- Elvis Grbac
Infobox NFLretired
position=Quarterback
number=11, 18
birthdate=birth date|1970|08|13Cleveland, Ohio
debutyear=1993
finalyear=2001
draftyear=1993
draftround=8
draftpick=219
college=Michigan
teams=
*San Francisco 49ers (1993-1996)
*Kansas City Chiefs (1997-2000)
*Baltimore Ravens (2001)
stat1label=TD-INT
stat1value=99-81
stat2label=Yards
stat2value=16,769
stat3label=QB Rating
stat3value=79.65
nfl=GRB059326
highlights=
*Pro Bowl selection (2000)Elvis M. Grbac (born
August 13 ,1970 inCleveland, Ohio ) is a formerAmerican football quarterback in theNational Football League . During his career he was a starting quarterback for theSan Francisco 49ers , theKansas City Chiefs , and theBaltimore Ravens .College career
Elvis Grbac played
college football at theUniversity of Michigan from 1989 to 1992. He led the Wolverines to two Rose Bowls in 1991 and 1992 and is best remembered for throwing towide receiver Desmond Howard during hisHeisman -winning campaign in 1991. Grbac finished his career at Michigan as the school's all-time leader in passing attempts (835), completions (522), passing yards (6,460), and passingtouchdown s (71). These marks were later broken byJohn Navarre in 2003 and surpassed byChad Henne in 2006-07.NFL career
Grbac was drafted in the eighth round of the
1993 NFL Draft by the 49ers. He served as Steve Young's backup from 1994 to 1996. In 1997, Grbac signed with the Kansas City Chiefs to be their starting quarterback. His best season statistically came in 2000 when he passed for 4,169 yards and 28 touchdowns with apasser rating of 89.9.Grbac also played for the Baltimore Ravens before unexpectedly retiring in 2001 when the Ravens cut him in a
salary cap move after he refused to renegotiate his contract. Grbac retired because he did not want to uproot his family again to move to another city. Many speculated he retired in part because of the treatment he received by the Baltimore fans and press. At the time of his retirement, Grbac had been in negotiations with theDenver Broncos —Denver was interested in signing him as a backup to starting quarterbackBrian Griese , but Grbac opted for retirement.The Baltimore Ravens were defending
Super Bowl champions when Grbac replaced quarterbackTrent Dilfer at the start of the 2001 season. Grbac posted mediocre passing statistics that year, but still managed to lead the Ravens to a 10-6 regular season record and a playoff win over theMiami Dolphins before losing in the second round to thePittsburgh Steelers . During the season, he was viciously taunted by the fans and harshly criticized by the Baltimore press, who felt that the team should have kept Dilfer as the starter. When Grbac was injured midway through the season and replaced by backupRandall Cunningham , the critical taunt "Elvis has left the building" was used. Grbac was jeered upon his return to the lineup after Cunningham went 2-0 as a starter.ee also
*
Lists of Michigan Wolverines football passing leaders
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