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{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1967)}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name         = Ty Detmer
| image        = Ty Detmer 6-2009.jpg
| image_size   =
| alt          = 
| caption      = Detmer in 2009
| current_team = American Leadership–Gilbert North
| number       = <!-- 11, 14 -->
| position     = [[Athletic director]] <!-- [[Quarterback]] -->
| birth_date   = {{Birth date and age|1967|10|30|mf=y}}
| birth_place  = [[San Marcos, Texas]], U.S.
| death_date   = 
| death_place  = 
| height_ft    = 6
| height_in    = 0
| weight_lb    = 189
| high_school  = [[Southwest High School (San Antonio, Texas)|Southwest]] ([[San Antonio|San Antonio, Texas]])
| college      = [[BYU Cougars football|BYU]] (1987–1991)
| draftyear    = 1992
| draftround   = 9
| draftpick    = 230
| pastteams    =
* [[Green Bay Packers]] ({{NFL Year|1992|1995}})
* [[Philadelphia Eagles]] ({{NFL Year|1996|1997}})
* [[San Francisco 49ers]] ({{NFL Year|1998}})
* [[Cleveland Browns]] ({{NFL Year|1999|2000}})
* [[Detroit Lions]] ({{NFL Year|2001|2003}})
* [[Atlanta Falcons]] ({{NFL Year|2004|2005}})
| pastcoaching =
* [[St. Andrew's Episcopal School (Austin, Texas)|St. Andrew's Episcopal (TX)]] (2009–2015) <br> Head coach
* BYU (2016–2017) <br> Offensive coordinator & quarterbacks coach
* [[American Leadership Academy#Campuses and locations|American Leadership–Gilbert North]] (2021–present) <br> Head coach
| highlights   =
* [[Heisman Trophy]] (1990)
* [[Maxwell Award]] (1990)
* 2× [[Davey O'Brien Award]] (1990, 1991)
* [[Sammy Baugh Trophy]] (1991)
* [[UPI College Football Player of the Year|UPI Player of the Year]] (1990)
* 2× Consensus [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1990 College Football All-America Team|1990]], [[1991 College Football All-America Team|1991]])
* 2× [[Western Athletic Conference football individual awards#Offensive Player of the Year|WAC Offensive Player of the Year]] (1990, 1991)
* 2× First-team All-[[Western Athletic Conference|WAC]] (1989, 1990)
* [[BYU Cougars football#Retired numbers|BYU Cougars No. 14]] retired
| statlabel1   = Passing attempts
| statvalue1   = 946
| statlabel2   = Passing completions
| statvalue2   = 546
| statlabel3   = Completion percentage
| statvalue3   = 57.7%
| statlabel4   = [[Touchdown|TD]]–[[Interception|INT]]
| statvalue4   = 34–35
| statlabel5   = Passing yards
| statvalue5   = 6,351
| statlabel6   = [[Passer rating]]
| statvalue6   = 74.7
| statlabel7   = Rushing yards
| statvalue7   = 177
| statlabel8   = Rushing touchdowns
| statvalue8   = 3
| pfr          = DetmTy00
| CollegeHOF   = 2326 
}}

'''Ty Hubert Detmer''' (born October 30, 1967) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[quarterback]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He won the [[Heisman Trophy]], [[Maxwell Award]], and [[Davey O'Brien Award]] in 1990 while playing [[college football]] for the [[BYU Cougars football|BYU Cougars]]. Detmer broke numerous [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] (NCAA) records with BYU and was twice recognized as a consensus [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]]. A late-round pick in the [[1992 NFL draft]], Detmer played for six NFL teams over 14 seasons, mostly in a backup role. He is currently the athletic director at [[American Leadership Academy#Campuses and locations|American Leadership Academy – Gilbert North High School]] in [[Gilbert, Arizona]].

After his playing career, Detmer became a coach. He was the [[offensive coordinator]] at BYU from 2015 to 2017.<ref name="Coordinators" /><ref name="Coordinators2" /> He is the older brother of former NFL quarterback [[Koy Detmer]].

==Early life==
Detmer was born in [[San Marcos, Texas]].<ref name=nflprofile>National Football League, Historical Players, [http://www.nfl.com/player/tydetmer/2500379/profile Ty Detmer]. Retrieved February 24, 2012.</ref> He attended Hobby Middle School, Mount Sacred Heart Middle School, and [[United Middle School]] in Laredo, Texas, and [[Southwest High School (San Antonio, Texas)|Southwest High School]] in [[San Antonio, Texas]].<ref name=dbfprofile>databaseFootball.com, Players, {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20130606214740/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=DETMETY01 Ty Detmer]}}. Retrieved February 24, 2012.</ref> He earned letters in [[golf]], football, [[basketball]], [[baseball]], and [[Track and field|track]]. As a senior, Detmer won high school All-American honors in football and was the Texas Player of the Year. He also won all-state honors in baseball and all-district accolades in basketball.

==College career==
Detmer attended [[Brigham Young University]], where he played football for the [[BYU Cougars football|Cougars]] from 1987 to 1991. In deciding which college to attend, he was in part attracted by BYU's alcohol-free environment.{{r|harvey20110308}} He [[Redshirt (college sports)|redshirted]] for the Cougars during the 1987 season, and shared quarterback duties with [[Sean Covey]] as a redshirt freshman in 1988. Detmer started only one game that year, but he made the most of the opportunity, passing for 333 yards and five touchdowns in a 65–0 victory over [[New Mexico Lobos football|New Mexico]]. Later, he was named Most Valuable Player of the 1988 [[Freedom Bowl]], after entering the game as a substitute and leading BYU to a come-from-behind 20–17 victory over the [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Colorado Buffaloes]].

Detmer became the full-time starter in 1989. He emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the nation, passing for 4,560 yards and 32 touchdowns during the regular season. His passer rating of 175.6 led the NCAA, and he finished second to [[Houston Cougars football|Houston]]'s [[Andre Ware]] in total offense. He led BYU to a [[Western Athletic Conference]] (WAC) Championship, the team's first since 1985. Detmer finished the season with a strong performance against [[Penn State Nittany Lions football|Penn State]] in the [[1989 Holiday Bowl]], setting NCAA records for most passing yards (576) and most yards of total offense (594) in a single bowl game. He finished ninth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Detmer's 1990 junior season ranks as one of the greatest seasons for a quarterback in college football history.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} He passed for 5,188 yards and 41 touchdowns in 12 regular-season games and finished the year with 42 NCAA records (and tied for five others). The high point of the season was BYU's 28–21 upset victory over the top-ranked [[Miami Hurricanes football|Miami Hurricanes]]; Detmer led the Cougars by passing for 406 yards and three touchdowns against the defending national champions. For his performance that season, he was awarded the Heisman Trophy, as well as many other honors including the [[Maxwell Award|Maxwell]] and [[Davey O'Brien Award|Davey O'Brien]] awards. He was recognized as a consensus first-team [[1990 College Football All-America Team|All-American]], having been named to the first teams of the [[Associated Press]], [[UPI]], [[Newspaper Enterprise Association]], Football Writers Association of America, Walter Camp Foundation, ''Football News'', [[Scripps Howard]], and the ''[[Sporting News]]''. Unfortunately for Detmer and BYU, the season ended in disastrous fashion: the Cougars lost 59–28 in their final regular-season game against [[Hawaii Warriors football|Hawaii]] on the back of four Detmer interceptions, then lost 65–14 to [[Texas A&M Aggies football|Texas A&M]] in the [[1990 Holiday Bowl]]. Detmer was knocked out of the game against Texas A&M, suffering two separated shoulders that required off-season surgery.

The 1991 season started poorly for BYU, as the Cougars lost their first three games (on a neutral field against #1 [[1991 Florida State Seminoles football team|Florida State]] and road contests against #23 [[1991 UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA]] and #12 [[1991 Penn State Nittany Lions football team|Penn State]]). After the 0–3 start, Detmer and BYU turned things around. The Cougars won eight straight games and clinched their third consecutive WAC championship with a 52–52 tie against [[1991 San Diego State Aztecs football team|San Diego State]] in their final regular-season road game. In that contest, BYU fell behind 45–17 before Detmer led a comeback. He finished the game with 599 passing yards and six touchdowns, both career highs. In his final game as a Cougar, Detmer passed for 350 yards to lead BYU to a 13–13 tie against heavily favored #7 [[1991 Iowa Hawkeyes football team|Iowa]] in the [[1991 Holiday Bowl]]. He totaled 4,031 passing yards and 35 touchdowns in regular season play during his senior year. He finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting but won the Davey O'Brien Award again and also earned the [[Sammy Baugh Trophy]] and [[Today's Top VI Award]]. Additionally, he was again recognized as a consensus first-team [[1991 College Football All-America Team|All-American]].

Detmer finished his college career with the following totals: 1,530 pass attempts; 958 completions; [[List of NCAA Division I FBS quarterbacks with at least 10,000 career passing yards|15,031 passing yards]]; 121 touchdown passes; 14,665 yards of total offense; 135 touchdowns responsible for; and 162.7 passer rating&mdash;all NCAA records at the time. In total, he finished his college career with 59 NCAA records and tied for three others. Including statistics from bowl games, Detmer amassed 16,206 passing yards and 127 touchdown passes at BYU. He graduated with a [[bachelor's degree]] in recreation administration. In 2012, Detmer was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]].

==Professional career==
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 5
|    height in = 11 3/4
|       weight = 179 
|     arm span = 31 3/4
|    hand span = 8 1/8
}}

===Green Bay Packers===
Despite his success at BYU, many analysts thought that Detmer was too small to play quarterback in the NFL. The [[Green Bay Packers]] drafted him in the ninth round (230th pick overall) of the 1992 [[NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1992 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1992/draft.htm |access-date=May 7, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Detmer spent four seasons with the Packers, but appeared in only seven games while serving as back-up to starter [[Brett Favre]].<ref name=pfrprofile>{{cite web|publisher=Pro-Football-Reference.com|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DetmTy00.htm|title=Ty Detmer Statistics|accessdate=February 24, 2012}}</ref>

===Philadelphia Eagles===
Detmer found more playing time after signing a free-agent contract with the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] in 1996. After [[Rodney Peete]] suffered a season ending knee injury, Detmer became the team's starting quarterback. Detmer posted a 4–0 record in his first four starts. In his first start against the division rival [[New York Giants]], Detmer completed 18 of 33 passes for 170 yards and no interceptions in the 19–10 victory. In his second start, he threw four touchdown passes (all to [[Irving Fryar]]) against the [[Miami Dolphins]]. The following week, he passed for a career-high 342 yards against the [[Carolina Panthers]]. The next week, he passed for 217 yards and a touchdown and added his first career rushing touchdown against the [[Dallas Cowboys]]. It was Philadelphia's first victory at Dallas since 1991, and earned Detmer the NFL Player of the Week award. A few weeks later, Detmer and the Eagles ended a three-game losing streak as they shut out the Giants in the rematch 24–0. Detmer threw three touchdowns in the win. For the year, Detmer passed for 2,911 yards and 15 touchdowns; his 80.8 passer rating ranked fourth among [[National Football Conference|NFC]] quarterbacks. The Eagles posted a 7–4 record with Detmer as the starter during the 1996 season, good enough to make the NFC playoffs. The following season, Detmer shared quarterback duties with Peete and [[Bobby Hoying]].

===San Francisco 49ers===
Detmer left Philadelphia in 1998 and joined the [[San Francisco 49ers]] as a backup to [[Steve Young (American football)|Steve Young]]. He spent only one season in San Francisco. His lone start came against the Panthers in which he passed for 276 yards and 3 touchdowns in the 49ers' 25–23 victory. He was also the primary holder on field goals and PAT attempts, throwing a touchdown off a botched field goal attempt during a loss to the Patriots.<ref>{{Cite book|title=QB: My Life Behind the Spiral|last=Young|first=Steve|publisher=HMH|year=2016|isbn=9780544845763|location=New York, New York}}</ref>

===Cleveland Browns===
Detmer was traded to the [[Cleveland Browns]] in 1999; the Browns wanted him to mentor rookie quarterback [[Tim Couch]]. Detmer started the first game of the 1999 season, then served as backup until Couch sprained his foot in week 15. He started the final game of the 1999 season.<ref name="Couch out">{{cite web|title=Couch out|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7ERGAAAAIBAJ&pg=1235,5694819&dq=ty+detmer&hl=en|work=The Daily Gazette|publisher=Associated Press|access-date=November 23, 2011}}</ref> Detmer injured his right [[Achilles tendon|Achilles]] and was inactive the entire 2000 season.

===Detroit Lions===
Detmer spent three seasons (2001–2003) with the [[Detroit Lions]] where he started four games during the 2001 season. His first start was a disaster: he threw seven interceptions against the Browns, the second-highest single-game total in NFL history (tied with seven other players). He was eventually replaced as starter, but did start the final two games of the season. He set career highs for attempts (50) and completions (31) against the [[Chicago Bears]], finishing with 303 passing yards. He closed out the season with 242 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Cowboys.

===Atlanta Falcons===
Detmer spent the 2004 and 2005 seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, but did not see any action as the third-string quarterback behind [[Michael Vick]] and [[Matt Schaub]].

In 14 total seasons in the NFL, Detmer played in 54 games (with 25 starts), totaling 6,351 yards passing with 34 touchdowns and 35 interceptions. Detmer did not officially retire from football at the time of his release from Atlanta, but he has not played since then.

==Coaching career==
In December 2009, he was appointed the new head football coach at [[St. Andrew's Episcopal School (Austin, Texas)|St. Andrew's Episcopal School]]. In December 2015, Detmer became the offensive coordinator<ref name=Coordinators>{{cite news |url= http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865644393/Ty-Detmer-reportedly-confirms-he-will-be-BYUs-new-offensive-coordinator.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151225142551/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865644393/Ty-Detmer-reportedly-confirms-he-will-be-BYUs-new-offensive-coordinator.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= December 25, 2015 |title=BYU's Sitake announces Detmer and Tuiaki as coordinators|last= Harmon |first= Dick |date= December 24, 2015 |access-date=December 24, 2015|newspaper= [[Deseret News]] }}</ref><ref name=Coordinators2>{{cite news |url= http://byucougars.com/m-football/sitake-announces-hiring-coordinators-ty-detmer-and-ilaisa-tuiaki |title=Sitake announces hiring of coordinators Ty Detmer and Ilaisa Tuiaki|work= [[BYU Cougars]] |publisher= [[Brigham Young University]] |date= December 24, 2015 |access-date=December 24, 2015 }}</ref> and [[quarterback]]s coach at BYU,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ksl.com/?sid=37895174&nid=272&fm=most_popular&s_cid=article_popular-1|title=Ty Detmer, Ilaisa Tuiaki join BYU coaching staff as coordinators - KSL.com|access-date=March 9, 2017}}</ref> under new head coach [[Kalani Sitake]]. On November 27, 2017, Detmer was released from the coordinator position after just two seasons.<ref>Sean Walker [https://www.ksl.com/?sid=46205819&nid=272 Ty Detmer out as offensive coordinator, remains under contract at BYU], KSL.com, accessed November 29, 2017</ref> The dismissal came following BYU football's poor performance over the previous year. Detmer was the head football coach at [[American Leadership Academy]]'s Queen Creek campus.<ref>{{Cite web |title=American Leadership Academy High School Staff Bios |url=https://alaqcathletics.org/main/staff/id/3600969/seasonid/4726881/staffid/176923 |access-date=August 5, 2022 |website=alaqcathletics.org}}</ref> He recently (2024) moved from the ALA-Queen Creek football program to ALA-Gilbert North North Football Program, assuming the Head Coach position at ALA-Gilbert North.  

==NFL career statistics ==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="8"| Passing
! colspan="4"| Rushing
|-
! GP !! GS !! Cmp !! Att !! Pct !! Yds !! Avg !! TD !! Int !! Rtg !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! TD
|-
! [[1992 NFL season|1992]] || [[1992 Green Bay Packers season|GB]]
| 0 || 0 || colspan="12"| {{abbr|DNP|Did not play}}
|-
! [[1993 NFL season|1993]] || [[1993 Green Bay Packers season|GB]]
| 3 || 0 || 3 || 5 || 60.0 || 26 || 5.2 || 0 || 0 || 73.7 || 1 || -2 || -2.0 || 0
|-
! [[1994 NFL season|1994]] || [[1994 Green Bay Packers season|GB]]
| 0 || 0 || colspan="12"| {{abbr|DNP|Did not play}}
|-
! [[1995 NFL season|1995]] || [[1995 Green Bay Packers season|GB]]
| 4 || 0 || 8 || 16 || 50.0 || 81 || 5.1 || 1 || 1 || 59.6 || 3 || 3 || 1.0 || 0
|-
! [[1996 NFL season|1996]] || [[1996 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 13|| 11 || 238 || 401 || 59.4 || 2,911 || 7.3 || 15 || 13 || 80.8 || 31 || 59 || 1.9 || 1
|-
! [[1997 NFL season|1997]] || [[1997 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 8 || 7 || 134 || 244 || 54.9 || 1,567 || 6.4 || 7 || 6 || 73.9 || 14 || 46 || 3.3 || 1
|-
! [[1998 NFL season|1998]] || [[1998 San Francisco 49ers season|SF]]
| 16 || 1 || 24 || 38 || 63.2 || 312 || 8.2 || 4 || 3 || 91.1 || 8 || 7 || 0.9 || 0
|-
! [[1999 NFL season|1999]] || [[1999 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 5 || 2 || 47 || 91 || 51.6 || 548 || 6.0 || 4 || 2 || 75.7 || 6 || 38 || 6.3 || 1
|-
! [[2000 NFL season|2000]] || [[2000 Cleveland Browns season|CLE]]
| 0 || 0 || colspan="12"| {{abbr|DNP|Did not play}}
|-
! [[2001 NFL season|2001]] || [[2001 Detroit Lions season|DET]]
| 4 || 4 || 92 || 151 || 60.9 || 906 || 6.0 || 3 || 10 || 56.9 || 9 || 26 || 2.9 || 0
|-
! [[2002 NFL season|2002]] || [[2002 Detroit Lions season|DET]]
| 0 || 0 || colspan="12"| {{abbr|DNP|Did not play}}
|-
! [[2003 NFL season|2003]] || [[2003 Detroit Lions season|DET]]
| 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0
|-
! [[2004 NFL season|2004]] || [[2004 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 0 || 0 || colspan="12" rowspan="2"| {{abbr|DNP|Did not play}}
|-
! [[2005 NFL season|2005]] || [[2005 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 0 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DetmTy00.htm Career] || 54 || 25 || 546 || 946 || 57.7 || 6,351 || 6.7 || 34 || 35 || 74.7 || 72 || 177 || 2.5 || 3
|}

==Personal life==
Detmer's brother [[Koy Detmer|Koy]] is a former NFL quarterback, and their father Sonny was a prominent San Antonio high school coach.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/MYSA070904_1C_detmers_21293a4c_html6496.html |title=Detmer brothers' success dates back to father's coaching |access-date=February 11, 2009 |last=McDonald |first=Jeff |date=August 7, 2007 |work=mySA sports |publisher=San Antonio Express-News |location=San Antonio, Texas }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Detmer was a major investor in, and employed by, the Athlete Services Division at Triton Financial Corporation from 2007 to 2009.<ref>{{cite news|title=State, federal regulators move on Austin investment firm|publisher=The Austin American Statesman|date=December 23, 2009|url=http://www.statesman.com/business/area-employers/state-federal-regulators-move-on-austin-investment-firm-142030.html|access-date=December 23, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091226050614/http://www.statesman.com/business/area-employers/state-federal-regulators-move-on-austin-investment-firm-142030.html|archive-date=December 26, 2009}}</ref> After the firm collapsed, founder Kurt Barton was indicted for fraud. Detmer, who was not implicated in the scandal, claims to have lost more money than anyone else. Overly trusting of Barton, whom he met at church, Detmer became a victim of [[affinity fraud]].<ref name="harvey20110308">{{cite news | url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/columnists/buck_harvey/article/Detmer-lived-fooled-by-a-code-1047131.php | title=Detmer lives, fooled by a code | access-date=March 8, 2011 | author=Harvey, Buck | date=March 8, 2011 | publisher=San Antonio Express-News}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of NCAA Division I FBS career passing yards leaders]]
*[[List of NCAA Division I FBS career passing touchdowns leaders]]
*[[List of NCAA major college football yearly passing leaders]]
*[[List of NCAA major college football yearly total offense leaders]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Heisman|ty-detmer}}

{{Navboxes
| title = Ty Detmer—awards and honors 
|list=
{{BYU Cougars quarterback navbox}}
{{Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback navbox}}
{{San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback navbox}}
{{Cleveland Browns starting quarterback navbox}}
{{Detroit Lions starting quarterback navbox}}
{{NCAA major college football passing yardage leaders}}
{{Heisman Winners}}
{{Maxwell Award Winners}}
{{UPI College Football Player of the Year}}
{{Davey O'Brien Award}}
{{1990 NCAA Division I-A College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{1991 NCAA Division I-A College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{Green Bay Packers 1992 NFL draft picks}}
}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Detmer, Ty}}
[[Category:1967 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American football quarterbacks]]
[[Category:Atlanta Falcons players]]
[[Category:BYU Cougars football coaches]]
[[Category:BYU Cougars football players]]
[[Category:Cleveland Browns players]]
[[Category:Detroit Lions players]]
[[Category:Green Bay Packers players]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Eagles players]]
[[Category:San Francisco 49ers players]]
[[Category:High school football coaches in Texas]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]
[[Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Heisman Trophy winners]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from San Antonio]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Guadalupe County, Texas]]
[[Category:Players of American football from San Antonio]]
[[Category:Converts to Mormonism]]
[[Category:Latter Day Saints from Texas]]
[[Category:Maxwell Award winners]]