Pittsburgh Steelers QB
At UCLA: Was the Bruins’ starting quarterback from
1990-91, throwing for 33 touchdowns and 5,363 yards over the two
seasons. Taken in the first round (25th overall) by the Denver
Broncos in the 1992 NFL draft.
Since UCLA: Played two seasons with Denver, one with the Los
Angeles Rams and another with the New York Giants before the
Atlanta Falcons released him in 1997. After briefly operating an
insurance company in Texas, he returned to the gridiron with New
Jersey of the Arena Football League in 2000. He jumped to the XFL
the following season and won its first and only MVP award with the
Los Angeles Xtreme. After the collapse of the league, he was
offered a contract by the Pittsburgh Steelers in June 2001.
Midway through the 2002 season, Maddox replaced Kordell Stewart
as the Steelers’ starting quarterback, leading his team to a
7-3-1 record as a starter and a playoff berth. In November Maddox
suffered a spinal and cerebral concussion against Tennessee, and it
was feared he might be paralyzed; however, Maddox quickly recovered
and returned three weeks later. Three days after being named NFL
comeback player of the year, he threw for 367 yards in a comeback
win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday in an AFC wild-card playoff
game.