Rookie of the Year: Rick Mirer, 1993

Quarterback, Seattle Seahawks

Age:  23

College: Notre Dame

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 216

Prelude:

As a starting quarterback in college, Mirer went 29-7-1 and was co-MVP of the 1992 Sugar Bowl. He set several career records at Notre Dame, including passing yards (5997) and touchdown passes (41) and was chosen by the Seahawks with the second overall pick in the first round of the 1993 NFL draft.

1993 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 486 [4, tied with Neil O’Donnell]

Most attempts, game – 43 vs. New England 10/24

Completions – 274 [7]

Most completions, game – 25 vs. San Diego 10/3

Yards – 2833 [14]

Most yards, game – 287 vs. Kansas City 12/5

Completion percentage – 56.4

Yards per attempt – 5.8

TD passes – 12 [18, tied with Scott Mitchell, Wade Wilson & Stan Humphries]

Most TD passes, game – 2 at Kansas City 1/2

Interceptions – 17 [5, tied with Bobby Hebert & Steve Beuerlein]

Most interceptions, game – 3 at Detroit 10/17

Passer rating – 67.0

200-yard passing games – 4

Rushing

Attempts – 68

Most attempts, game - 9 (for 17 yds.) at Cincinnati, (for 52 yds.) at LA Raiders 12/12

Yards – 343

Most yards, game – 52 yards (on 9 carries) at LA Raiders 12/12

Yards per attempt – 5.0

TDs – 3

Scoring

TDs – 3

Points – 18

Awards & Honors:

AFC Rookie of the Year: UPI

Seahawks went 6-10 to finish fifth in the AFC West while leading the conference in rushing yards (2015).

Aftermath:

Mirer’s promising first season remained his best. He struggled in 1994 until knocked out of the last three games with a broken thumb, dealing with poor mechanics and a weak supporting cast. It got worse in ’95 when he tossed 20 interceptions and, after another mediocre year in 1996, he was traded to Chicago. Athletic but with a poor throwing arm, Mirer lasted a year with the Bears, was cut, and picked up as a third-string backup for the Packers in ’98. He saw no action that year and continued as a journeyman with the Jets, 49ers, and Raiders. Over the course of eight active seasons and 80 games, Mirer threw for 11,969 yards and 50 TDs with 60 interceptions while completing 53.3 percent of his passes and averaging only 5.9 yards per attempt.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie of the Year in the NFL (including NFC/AFC), AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year).