Cliff Stoudt

Last updated

Cliff Stoudt
No. 18
Position: Quarterback
Personal information
Born: (1955-03-27) March 27, 1955 (age 69)
Oberlin, Ohio, U.S.
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school: Oberlin
College: Youngstown State
NFL draft: 1977  / Round: 5 / Pick: 121
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:66
TD-INT:23-43
Passing yards:4,503
Pass attempts:684
Pass completions:359
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR

Clifford Lewis Stoudt (born March 27, 1955) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers, St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals, Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys. He also was a member of the Birmingham Stallions of the United States Football League (USFL). Stoudt played college football for the Youngstown State Penguins. He was selected in the fifth round of the 1977 NFL draft by the Steelers.

Contents

Early years

Stoudt attended Oberlin High School, where he played quarterback. He also was one of the state's top prep golfers.

Stoudt accepted a football scholarship from Youngstown State University, where he became a four-year starter. As a sophomore, he led the Penguins to an 8–1 regular season record and the school's first appearance at the NCAA Division II playoffs, where they lost against the University of Delaware.

As a junior, he posted 1,022 passing yards and 406 rushing yards. As a senior, he started all 10 games, passing for 1,259 yards and 5 touchdowns, while also rushing for 307 yards and 7 touchdowns.

He finished his college career with 303 completions out of 637 attempts for 4,387 yards (second in school history), 5,459 total yards (second in school history) and 16 touchdowns.

In 1987, he was inducted into the YSU Athletics Hall of Fame. [1]

Professional career

Pittsburgh Steelers

Stoudt was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round (121st overall) of the 1977 NFL draft. Stoudt was the third-string quarterback to Terry Bradshaw from 1977 to 1979. At the time he set an NFL record, after spending the first 56 games of his career as an active roster member without appearing in an official game.

In 1980, he became Bradshaw's backup. His first career start came against the Cleveland Browns.

In 1983, he took over as the starter during Bradshaw's injury-plagued final season in 1983. He led the Steelers to a 9–2 start, but the team melted down late in the season. Steeler fans, accustomed to Bradshaw's late game heroics, turned viciously on Stoudt. The Steelers won the AFC Central with a 10–6 record and stumbled into the playoffs, but were quickly dispatched by the Los Angeles Raiders.

Birmingham Stallions

In 1984, Stoudt left the NFL and signed with the Birmingham Stallions of the United States Football League. The third game of the season was the home opener for the Pittsburgh Maulers on March 11 at Three Rivers Stadium, Stoudt was heckled and pelted with snowballs by fans who remembered his lackluster performance of a year earlier. It would turn out to be the only sellout in the one season history of the Maulers. [2]

Stoudt started every game, registering 3,121 passing yards, 26 passing touchdown, 400 rushing yards, 9 rushing touchdowns and 7 interceptions, while leading the team to a division championship and ranking No. 2 overall in quarterback rating (behind Jim Kelly).

In 1985, he had 3,358 passing yards, 34 passing touchdowns, 437 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdowns and 19 interceptions, repeating as division champion and the No. 2 overall quarterback rating. He led the Stallions to a two-year record of 27-9 (no other team won more games), while passing for 6,479 yards, 60 touchdowns and 26 interceptions. He was a Second Team selection to the 1985 All-USFL team.

In 1986, the league ceased operations after losing most of its claims in an antitrust suit against the National Football League, with its top talent absorbed by the NFL in a dispersal draft conducted in the aftermath.

St. Louis / Phoenix Cardinals

Because the Pittsburgh Steelers still owned the rights to Stoudt, on September 1, 1986, he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for a conditional draft choice (fifth round #121-Darin Jordan). He served as Neil Lomax's backup and was also the team holder on kicks. He had two starts each in 1986 and 1988. In 1989, Stoudt asked for his release after the team acquired free agent Gary Hogeboom. He was cut in March 1989.

Miami Dolphins

On April 14, 1989, he was signed as a free agent by the Miami Dolphins. Although he performed well during most of training camp, he was released on September 3, after he had two interceptions returned for touchdowns in the Dolphins' 20-10 preseason loss against the Philadelphia Eagles and Scott Secules was promoted as the backup to Dan Marino. On September 7, he was re-signed when Marino suffered a right bruised elbow on his throwing arm. He appeared in 3 games and didn't attempt a pass. He was cut on August 28, 1990.

Dallas Cowboys

On December 24, 1990, he was signed by the Dallas Cowboys, to be an emergency back-up quarterback to Babe Laufenberg for the season's final game against the Atlanta Falcons, after Troy Aikman suffered a right shoulder injury in Week 15.

In 1991, he went into training camp with Aikman, Laufenberg, and fourth-round draft choice Bill Musgrave at quarterback. On August 25, the Cowboys traded for Steve Beuerlein to improve the backup position and released Stoudt the next day, opting to keep just 2 quarterbacks.

Career statistics

NFL statistics

YearTeamGPPassing
CmpAttPctYdsAvgTDIntRtg
1980 PIT 6326053.34938.22278.0
1981 PIT 21333.3175.70053.5
1982 PIT 6143540.01544.40514.2
1983 PIT 1619738151.72,5536.7122160.5
Career3024447950.93,2176.7142858.0

USFL statistics

YearTeamGPPassing
CmpAttPctYdsAvgTDIntRtg
1984 Birmingham Stallions 1821236657.93,1218.5267101.6
1985 Birmingham Stallions 1826644459.93,3587.6341991.2
Career3647881059.06,4798.0602695.9

Personal life

He lives in Greenville, South Carolina. His son, Cole, is a former quarterback at Clemson and currently the quarterbacks coach at Morehead State. [3] Another son, Zack, played quarterback at Ole Miss. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XIII</span> 1979 Edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1978 season. The Steelers defeated the Cowboys by the score of 35–31. The game was played on January 21, 1979, at the Miami Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, the fifth and last time that the Super Bowl was played in that stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XXX</span> 1996 edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XXX was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1995 season. The Cowboys defeated the Steelers by the score of 27–17, winning their fifth Super Bowl in team history. The game was played on January 28, 1996, at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, the first time the Super Bowl was played in the Phoenix metropolitan area.

David Eugene Woodley was an American professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Miami Dolphins (1980–1983), and the Pittsburgh Steelers (1984–1985). He played college football for the LSU Tigers.

LaVonya Quintelle "Quincy" Carter is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs and was selected in the second round of the 2001 NFL draft. Carter played in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets. Outside the NFL, he also was a member of the Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings, Kansas City Brigade and Abilene Ruff Riders. Additionally, from 1996 to 1999, he was in the Chicago Cubs minor league baseball organization.

The Pittsburgh Maulers were a team that competed in the 1984 season of the United States Football League. Their most prominent player was first pick overall in the 1984 USFL Draft, running back Mike Rozier of Nebraska, who won the Heisman Trophy, collegiate football's most prestigious individual award.

The Birmingham Stallions were a franchise in the United States Football League, an attempt to establish a second professional league of American football in the United States in competition with the National Football League. They played their home games at Birmingham, Alabama's Legion Field. They competed in all three USFL seasons, 1983–1985. During their run, they were one of the USFL's more popular teams, and seemed to have a realistic chance of being a viable venture had the USFL been better run.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Kitna</span> American football player and coach (born 1972)

Jon Kelly Kitna is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Seattle Seahawks, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Central Washington Wildcats and was signed by the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He is currently the head football coach at Lakota East High School in Ohio.

Walter Andrew "Bubby" Brister III is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, and Minnesota Vikings. He played college football for the Tulane Green Wave and Northeast Louisiana Indians before being selected in the third round of the 1986 NFL Draft by the Steelers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Wright (American football)</span> American football player (born 1976)

Anthony Lavon Wright is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants. He played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Malone</span> American football player (born 1958)

Mark M. Malone is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Babe Laufenberg</span> American football player (born 1959)

Brandon Hugh "Babe" Laufenberg is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Indiana Hoosiers and was selected in the sixth round of the 1983 NFL Draft. He played in the NFL for the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, and Kansas City Chiefs. He also was a member of the Ohio Glory in the World League of American Football (WLAF).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Quinn</span> American football player (born 1974)

Michael Patrick Quinn is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, and Denver Broncos. He also was a member of the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe, and the Montreal Alouettes and Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Stephen F. Austin State University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Troy Aikman</span> American football player (born 1966)

Troy Kenneth Aikman is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. After transferring from the Oklahoma Sooners, he played college football for the UCLA Bruins and won the Davey O'Brien Award as a senior. Aikman was selected first overall in the 1989 NFL draft by the Cowboys, with whom he received six Pro Bowl selections and won three Super Bowls. He was also named MVP of Super Bowl XXVII, the franchise's first title in over a decade. Aikman was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

Thomas Wescott Secules is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots. He played college football for the Virginia Cavaliers.

Steven Carl Pelluer is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs. He was selected by the Cowboys in the 5th round of the 1984 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Washington.

Hugh Breedlove Millen is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos. He played college football for the Washington Huskies.

Glenn Thomas Carano is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for seven seasons with the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UNLV Rebels and was selected in the second round of the 1977 NFL draft. Carano also was a member of the Pittsburgh Maulers of the United States Football League (USFL). After his playing career, he became the general manager of Eldorado Resorts properties of Circus Circus, Eldorado, and Silver Legacy Resort & Casino.

Reginald C. Collier is a former professional American football quarterback. Best known as a dynamic college football star, he had a short-lived professional career in both the United States Football League (USFL) and National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Donovan Woods is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Oklahoma State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paxton Lynch</span> American football player (born 1994)

Paxton James Lynch is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He played college football at Memphis, and was drafted in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. Lynch played just two seasons in Denver and made four starts before being released prior to the 2018 season. Lynch has also been a member of the Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers, the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL), the Michigan Panthers of the United States Football League (USFL), and the Orlando Guardians and San Antonio Brahmas of the XFL.

References

  1. ↑ "Cliff Stoudt YSU Athletics Hall of Fame" . Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  2. ↑ Pearlman, Jeff (2018). "Gerbils And Snowballs". Football for a Buck:The Crazy Rise and Crazier Demise of the USFL. HMH Books. pp. 167–168. ISBN   9780544453685 . Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Cole Stoudt hired to coach QB's at JSU". TigerNet. August 13, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Zack Stoudt Bio". Ole Miss Sports. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
Preceded by
Bob Lane
 Birmingham Stallions Starting quarterbacks
1985		Succeeded by
none
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.