Where are they now?: Former Jets QB Chad Pennington
NEW YORK (BVM) – In the early 2000s, the New York Jets thought they had finally found their franchise quarterback: Chad Pennington. The Marshall product produced some special seasons during his NFL career, but ultimately, his career flamed out in large part due to injuries.
Since his time in the NFL, Pennington hasn’t strayed far from the game he loves. He also has a son who’s career path has been awfully similar to his so far.
Chad Pennington’s early life, college career
Pennington was the son of a high school football coach, and even though basketball was his original sport, it was football that the quarterback had a brighter future in. Yet, he didn’t have a lot of interest from colleges by the end of his prep career at Webb School of Knoxville in Tennessee, only garnering interest from the likes of Chattanooga and Middle Tennessee.
Eventually, Pennington went to a football camp at Marshall University – his parents’ alma mater – and was offered a scholarship. He joined the Thundering Herd in 1995 expecting to be redshirted with several quarterbacks ahead of him on the depth chart.
However, after injuries to the quarterbacks in front of him, Pennington got his chance to step up as a true freshman and performed well, earning conference freshman of the year honors and leading Marshall to the NCAA Division I-AA championship game.
Pennington would be redshirted in 1996 as the Thundering Herd went with Florida transfer Eric Kresser at quarterback. But he would return for Marshall’s jump to the I-A level in 1997, leading the team to a Mid-American Conference (MAC) championship while throwing for over 3,800 yards and 42 touchdowns. Pennington formed a lethal duo with NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss in 1997, as the two connected for over 20 touchdowns.
September 6, 1997: Marshall sophomore @RandyMoss catches a screen from quarterback @ChadPennington and takes it 90 yards to the house against Army. pic.twitter.com/m8pQySI4Q6
— This Day In Sports Clips (@TDISportsClips) September 6, 2021
After a close loss in the Motor City Bowl that season, Pennington led Marshall back to the same game in 1998. This time, they defeated Louisville, 48-29, in a game where Pennington was named MVP. Despite losing Moss, the quarterback still threw for 3,830 yards and 28 touchdowns on the year, leading Marshall to a 12-1 record
A similar season would ensue in Pennington’s senior year, as he again threw for similar yardage and touchdown totals while upping his completion rate, and led the Thundering Herd to another Motor City Bowl victory. This time, the Herd went a perfect 13-0 as Pennington led the team to perhaps its best season in program history as the MAC Player of the Year and the Sammy Baugh Award winner – awarded to the nation’s top passer. The Knoxville native threw for an eye-opening 11,446 yards and 107 touchdowns in the final three years of his Marshall career as an All-MAC player each season.
Chad Pennington’s NFL career
Pennington’s elite play in college led him to be the first quarterback selected in the 2000 NFL Draft, as the New York Jets took the Marshall product with the 18th overall pick – one of four first-round selections for the Jets and 180 spots ahead of future Patriots legend Tom Brady.
Here is Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN breaking down the #Jets selection of Chad Pennington in the 2000 NFL Draft: pic.twitter.com/M4O6Zv4Kna
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) March 23, 2022
Pennington saw action in just three games across his first two NFL seasons. In 2002, he would finally get his chance to shine.
Taking over for veteran quarterback Vinny Testaverde as the Jets started 1-4, Pennington turned the season around in New York as the team finished 9-7 and won the AFC East. The former Marshall quarterback threw for 3,120 yards and 22 touchdowns with a team–record and league–high 104.2 quarterback rating.
While things were looking up going into 2003, Pennington fractured his left hand in the Jets’ final preseason game that year, leading him to miss the team’s first six games. He had modest numbers with just over 2,100 passing yards and 13 touchdowns, but also had 12 interceptions across the 10 games he did play.
After that season, the Jets committed to Pennington as their franchise quarterback with a seven-year, $64.2 million contract. He lived up to the billing to start the 2004 season as the Jets went 5-0. They would finish 10-6 despite Pennington missing a few games with a rotator cuff injury, as the quarterback got back to form with 2,673 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Following the 2004 season, Pennington had surgery on what was a significant rotator cuff tear. He would never be the same in 2005, suffering another tear in his rotator cuff just three games in and missing the rest of the season.
Pennington was finally healthy in 2006 and had one of the best years of his career as he threw for 3,352 yards and 17 touchdowns, earning the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award. The rest of his Jets tenure would be downhill from there, however.
Injuries and inconsistent play led to Pennington’s benching in 2007 as the Jets got off to just a 1-7 start. After acquiring Brett Favre as he came out of retirement in the 2008 offseason, Pennington’s time in New York was over, as they released the quarterback the same day.
He would go on to sign a two-year deal with the Miami Dolphins, and won the starting quarterback job out of training camp. From there, Pennington would have arguably the best season of his career, throwing for 3,653 yards and 19 touchdowns with a league-leading 67.4 completion percentage. Pennington won his second NFL Comeback Player of the Year award and also received a couple of MVP votes after the season, taking a 1-15 Dolphins team the year before to 11-5.
But just as his career had hit another peak, Pennington hit another valley. In just the third game of the 2009 season, Pennington again hurt his same shoulder he had previously had surgeries on. He would miss the rest of the campaign, and try to make a comeback in 2010, only to severely injure his shoulder again early in the one game he played.
With four shoulder surgeries and suffering a torn ACL during a pickup basketball game in 2011, Pennington’s NFL career was over as he officially retired in February 2012. A what-could-have-been, injury-marred career resulted in 17,823 passing yards and 102 touchdowns across 11 seasons.
10 days 'til the draft.
Let's watch some @ChadPennington highlights. pic.twitter.com/c6RJQ2PT5G
— New York Jets (@nyjets) April 18, 2022
Chad Pennington’s family life, achievements and net worth
Pennington resides in Kentucky with his wife, Robin Hampton, who he married in 2001. The couple has three children: Cole, Luke and Gage.
Recently, Cole has made more headlines for the Pennington family, as he is a three-star quarterback in the Class of 2022 out of Sayre School in Lexington, Kentucky. Last year, Cole followed in his dad’s footsteps by committing to Marshall, and he will begin his tenure with the Thundering Herd this fall.
Congrats @c_pennington10 !! Mom and Dad are so proud of you! This is not a path to follow; it’s a new trail to blaze. Go Be You!! @HerdFB @lexsayrefb pic.twitter.com/19ZNB8SNuO
— Chad Pennington (@ChadPennington) December 15, 2021
In 2010, Chad was inducted into the Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame. During his NFL career, he made over $50 million in earnings. Currently, his net worth is estimated at $25 million.
Chad Pennington’s post-playing career
As his playing career ended, Chad founded a breeding stable and became a stock contractor with PBR, creating #10 Bucking Bulls alongside partner JW Hart.
Despite a notorious feud with the New York media in 2004, Chad has entered that arena a bit himself in retirement, formerly working with Fox Sports. He still keeps tabs on what is going on across the NFL, giving his takes on the Jets and some of their AFC East foes.
Chad has also kept busy as a consultant of the NFL Legends program, a member of the USA Football advisory committee, serving on Marshall University’s board of governors, and becoming commissioner of the Central Kentucky Youth Football League.
However, Chad’s greatest endeavors in retirement have been giving back on and off the field. Off the field, Chad and Robin founded the 1st and 10 Foundation back in 2003 which has aimed to build stronger communities in West Virginia, Tennessee and New York through funding various programs and institutions.
He is also president of #10 Industries Inc. where Chad has done corporate speaking, marketing, broadcasting and coaching.
Meanwhile, Chad has also served as a coach at Sayre School since 2018. After 40 years without football, the former NFL quarterback resurrected the program for his three sons, and got to coach Cole throughout the last several years. It is also a moment of following in the family footsteps for Chad, who’s dad, Elwood, was a high school football coach for 30 years. Chad got his start coaching middle school football at the Lexington School a few years before moving on to Sayre.
After an NFL career that left many wondering what could have been, Chad has made the most of his football experience to help give back. He was a tremendous player on the field when healthy, and now many are getting to see the tremendous person he is off the field as well.
