Mark Brunell

Mark Allen Brunell (born September 17, 1970) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the quarterbacks coach for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL).

He previously played in the NFL for 19 seasons, most notably with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Brunell was the starting quarterback for the St. Joseph High School Knights of Santa Maria, California, in the 1985, 1986, and 1987 seasons.

Brunell led his team to two league championships and one appearance in the CIF Central Section finals.

As a senior with SJHS, he completed 172 of 323 passes for 2,376 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaged 36.3 yards per punt, and added nine rushing touchdowns.

Brunell signed with the University of Washington out of high school in 1988, joining a highly touted recruiting class that included future fellow NFL players Lincoln Kennedy and Steve Emtman.

Brunell saw his first action in his redshirt freshman year, and took over the starting duties in his sophomore season in 1990.

Brunell's abilities as a run-pass combo quarterback flashed potential from his first start.

In his third start, Brunell led the Huskies in a 31-0 romp over a highly ranked USC team, which established the Huskies of the early 1990s as a potential force in Pac-10 football.

While Brunell continued to develop throughout his first season as a starter, the Huskies climbed in the rankings.

An early-season loss to the eventual national champion Colorado and a late-season 25–22 loss to UCLA were the only setbacks for what, by season's end, was a dominant Husky team.

With the Huskies crowned Pac-10 champions, Brunell played his best game yet in the Rose Bowl and was named the game's MVP as Washington coasted to a 46–34 win over Big Ten Conference champion Iowa.

After building a 39–14 lead after three quarters, Washington heavily substituted with reserves; the Hawkeyes scored twenty points in the fourth quarter.

Though the Huskies finished the season ranked 5th in the Associated Press poll, one poll crowned them national champions.

Irrespective of their final ranking, the Huskies, with Brunell's star rising, seemed set to soar to even loftier heights in 1991.

Brunell was expected to lead the Huskies in 1991, but a devastating knee injury in the annual Husky spring game would sideline Brunell and cast the Husky hopes for a national championship run in doubt.

Brunell, however, was capably replaced by Puyallup native Billy Joe Hobert, and the University of Washington went on to win their first two games in Brunell's absence.

Though Brunell was not yet fully recovered, he returned months ahead of schedule to action in Washington's third game in 1991.

Brunell received a standing ovation upon his return in the 56–3 victory over Kansas State.

Brunell would be given an opportunity to lead series on a part-time basis in the remainder of Husky games as the season progressed, typically at least one drive in each 2nd quarter in addition to the second half.

The 1991 Washington team defeated every regular-season opponent with most games providing plenty of playing time for younger and backup players.

On January 1, 1992, Brunell played a small role (throwing a touchdown pass to Mario Bailey) in Washington's second straight Rose Bowl victory, this time over Michigan.

Washington finished the season ranked first in the coaches poll, winning the National Championship, and 2nd in the Associated Press poll, behind undefeated Miami.

In 1992, with two successful quarterbacks returning (Hobert and Brunell), Brunell was unable to wrestle the starting QB spot away from Hobert and as such contributed in a limited role during their first eight games (all wins).

However, during the week of November 2, 1992, the Los Angeles Times ran an exposé on Washington football wherein current starter Hobert was implicated in actions seemingly in violation of NCAA rules.

As a result, Hobert was immediately suspended and Brunell was thrust back into the starting role for the Huskies.

Now a senior, Brunell steered the devastated Huskies to one win in their last three regular-season games.

The Huskies, however, again won the Pac-10 and Brunell started his second Rose Bowl game, this time against Michigan.

Brunell played college football for the Washington Huskies and was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL Draft.

The Green Bay Packers selected Brunell in the fifth round (118th overall) of the 1993 NFL Draft.

Brunell was the fourth quarterback drafted in 1993 and was the second quarterback drafted from Washington after Billy Joe Hobert was selected in the third round (58th overall) by the Los Angeles Raiders.

After two seasons, Brunell was traded to the expansion Jaguars for their inaugural 1995 season.

Within their second season, he helped the team obtain the franchise's first winning record, playoff berth, postseason victories, and AFC Championship Game appearance.

Brunell went on to guide Jacksonville to four consecutive playoff runs within their first five seasons, the first NFL expansion team to do so, and clinched the franchise's first division title in 1999 en route to a second AFC Championship appearance.

He also received three Pro Bowl selections with the Jaguars.

Following his 2004 departure from Jacksonville, Brunell played for the Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, and New York Jets until retiring in 2011.

With the Saints, he was part of the team that won the franchise's first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XLIV, where he served as a backup and holder.

Since retiring, he has pursued a coaching career and became the Lions' quarterbacks coach in 2021.

For his accomplishments in Jacksonville, he was inducted to the Pride of the Jaguars in 2013.

In 2015, Brunell was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame.