No. 12, 14 | |||||||||||||||
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Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||
Born: | Tutuila, American Samoa | May 19, 1956||||||||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||||
Weight: | 217 lb (98 kg) | ||||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||||
High school: | Evergreen (White Center, Washington) | ||||||||||||||
College: | Washington State | ||||||||||||||
NFL draft: | 1979 / round: 1 / pick: 3 | ||||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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Jack Thompson (born May 18, 1956), nicknamed "the Throwin' Samoan", is an American Samoan former professional American football quarterback. Thompson played in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons, four with the Cincinnati Bengals and two with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football for the Washington State Cougars. He was selected in by the Bengals in the first round of the 1979 NFL draft with the third overall pick.
His nickname was bestowed on him by Spokesman-Review columnist Harry Missildine during Thompson's breakout sophomore season at Washington State in 1976.[1]
I knew the guy who tagged me with it, Harry Missildine (of the Spokesman-Review), and I didn't think anything of it. It was pretty true. I am Samoan and I threw the ball. In these politically correct days, people might have a problem with it, but that's their problem, not mine. I am proud of it, and my dad, frankly, loved it.