, Croyle bruised his hand while trying to stop a defender from running an interception in for a touchdownAssociated Press
Chiefs' QB Brodie Croyle injured after INT against Lions
''ESPN.com'', December 23, 2007. and Damon Huard, who was the only active quarterback on the Chiefs' roster besides Croyle, filled in for the remainder of the game. In the final game of the season, Croyle led the Chiefs to a 10–10 tie with 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 ...

with just three minutes remaining.Associated Press
Jets clip Chiefs in OT to beat Edwards in return to Giants Stadium
''ESPN.com'', December 30, 2007. However, the Chiefs lost 13–10 with a Jets field goal in overtime. Croyle would finish the game 20-of-43 for 195 yards. Croyle lost all six games that he started for the Chiefs in the 2007 season. Despite his poor performance as a starter, Croyle's statistics were considered to be hard to evaluate.Rand, Jonathan
The Croyle Question
''KCChiefs.com'', December 20, 2007.

2008 season

Croyle entered the 2008 season as the Chiefs' starting quarterback.Covitz, Randy
Herm says Croyle will be No. 1 quarterback in 2008
''Kansas City Star'', December 24, 2007. Williamson, Bill
Several '08 picks should make immediate impact
''ESPN.com'', June 18, 2008. During the season opener against the

New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...

on September 7, Croyle left the game in the third quarter with a bruised shoulder after being sacked 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, ...

Adalius Thomas. Prior to the injury, Croyle completed 11 out of 19 with no touchdowns or interceptions. Two days after the game, the Chiefs signed quarterback

Ingle Martin Harry Ingle Martin IV (born August 15, 1982) is an American former college and professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons during the late 2000s. Martin played college football for ...

off the

Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their hom ...

practice squad In sports, the practice squad, also called the taxi squad or practice roster, is a group of players signed by a team but not part of their main roster. Frequently used in gridiron football, they serve as extra players during the team's practices, ...

to back up

and

Tyler Thigpen Tyler Beckham Thigpen (born April 14, 1984) is a former American football quarterback. Thigpen was drafted out of Coastal Carolina University in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft (217th overall) by the Minnesota Vikings. He was the firs ...

in Croyle's absence. In Croyle's absence, Damon Huard started the Chiefs' game against the Oakland Raiders the following week. Huard suffered a neck injury, so Tyler Thigpen became the third Chiefs starting quarterback in as many games. After missing four games, Croyle returned to start against the

in Week 7. He was injured on Kansas City's 14th play when he was sandwiched between two rushing defenders while throwing a pass early in the second quarter. He limped off the field. He slammed his helmet to the turf once he reached the sideline, then hobbled down a tunnel. After the game, Chiefs head coach

announced that Croyle would miss the remainder of the 2008 season.

2009 season

After the Chiefs acquired quarterback

from the

, Croyle entered training camp competing against Tyler Thigpen for a roster spot as backup quarterback. The first depth chart in training camp listed Croyle as the second quarterback ahead of Thigpen. Croyle entered the Chiefs' first preseason game of 2009 (against the

) as the second quarterback and finished as the team's leading passer (12-of-18 for 145 yards) and looked poised throughout the evening to post a 91.2 quarterback rating. The Chiefs would go on to lose the game 16–10. After quarterback Matt Cassel was injured on August 29 against 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 a ...

, Croyle started the final game of the preseason against the St. Louis Rams. Croyle played the entire game at quarterback for the Chiefs' regular season opener against the

Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...

when Cassel was still unable to play. Despite completing 16-of-24 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns, the Chiefs lost to the Ravens 38–24. However, the following week, Cassel became the starter again against the

in Week 2.

Arizona Cardinals

2011 season

After leaving the Chiefs as a free agent, Croyle signed with 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 th ...

on August 23, 2011. He was waived by the team on September 2, 2011.

2012 season

On January 8, 2012, Croyle was signed by the

Retirement

On May 21, 2012, Croyle announced his retirement from the NFL.

Personal life

Croyle volunteers at the Big Oak Ranch, a

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...

home and school founded by his father for children from troubled and abusive situations,One on One: Brodie Croyle, Part 2
''Scout.com'', September 3, 2007. and at the Drumm Farm in

Independence, Missouri Independence is the fifth-largest city in Missouri and the county seat of Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson County. Independence is a satellite city of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the largest suburb on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metro ...

, a facility that provides foster children with a safe and stable home. Croyle serves as a spokesperson for Johnson County

Court Appointed Special Advocate Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is a national association in the United States that supports and promotes court-appointed advocates for abused or neglected children. CASA are volunteers from the community who complete training that has ...

. On July 14, 2007 Croyle married Kelli Schutz, the 2005 winner of the

America's Junior Miss Distinguished Young Women, formerly known as America's Junior Miss, is a national non-profit organization that provides scholarship opportunities to high school senior girls. Depending on the schedule of the various state and local programs, you ...

competition.Hicks, Tommy.
Croyle ready to run offense, walk down aisle
, ''Press-Register'', July 1, 2007. The couple met in

Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth-most-populous city in Alabama ...

in 2006, while Croyle was preparing for the

Senior Bowl The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football all-star game played annually in late January or early February in Mobile, Alabama, which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those players who have completed their college eligibility. Pr ...

NFL career statistics

References

External links

Kansas City Chiefs biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Croyle, Brodie 1983 births Living people People from Etowah County, Alabama American football quarterbacks Players of American football from Alabama Alabama Crimson Tide football players Kansas City Chiefs players Arizona Cardinals players Ed Block Courage Award recipients