Erik Ainge

Erik Douglas Ainge (born June 12, 1986) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL).

He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers.

In the Vols' 31–30 win over Air Force, he completed 15 consecutive passes, the second-most in school history (Tee Martin completed 24 consecutive passes in 1998).

He finished the day with 333 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, and one interception.

After the Air Force game, he had 183 passing yards and two interceptions in a narrow 21–20 loss to the Florida Gators.

On September 30, against Memphis, he had 324 passing yards and four passing touchdowns in the 41–7 victory.

He led his team to a 7–1 record before being injured in the closing minutes of the game against South Carolina.

His 84-yard pass to wide receiver Robert Meachem in Tennessee's win over Memphis is tied for the fifth-longest pass play in school history.

Ainge missed the majority of Tennessee's two losses following the South Carolina game before returning to lead his team to season-ending wins against Vanderbilt and Kentucky.

Following his senior season, Ainge was named all-state, prep star all-American, and the 2003 Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year.

During his senior season, Ainge also became one of the most highly recruited quarterbacks on the west coast receiving offers from schools like Oregon, Arizona State, UCLA, and Tennessee.

He eventually signed with the University of Tennessee to play college football under head coach Phillip Fulmer.

As a freshman at Tennessee in 2004, Ainge completed 109-of-198 passes for 1,452 yards, 17 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.

His 17 touchdowns broke Peyton Manning's freshman touchdown record of 15, and his 1,452 passing yards ranked second behind Casey Clausen's freshman record of 1,473.

On September 5, he made his collegiate debut in the season opener against UNLV.

In the 42–17 victory, he had 118 passing yards and two passing touchdowns.

In the Volunteers' 30–28 win over rival Florida, Ainge led a fourth quarter touchdown drive that pulled the Vols' to within a point, and then engineered a short drive in the closing seconds to set up James Wilhoit's game-winning 50-yard field goal.

Ainge split time for much of the year with Brent Schaeffer, who later transferred to Ole Miss.

After an injury just before halftime against Notre Dame, Ainge was replaced by former Tennessee quarterback Casey Clausen's brother Rick.

During his sophomore season in 2005, Ainge completed 66-of-145 passes for 737 yards, five touchdowns, and seven interceptions, in just eight games.

One of his most infamous moments came in the Vols' game against LSU.

To avoid getting sacked in the end zone by safety LaRon Landry, Ainge flung the ball up into the air just before he was ruled down for a safety.

Ainge's head also hit the goalpost on the play, tweaking his neck.

As a result, Clausen again took over.

Ainge finished his sophomore season with a strong performance and a 27–8 win at Kentucky as the Vols finished with a 5–6 record.

As a junior in 2006, Ainge was named the starter heading into spring practice, and for the first time in his career was able to take all of the first team reps throughout the preseason.

Ainge also had a new position coach when David Cutcliffe replaced Randy Sanders as Tennessee's offensive coordinator.

In the season opener against #9 California, he had 291 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, and one interception in the 35–18 victory.

He was selected by the Jets in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL draft.

He currently hosts a daily sports talk show in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Sports Radio WNML 990 AM and 99.1 FM from 9a-12n EST.

He is the nephew of former NBA and MLB player Danny Ainge, who is currently an executive with the Utah Jazz.

Ainge was born in Portland, Oregon.

He was raised just outside Portland in Hillsboro, Oregon, where he was a star athlete at Glencoe High School.

As a freshman and sophomore, he played baseball and basketball in addition to football.

Ainge was the starting pitcher on his baseball team and was said to throw a 90 mph fastball.

He also averaged 17 points, eight rebounds, and three assists in basketball as a junior, and as a senior was a preseason honorable mention on the Street & Smith's All-American team.

Ainge was a two-year starter at quarterback on the football team, leading the Glencoe Crimson Tide as deep as the Oregon state quarterfinals.

As a junior, he passed for 2,559 yards and 16 touchdowns.

As a senior, he passed for 3,078 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Perhaps his most impressive game as a senior came against Aloha High School, when he passed for 475 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions to lead the Crimson Tide to 62 points through three quarters of action.