43 Facts About Warren Moon

Harold Warren Moon was born on November 18,1956 and is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for 23 seasons.

Warren Moon spent the majority of his career with the Houston Oilers of the National Football League and the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.

Warren Moon is considered one of the greatest undrafted players in NFL history.

Warren Moon began his professional career with the Eskimos in 1978 after not generating interest from NFL teams.

Warren Moon led the NFL in passing yards twice, while receiving nine Pro Bowl selections.

Warren Moon spent 10 seasons with the Oilers, who he led to seven playoff appearances, and made an eighth postseason run with the Vikings before retiring in 2000.

At the time of his retirement, Warren Moon held several all-time professional gridiron football passing records.

Warren Moon was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006, becoming the first black quarterback and the first undrafted quarterback to receive the honor.

Warren Moon is the only player inducted to both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

Warren Moon's father, Harold, was a laborer and died of liver disease when Moon was seven years old.

Warren Moon's mother, Pat, was a nurse, and Warren learned to cook, sew, iron and housekeep to help take care of the family.

Warren Moon decided early on that he could play only one sport in high school because he had to work the rest of the year to help the family.

Warren Moon chose to play football as a quarterback since he found that he could throw a football longer, harder, and straighter than anyone he knew.

Warren Moon enrolled at Alexander Hamilton High School, using the address of one of his mother's friends to gain the advantages of a better academic and athletic reputation than his neighborhood high school could offer.

Warren Moon had little playing time until his junior year, when he took over as varsity starting quarterback.

Warren Moon attended two-year West Los Angeles College, and was a record-setting quarterback as a freshman in 1974, but only a handful of four-year colleges showed interest in signing him.

Adamant that he play quarterback, Warren Moon considered himself to be perhaps a slightly above-average athlete who lacked either the size, speed, or strength to play other positions.

Warren Moon was named the game's Most Valuable Player on the strength of two short touchdown runs and a third-quarter 28-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Robert "Spider" Gaines.

Six weeks before the NFL draft, Warren Moon signed with the Edmonton Eskimos, where he and Tom Wilkinson shared signal-calling duties and helped lead the Eskimos to a record five consecutive Grey Cup victories in 1978,1979,1980,1981, and 1982.

Warren Moon won the Grey Cup MVP award in the 1980 and 1982 championships, and became the first professional quarterback to pass for 5,000 yards in a season by reaching exactly 5,000 yards in 1982.

Warren Moon led his team to victory in 9 of 10 postseason games.

Warren Moon was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Eskimos' Wall of Honour.

In 1990, Warren Moon led the league with 4,689 passing yards.

Warren Moon led the league in attempts, completions, and touchdowns, and tied Dan Marino's record with nine 300-yard games in a season.

Warren Moon established new NFL records that season with 655 attempts and 404 completions.

Warren Moon managed to lead the Oilers on a last-second field goal drive to tie the game at 38 and force overtime, but threw an interception in the extra period that set up Buffalo kicker Steve Christie's game-winning field goal.

Warren Moon finished the game with 36 completions for 371 yards and four touchdowns, with two interceptions.

The 1993 season was the Oilers' best with Warren Moon, but was his last with the team.

Warren Moon set a franchise record with Houston for wins with 70, which stood until Steve McNair broke it in 2004, long after the team had become the Tennessee Titans.

Warren Moon left the Oilers as the franchise leader in passing touchdowns, passing yards, pass attempts, and pass completions, all of which still stand today.

Warren Moon was traded to the Minnesota Vikings after the season, where he passed for over 4,200 yards in each of his first two seasons, but missed half of the 1996 season with a broken collarbone.

The Vikings' starting quarterback job was given to Brad Johnson and Warren Moon was released after he refused to take a $3.8-million pay cut to serve as Johnson's backup.

Warren Moon signed with the Seattle Seahawks as a free agent in 1997, made the Pro Bowl, and was named Pro Bowl MVP.

Warren Moon signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs as a backup in 1999.

Warren Moon played in only three games in two years with the Chiefs and announced his retirement at age 44 in January 2001.

Warren Moon held individual NFL lifetime records for most fumbles recovered and most fumbles made, but this was surpassed by Brett Favre in 2010.

Warren Moon was in the top five all-time when he retired for passing yards, passing touchdowns, pass attempts, and pass completions.

Warren Moon worked as a broadcaster for the Seattle Seahawks on both TV and radio until 2017.

Warren Moon was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006, becoming both the first Canadian Football Hall of Fame player, first undrafted quarterback, and first African-American quarterback honored; he was elected in his first year of eligibility.

Warren Moon won his first Super Bowl ring in 2014 as a broadcaster for the Seattle Seahawks.

Warren Moon has mentored Cam Newton, the first overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft, alluding to their common experiences as prominent African-American quarterbacks.

Warren Moon married Felicia Hendricks, whom he had known since they were 16 years old, in 1981.

In 1989, Warren Moon launched the Crescent Warren Moon Foundation, which provides college scholarships for economically disadvantaged students.