Daunte Culpepper: Where is the former Vikings star QB now?
MINNEAPOLIS (BVM) – Former Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowl quarterback Duante Culpepper now spends time at his alma mater, the University of Central Florida (UCF). On a recent trip in June, Culpepper talked with the Knights football team about his time at UCF and his career in the NFL. Knights wide receiver Ryan O’Keefe didn’t realize that Culpepper played with Hall of Famer Randy Moss in Minnesota from the time he was drafted by the Vikings in the 1999 NFL Draft until Moss was traded to the Raiders in 2005. During that time, the two tore up defenses and Culpepper had some historic seasons.
Daunte Culpepper’s high school career
The Ocala, Florida native was an athletic star at Vanguard High School where he played football, baseball and basketball. As the quarterback for Vanguard he threw for 6,107 passing yards, 57 passing touchdowns and 927 rushing yards during his career. His senior year helped the Knights make it to the FHSAA state championship. That season Culpepper had 3,070 passing yards and rushed for another 602 yards. For his efforts he was named Mr. Football of Florida in 1994.
That same year as a senior he averaged 19.5 points, 11.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists on a Vanguard basketball team that made it to the state championship. It was in the state championship game that Culpepper got the inspiration for his touchdown celebration because he was called for a travel while trying to score the game-winning layup.
Culpepper chose to play football at UCF, turning down the New York Yankees who drafted him in the 26th round of the 1995 MLB Draft. In 2015, he was inducted into the FHSAA Hall of Fame.
Daunte Culpepper’s UCF career
As a Knight, Culpepper became one of the best to ever play for UCF. During his three seasons, he
would hurt defenses through the air and on the ground. Culpepper was just the third player in NCAA history to throw for 10,000 yards while also rushing for another 1,000 yards, and when he left UCF he was sixth all-time in the NCAA in total offense with 12,459 yards.
He started for the Knights as a true freshman and carried the team on offense. By his senior year he was a star. As a senior, he broke the NCAA single-season record for completion percentage (73.6%), a record that wasn’t broken until 2008. Culpepper finished his career as the school leader in passing attempts (1,391), completions (889), passing yards (11,412) and passing touchdowns (84). At the 1999 NFL Draft, he became the first UCF player drafted in the first round.
He put this program on the map!! Great to have @UCF_Football legend Daunte Culpepper home to speak to the team tonight!#ChargeOn #BuiltByUCF pic.twitter.com/mOMXAbB1YV
— Coach Gus Malzahn (@CoachGusMalzahn) August 2, 2022
Daunte Culpepper’s NFL career
The Minnesota Vikings selected Culpepper with the 11th pick in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft. It was a star–studded draft that included Donovan McNabb, Champ Bailey, Edgerrin James, Torry Holt, Ricky Williams and Donald Driver. Culpepper did his part to make the 1999 NFL Draft class a notable one, but he had to wait a season to get the starting spot.
Once he was the starter in 2000, Culpepper was able to take advantage of the two Hall of Fame wide receivers the Vikings had. Along with Randy Moss, Cris Carter was entering the final years of his NFL career, but still had 1,274 receiving yards. Culpepper threw for 3,937 yards, 33 touchdowns – which led the NFL that year – and just seven interceptions. Minnesota finished 11-5, made it to the NFC Championship and Culpepper was named to his first Pro Bowl.
Daunte Culpepper still holds the #Vikings all-time single-season passing yards record when he threw for 4,717 yards in 2004
— The Viking Age (@TheVikingAge) February 28, 2021
After two poor seasons in 2001 and 2002, Culpepper had by far his best season in 2004. The Vikings only went 8-8, but Culpepper had career highs in passing yards (4,717), passing touchdowns (39), completions (379) and completion percentage (69.2). That year, he broke Dan Marino’s NFL record for combined passing and rushing yards by racking up 5,123 total yards, and was named to his final Pro Bowl.
From 2000 to 2004, Culpepper amassed 2,323 rushing yards, making him only the fourth quarterback at the time to get over 2,300 rushing yards during a five-season period. He also was able to bounce back from what football fans call the “Madden Curse” after being on the cover of “Madden NFL 2002.”
Culpepper had dealt with injuries on numerous occasions during his career including a knee injury in 2001. However, in 2005 he tore his ACL, PCL and MCL. The injury put an end to his Minnesota career. Culpepper demanded a trade during the offseason due to disagreements on his recovery as well as his contract and was traded to the Miami Dolphins.
The Dolphins went with Culpepper over Drew Brees when trading for a quarterback during the 2005 offseason due to the Miami medical staff deciding Culpepper’s medical evaluation was better than Brees’.
During his first year in Miami, Culpepper was able to come back from his knee injury but only played four games. A shoulder injury was originally the reason head coach Nick Saban benched his starting quarterback, but then Culpepper had surgery on his knee which ended his season.
The 2006 offseason saw Miami go into a different direction at the quarterback position by trading for Trent Green from Kansas City. Culpepper demanded he be let go and the Dolphins finally released him, allowing the quarterback to sign with the then Oakland Raiders.
September 30, 2007:
After a falling out with the Dolphins, Daunte Culpepper returns to Miami and scores 5 total TDs in a 35-17 Raiders win
Sweet revenge #RaiderNation #MIAvsLV pic.twitter.com/QXpqIHRe6G
— Raiders Reels (@RaidersReels) September 24, 2021
Culpepper played one season with the Raiders before retiring due to the fact that no one would give him the chance to be a starting quarterback. He stayed retired until he signed with the Detroit Lions and played two seasons for them before once again retiring.
Daunte Culpepper after the NFL
Following his second and final retirement from the NFL, Culpepper decided to play football for another league. He joined the United Football League in 2010, playing for the Sacramento Mountain Lions. Culpepper played one season for the league and his best game was a 374-passing yards, three-touchdown performance in a 24-20 win over the Florida Tuskers.
He also had a tryout with the San Francisco 49ers in 2011.
Culpepper made appearances on the “George Lopez” show and the movie “50 First Dates.”
Currently Culpepper lives with his family in Fort Lauderdale, Florida where he is an active member in the community and works with multiple charities and fundraisers.
