MSCC Dinner and Ceremony Keynote Speaker
Chad Pennington re-signed with the Dolphins in March after missing most of the 2009 season with a shoulder injury. In 2008, he started all 16 regular season games in his first season with the Dolphins. He was named as the co-winner (along with LB Joey Porter) of the team's 2008 Dan Marino Most Valuable Player Award as well as the recipient of the 2008 Don Shula Leadership Award. He completed 321 of 476 passes (67.4%) for 3,653 yards with 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions and became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least 3,500 yards and have seven or fewer interceptions. He is just the third quarterback in league history to compile at least 3,400 yards passing and have seven or fewer interceptions. Chad was named 2008 NFL Comeback Player of the Year, becoming the only player since the awards inception to do so. He finished 2nd in MVP voting to Peyton Manning. Chad signed a two-year contract with the Miami Dolphins on August 9, 2008 and started every game of the season. He helped lead the Dolphins to their first division title since 2000. He surpassed the 15,000 career passing yards milestone on October 19 against Baltimore.Chad was chosen by the New York Jets in the first round of the 2000 draft. He was the 18th overall pick and the first quarterback chosen that year.He suffered a high-ankle sprain in the first game of the 2007 season, but returned to see action in the next eight games. He completed the season with an 86.1 passer rating, and a 68.8 completion percentage, which was his second best in eight seasons with the Jets. In April of 2007, Chad was a recipient of a JB Award. Since 2004, the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) and PLAYERS INC. have partnered with James Brown of CBS Sports' The NFL Today to recognize NFL players who exemplify leadership, dedication and commitment to team and community. JB Award recipients are nominated by their teammates upon the end of the season for their commitment to achieve excellence off the field through building better communities and stronger families.Named the Associated Press 2006 Comeback Player of the Year, Chad recovered from not one, but two rotator surgeries to play in each of the New York Jets' 16 games that season, including a playoff appearance. He passed Vinny Testaverde to move up to fourth in the Jets history books for all-time career passing yards. His 13,738 career passing yards on 1,919 attempts for 1,259 completions place him behind only Joe Namath (27,057), Ken O'Brien (24,386) and Richard Todd (18,241). Chad led the Jets into the second round of the AFC Playoffs in 2002 and 2004, and first round action in 2006. He ranks first in completions (107), attempts (178), yards (1,166) and TDs (seven) in Jets' postseason history. College Career A Heisman Trophy finalist in 1999, Chad led Marshall University to a perfect 13-0 season. That same year, Chad was also a Rhodes Scholar finalist. He established numerous school records, including touchdowns (123), passing yards (14,098), completion percentage (63.3), completions (1,084), attempts (1,712) and yards in total offense (14,036). Chad was a GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America first-team pick, and a two-time recipient of the Anson Mount Award, given by Playboy Magazine to the nation's top student-athlete. An All-MAC first-team selection and offensive player of the year, Chad was also a finalist for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award and the John Unitas Golden Arm Award. He completed 292-of-433 passes (67.4%) for 4,006 yards and 38 touchdowns in 13 games as a senior. In addition, Chad was selected to the GTE Academic All-District II Football Team for the second consecutive year. Personal Chad and his wife, Robin, have three sons, Cole, Luke and Gage. Chad's father, Elwood, played football and basketball at Bluefield State College (1967-69). Community Works In addition to the 1st and 10 Foundation, which he and his wife started in 2003, Chad is active in the United Way program. He hosts a football camp in Knoxville each summer.
