Kim McQuilken

Kim McQuilken

No. 11
Position:	Quarterback
Personal information
Born:	(1951-02-26) February 26, 1951 (age 73) Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	206 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school:	William Allen (Allentown, PA)
College:	Lehigh
NFL draft:	1974 / round: 3 / pick: 69
Career history
Atlanta Falcons (1974–1977) Washington Redskins (1978–1980) Washington Federals (1983)
Career highlights and awards
First-team Little All-American (1973) Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame (1995)
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Kim McQuilken (born February 26, 1951) is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins and the USFL with the Washington Federals. His business career includes over 20 years as a football color commentator on radio and TV and two decades as a senior sales and marketing executive with Ted Turner’s Turner Broadcasting System.^[1]

McQuilken was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania and attended William Allen High School. He started as quarterback during his junior and senior seasons. During his senior year, McQuilken suffered a fractured clavicle in a pre-season scrimmage and missed the first three games.

McQuilken was offered only one football scholarship after high school.  The offer was from Lehigh University and Head Coach Fred Dunlap.  Lehigh had not had a winning season in the previous 10 years.  Moreover, Lehigh employed a ground offensive attack not suited to McQuilken’s passing skills. But Fred Dunlap convinced McQuilken the passing game would open up if he enrolled at Lehigh. The coach was true to his word^[1]

In 1971, McQuilken’s sophomore season the team posted its first winning record in over a decade going 8-3 and setting numerous offensive records. McQuilken passed for over 2,000 yards in ‘71 setting new Lehigh records for yardage, attempts, and completions. By the middle of his junior year (1972) McQuilken would own every Lehigh game, season, and career passing record. In his 1973 senior season, Lehigh went 7-3-1 and won the Lambert Cup.^[1]

Lehigh was selected as one of 16 D-LL teams invited to the first-ever NCAA D-LL national playoffs. The 1973 seniors at Lehigh graduated with a 3-0 record vs archival Lafayette College. McQuilken was the first-ever two-time winner of the game’s MVP trophy.^[2]

McQuilken was named 3rd-Team All-American by the AP in 1972 and would be a consensus 1st-Team All-American in his senior year (1973) including the AP and Kodak Coaches All-American teams. He was also named the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Association (ECAC) player of the year in 1973 as well as The New York Times 1st team All-East QB (across all division levels). He was recognized as team MVP in 1973 and Lehigh University awarded McQuilken the Undergraduate Merit Award in 1974 for bringing recognition to the University. McQuilken graduated with career stats of 516 completions, 6,996 yards, and 37 touchdowns in his three years of eligibility all Lehigh records at the time. McQuilken was chosen to play in the North-South Shrine Game held annually on Christmas night in the Orange Bowl. He was also on invitation lists to the Coaches’ All-America Bowl in Lubbock, Texas, and the East-West Shrine game in San Francisco. While playing in the North-South game, McQuilken tore his MCL and declined the remaining Bowl invitations. In 1995, McQuilken was inducted into the Roger Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame.^{[3][4][5][6][7][8]}

McQuilken was selected in the third round (69th pick) of the 1974 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.^[9] He was the third quarterback chosen in the 1974 draft and was also drafted in the second round by the Memphis Southmen of the World Football League. McQuilken ultimately signed a three-year contract with the Falcons. He was initially slotted behind starting Quarterback Bob Lee and former Heisman Trophy winner Pat Sullivan with former Quarterback and Hall of Famer Norm Van Brocklin as head coach. The team got off to a 2-6 start in the 1974 season and the coach was terminated mid-season. DC Marion Campbell was named interim coach and began to work McQuilken into the rotation.^{[10][11][12][13][14]}

McQuilken played in five games in the 1974 season (his rookie season ) including the final two as starter. With the season-ending 3-11 record, none of the Falcons QBs experienced much success. McQuilken posted no TDs vs 9 inceptions while starter Bob Lee would end the season with 3 TD passes and 14 interceptions. Pat Sullivan would add 3 TDs and 8 interceptions.^[10][11]

Out of football for three years, McQuilken joined the Washington Federals of the United States Football League in their 1983 inaugural season and emerged as their opening-day starter. Ultimately, he would complete 188-for-334 passes for 1,912 yards, seven touchdowns, and 14 interceptions for the season. However, the Feds would finish just 4–14 in front of small crowds, and the 32-year-old McQuilken retired.^{[citation needed]}

McQuilken went on to become executive vice president of Cartoon Network, before leaving the network in 2006 to set up his own sports and entertainment marketing and licensing consulting business.^[15]