Eric Zeier

Infobox NFLretired


caption=Zeier holding a football
width
position=Quarterback
number=10
birthdate=birth date and age|1972|9|6
Pensacola, Florida
deathdate=
debutyear=1995
finalyear=2000
draftyear=1995
draftround=3
draftpick=94
college=Georgia
teams=
* Cleveland Browns (1995)
* Baltimore Ravens (1996-1998)
* Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1999-2000)
stat1label=TD-INT
stat1value=16-15
stat2label=Yards
stat2value=3,520
stat3label=QB Rating
stat3value=74.4
nfl=ZEI177981
highlights=
* NCAA Awards
1994 First team All-American

Eric Royce Zeier (born September 6, 1972 in Pensacola, Florida) is a former American football quarterback. In his five years in the NFL, he played for the Cleveland Browns (1995), Baltimore Ravens (1996-1998), and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1999-2000). Zeier started his career at Heidelberg American High School in Heidelberg, Germany where he led them to a championship his freshman year. In 1990, he transferred to Marietta High School in Marietta, Georgia, where his #15 jersey was retired.

Eric Zeier actually started his football career at Heidelberg American High School in the fall of 1988 leading the Heidelberg Lions to an undefeated European championship. He played point guard for the varsity basketball team and third base for the varsity baseball team as well. His father coached the baseball team and was a colonel in the Army. The family made a strategic move to Marietta, Georgia to be sure that the talented Zeier would be able to cultivate his football career.

After graduating from Marietta, Zeier attended the University of Georgia. Zeier was one of the first notable high school football players to graduate ahead of his class so as to attend his college early and join the football team for spring practices, enrolling in January 1991. [ [http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/10228849 Georgia Bulldogs, NCAA Football - CBSSports.com ] ] At Georgia, he compiled a 26-14-1 record as a starter. He made his debut as a Bulldog on October 5, 1991 against the Clemson Tigers, a game Georgia won 27-12. Zeier went on to start the final seven games of his freshman season and started every game during his final three seasons at Georgia. His tenure included a 4-0 record against Georgia Tech, a victory in the 1991 Independence Bowl over Arkansas, and a victory in the 1993 Citrus Bowl over Ohio State.

Zeier finished his college career with 67 school records and 18 Southeastern Conference records. He became the SEC's all-time passing leader with 11,153 yards--a record which has been surpassed only by Peyton Manning and UGA's own David Greene. In 1993, his junior season, Zeier threw for 544 yards against Southern Miss, a school record. In 1994, Zeier was named the American Football Coaches Association first-team All-American quarterback. Over his four years at Georgia, Zeier completed 877 of 1461 attempts for 11,153 yards, 67 touchdowns, and 37 interceptions.

Zeier was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 1995 NFL Draft.

Zeier has returned to the University of Georgia to take over the duty of color analyst on all away games [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=schlabach_mark&id=3029287 ESPN - Georgia football won't sound the same without Munson - College Football ] ] . He, along with Scott Howard, is taking the place of long time Georgia announcer Larry Munson. Eric made his first radio start on September 22, 2007 when Georgia played Alabama in which Georgia won in an overtime victory.Eric also will be heard on the Tailgate Show and halftime during the home games with Loran Smith and Neil "Hondo" Willamson.

Career History

Eric Zeier is a former record setting quarterback and Heisman Trophy Candidate at the University of Georgia where he set 67 school records and 18 S.E.C. records. In 1994, he became the most prolific passer in the history of the quarterback-rich Southeastern Conference as well as only the third quarterback in NCAA Division I history to throw for more than 11,000 yards in his career. He earned All-Academic S.E.C. honors in 1992 and 1993 and was named UGA Team Captain in 1993 and 1994. Zeier began his professional career in 1995 when he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns. Over the next six years he went from Cleveland to the Baltimore Ravens to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and finally back home to the Atlanta Falcons.

Zeier continues his affiliation with UGA by serving as the color analyst at away games for the University of Georgia Bulldogs radio network and during the Tailgate Show and half time during home games. He commutes to his Atlanta headquarters from his home in Nashville, Tennessee where he resides with his wife Carrie and his two sons-Zeke and Ike.

References

Articles

[http://www.theteamdoctors.com/external/atlanta-business-chronicle.html Former UGA star to lead health-care network] [http://www.theteamdoctors.com/documents/the-team-doctors-press-release.pdf Team Doctors Press Release] [http://theteamdoctors.com/documents/b2b-lunch-with-vip-january-2008.pdf Atlanta Business - Lunch with a VIP]