Editing Jon Kitna (section)

==Professional career==
===Seattle Seahawks===
====1996 season====
{{see also|1996 Seattle Seahawks season}}
Believing that his football career was over after the NAIA championship, Kitna finished his math education degree at Central Washington and began applying for high-school coaching jobs.{{r|oneil20120519}} [[Seattle Seahawks]] head coach [[Dennis Erickson]] visited the campus to give a tryout for his nephew, Bryce Erickson, a receiver on the Central Washington team. Impressed by Kitna's strong passes, the Seahawks signed him as an [[undrafted free agent]] on April 25.

He was waived on August 19 and signed to the [[practice squad]] on August 26, where he remained for the rest of the season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Seahawk Notebook -- Jon Kitna's Back, For NFL Tutelage|url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19960827&slug=2346130|publisher=The Seattle Times|date=August 27, 1996|access-date=April 30, 2020}}</ref>

====1997 season====
{{see also|1997 Seattle Seahawks season}}
Kitna was allocated to the [[Barcelona Dragons (NFL Europe)|Barcelona Dragons]] of the [[World League of American Football]]. He appeared in 10 games, posting 171 completions (led the league), 317 pass attempts (led the league), a 53.9% average, 2,448 passing yards (led the league), 22 passing touchdowns (led the league), 15 interceptions. He set the league record for quarterbacks with 334 rushing yards and 3 rushing touchdowns.

He was the runner-up to [[T. J. Rubley]] for World League MVP honors and was named the [[Most valuable player|MVP]] of the title game, when he led the [[Barcelona Dragons (NFL Europe)|Barcelona Dragons]] to a 38&ndash;24 [[World Bowl V]] win over the [[Rhein Fire (NFL Europe)|Rhein Fire]], completing 23-of-31 passes for 401 yards (league record), 2 touchdowns and one interception.<ref>{{cite web|title=A Star is Born|url=http://www.nfl.com/europa/history/1997|work=NFL.com|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|access-date=April 30, 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227231412/http://www.nfl.com/europa/history/1997|archive-date=December 27, 2013}}</ref>

He returned to the Seahawks and was the third-string quarterback behind [[John Friesz]] and [[Warren Moon]]. On December 14, he had his first career start against the [[1997 Oakland Raiders season|Oakland Raiders]] after Moon injured his ribs, leading the team to the second biggest comeback in franchise history, from a 21–3 halftime deficit to a 22–21 win. Moon returned to start in the season finale against the [[1997 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]]. Kitna played in 3 games, making 23-of-37 completions for 283 yards, one touchdown and 2 interceptions.

====1998 season====
{{see also|1998 Seattle Seahawks season}}
Kitna was the team's deactivated third-string quarterback in 10 of the first 11 games. He made the first start of the season and second of his career against the [[1998 Tennessee Oilers season|Tennessee Oilers]] and earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors, after passing for 298 yards, 2 touchdowns and one interception, while leading a fourth-quarter comeback for the deciding 48-yard field goal in a 20–18 win.

He completed 17-of-24 attempts in the next game against the [[1998 New York Jets season|New York Jets]], for 278 yards, 2 touchdowns, 3 carries for 25 yards and 2 interceptions. He had a 70-yard touchdown pass to [[Joey Galloway]] in the first quarter and followed it 3 minutes later with a second 57-yard touchdown pass to Galloway. He also rushed three times for 25 yards at the Jets.

In the fifteenth game against the [[1998 Indianapolis Colts season|Indianapolis Colts]], he rallied the team to score 17 fourth quarter points in a 27–23 win, making 16-of-29 completions for 177 yards, 1 touchdown and no interceptions. He ended the season by passing for 242 yards, one touchdown and one interception against the [[Super Bowl XXXIII|eventual Super Bowl champion]] [[1998 Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]].

He was named the starting quarterback for the last 5 contests, leading the team to a 3–2 record. He finished with 98-of-172 completions (57.0%) for 1,177 yards, 7 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. Five of his 7 touchdown passes went to [[wide receiver]] [[Joey Galloway]].

====1999 season====
{{see also|1999 Seattle Seahawks season}}
Kitna started 15 games for the Seahawks. He did not play in the second game against the [[1999 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]] due to a sprained toe he suffered in the season opener against the [[1999 Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions]]. He was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month for October, after guiding the club to a 3–1 record, while throwing for 7 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions.

He led the team to a 9&ndash;7 record (Kitna going 8&ndash;7 in games started), winning the [[AFC West]] and into the playoffs for the first time since [[1988 Seattle Seahawks season|1988]]. Seattle would end up losing 20–17 in the wild card game against the [[1999 Miami Dolphins season|Miami Dolphins]]. He posted 270-of-495 completions (54.5%) for 3,346 yards (fifth in the AFC), 23 touchdown passes (third in the AFC) and 16 interceptions.

====2000 season====
{{see also|2000 Seattle Seahawks season}}
In [[2000 NFL season|2000]], Seahawks head coach [[Mike Holmgren]] was concerned with Kitna's preseason performance and tried to work a trade for [[Green Bay Packers]] backup quarterback [[Matt Hasselbeck]], although it did not come through.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-2001-01-14-0101130360-story.html | work=Sun-Sentinel | first=Alex | last=Marvez | title=Suddenly, Kitna Doesn't Look So Bad To Seahawks | date=January 14, 2001 | access-date=April 30, 2020}}</ref>

Kitna began the season with a four-interception performance against the [[2000 Miami Dolphins season|Miami Dolphins]], which opened the door for Holmgren to put second-year quarterback [[Brock Huard]] in the game. Kitna started the next 4 contests, before being replaced by Huard in the sixth game against the [[2000 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]]. Huard suffered a concussion two games later in the second quarter against the [[2000 Oakland Raiders season|Oakland Raiders]], which forced him to miss 3 games and put Kitna back in the starter role.

On November 5, down 15–14 on 3rd-and-16 with 1:28 left in the game, Kitna dodged a possible 17-yard sack by [[2000 San Diego Chargers season|San Diego Chargers]] defensive end [[Neil Smith (American football)|Neil Smith]] and made an 18-yard pass to [[Darrell Jackson]]. This pass set up the game-winning field goal by [[Rian Lindell]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Trotter|first=Jim|title=Chargers beat Seahawks everywhere except where it matters, the scoreboard|url=http://www.uniontrib.com/sports/chargers/20001106-9999_1s6chargers.html|work=San Diego Union-Tribune|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001207175400/http://www.uniontrib.com/sports/chargers/20001106-9999_1s6chargers.html|archive-date=December 7, 2000}}</ref>

Huard returned as the starter in the thirteenth game against the [[2000 Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]], but suffered a season-ending kidney injury in the first quarter. Kitna went on to start the last 4 contests. His last win for the Seahawks came on a rain-soaked [[Husky Stadium]] turf in December of that year, beating the [[AFC Championship Game]]-bound Oakland Raiders on a touchdown pass to rookie [[Darrell Jackson]] in the final minute of play.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/premium/0286/0286-7240682.html | work=San Jose Mercury News | first=Mark | last=Purdy | title=New Raiders revert to old Raiders form | date=December 17, 2000}}</ref>

The Seahawks were 6–6 in his 12 starts and 0–4 in the other games. He registered 259-of-418 completions (54.5%) for 2,658 yards, 18 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. Holmgren chose not to re-sign Kitna after the season.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://products.kitsapsun.com/archive/2001/01-05/0037_seahawks__holmgren_promises_to_re.html | work=Kitsap Sun | first=Jim | last=Cour | title=SEAHAWKS: Holmgren promises to rebuild... quickly | date=January 5, 2001 | access-date=April 30, 2020 | archive-date=March 7, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307093823/https://products.kitsapsun.com/archive/2001/01-05/0037_seahawks__holmgren_promises_to_re.html | url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Cincinnati Bengals===
====2001 season====
On March 8, he signed as an [[Free agent|unrestricted free agent]] with the [[Cincinnati Bengals]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/09/sports/plus-pro-football-bengals-sign-kitna-to-4-year-contract.html |title=PLUS: PRO FOOTBALL; Bengals Sign Kitna To 4-Year Contract |date=March 9, 2001 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> He won the starting quarterback job in preseason over [[Scott Mitchell (quarterback)|Scott Mitchell]] and went on to start 15 games. He opened the regular season winning his first 2 starts, becoming the first Bengals quarterback since [[Greg Cook]] in 1969 to accomplish the feat.

In the sixteenth game overtime 26–23 win against the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]], he threw for a franchise-record 68 passes, tied for the third most in NFL history. He had 35 completions for 411 yards, 2 touchdowns and received AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

In the season finale against the [[Tennessee Titans]], he had 340 passing yards, setting a team record for passing yards in consecutive games with 751. He finished with 313 completions, 581 attempts (team record), a 53.9% average, 3,216 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and 22 interceptions.

====2002 season====
Although he was the backup quarterback behind [[Gus Frerotte]] for the first 4 games, Kitna started the final 12 contests to help fix a struggling offense. He had 11 games (combined rushing and passing) of 300-or-more yards as well as six straight 350-yard games (Games 7–12), the franchise's longest such streak since 1986.

In the eighth game against the [[Houston Texans]], he had 22-of-27 completions (81.5%) for 263 yards and 4 touchdowns. In the fifteenth game against the [[New Orleans Saints]], he led the offense on a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown drives to overcome a 7–13  deficit and get a 20–13 win. In the season, he collected 294-of-473 completions (62.2%) for 3,178 yards, 16 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, 24 carries for 57 yards and 4 rushing touchdowns.

====2003 season====
Kitna played every offensive down and became the first player in franchise history to throw every one of the team's passes in a single-season. He threw 137 straight passes with no interceptions. In the twelfth game 34–27 win against the [[San Diego Chargers]], he tied his career high with four touchdown passes. In the thirteenth game against the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]], he led a 24–20 comeback win, making a game-winning 18-yard touchdown pass with 13 seconds remaining.

He was named the [[NFL Comeback Player of the Year]] after throwing for over 3,500 yards and 26 touchdown passes (second in the AFC) in leading the Bengals to an 8&ndash;8 record, the team's first non-losing season since 1996.

====2004 season====
Kitna's secondary role with the team was to prepare young quarterback [[Carson Palmer]] (the Bengals' #1 draft pick in 2003). It was a role Kitna accepted gracefully. The two quarterbacks developed a close friendship off the field, particularly because both men are avid [[golf]]ers.

By 2004, Palmer was ready to take over the starting job, leading the Bengals to another 8&ndash;8 season. Kitna was the backup quarterback until seeing his first action of the season in the thirteenth game against the [[New England Patriots]], due to a season-ending knee injury to Palmer. He made 9-of-13 completions for 126 yards and one touchdown in a 28–35 loss.

In his first start of the season against the [[Buffalo Bills]], he made 16-of-32 completions for 151 yards and one touchdown. He led the team to a 23–22 win against the [[New York Giants]], throwing a four-yard touchdown pass with 0:44 remaining, while also completing 20-of-32 passes for 186 yards, 2 touchdowns and one interception. In the season finale against the [[Philadelphia Eagles]], he completed 16-of-27 passes for 160 yards and one touchdown, winning 38–10 against the eventual NFC champions.

====2005 season====
Kitna entered his first game of the season during the fourth quarter against the [[Detroit Lions]] and led the offense on a field goal drive. He played in the final offensive series against the [[Buffalo Bills]] and went 2-of-2 for 17 yards. He replaced Palmer in the second quarter of the season finale against the [[Kansas City Chiefs]], completing 13-of-24 passes for 76 yards and 2 interceptions in a 37–3 loss.

He was unexpectedly thrust back behind center during the Bengals' AFC Wild Card Playoff game against the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] on January 8, [[2006 NFL season|2006]]. Palmer went down with a left knee injury on his second play from scrimmage and Kitna stepped in off the bench and into a relief role. Kitna finished 24-of-40 for 197 yards, one touchdown and 2 interceptions and one fumble as the Bengals fell to the eventual [[Super Bowl XL]] champion [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] 31&ndash;17.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/games/2006-01-08-steelers-bengals_x.htm | work=USA Today | first1=Jarrett | last1=Bell | title=Steel hurtin': Steelers roll | date=January 9, 2006 |access-date=April 30, 2020}}</ref>

===Detroit Lions===
====2006 season====
On March 14, he signed with the [[Detroit Lions]] as an [[unrestricted free agent]], to compete with [[Josh McCown]] for the quarterback position.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clayton |first=John |author-link=John Clayton (sportswriter) |date=March 14, 2006 |title=Kitna agrees to four-year deal with Lions |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2368184 |access-date=April 30, 2020 |website=ESPN |language=en}}</ref> Kitna was named the starter and became the first quarterback in franchise history to take every snap in a single-season.

He registered 372 completions (franchise record), 596 attempts (franchise record), 62.4 pass completion rate (second in franchise history), 4,208 passing yards (second in franchise history), 21 touchdowns (fourth in franchise history) and 22 interceptions. He also became the second quarterback in franchise history after [[Scott Mitchell (quarterback)|Scott Mitchell]], to pass for 4,000 yards in one season. His four 300-yard passing games were the fourth-most in the NFL.

====2007 season====
The Lions offense was ranked ninth in the league in passing, with Kitna starting all 16 games, while throwing for 4,068 yards, 18 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. He set a single-game franchise record and a personal career-high with 442 passing yards against the [[Philadelphia Eagles]]. He became the first quarterback in franchise history with back-to-back 4,000-yard seasons.

====2008 season====
Kitna suffered a back injury in the fourth game of the season and was placed on the [[injured reserve list]] on October 14. The Lions became the first NFL team to finish a season with no wins and 16 losses.

He passed [[Charlie Batch]] for the eighth place on Detroit's all-time passing list with 9,034 yards.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/4157/news/ |title=Jon Kitna |website=sports.yahoo.com |language=en-US |access-date=April 30, 2020}}</ref> He finished with 68-of-120 (56.7%) for 758 yards and 5 touchdowns.

On February 28, [[2009 NFL season|2009]], he was traded to the [[Dallas Cowboys]] in exchange for [[cornerback]] [[Anthony Henry (American football)|Anthony Henry]].

===Dallas Cowboys===
In [[2009 NFL season|2009]], the Cowboys acquired Kitna to improve their backup quarterback situation, after [[Brad Johnson (American football)|Brad Johnson]] had a 1–2 record, including a 35–14 loss against the [[2009 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] when [[Tony Romo]] was injured during the previous season. Kitna did not play a single down for the Cowboys in the [[2009 Dallas Cowboys season|regular season]].

In [[2010 Dallas Cowboys season|2010]], Kitna remained idle until October 25, when Romo suffered a broken [[clavicle]] against the [[2010 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] and was later placed on the [[injured reserve list]] on December 21.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=5727797|title=Tony Romo breaks left collarbone|publisher=[[Associated Press]]|date=October 26, 2010|access-date=April 30, 2020}}</ref> Kitna ended up suffering an abdominal injury against the [[2010 Arizona Cardinals season|Arizona Cardinals]] on [[NFL on Christmas Day|Christmas Day]], and was replaced with second-year quarterback [[Stephen McGee]] for the rest of the season. Kitna played well in relief of Romo throwing for 2,365 yards, 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in the 9 games he started, compiling a 4–5 record and a career-high 88.9 passer rating in the process.

In [[2011 Dallas Cowboys season|2011]], he suffered a herniated disk problem in training camp that limited him to only 3 games. In his last action, he took the last snap on a 44–7 victory over the [[2011 Buffalo Bills season|Buffalo Bills]] on November 13. He couldn't play the rest of the season because his back condition never improved. He was placed on the [[injured reserve list]] on December 14.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/dallas/nfl/story/_/id/7352547/dallas-cowboys-qb-jon-kitna-placed-injured-reser_1 |title=Cowboys put Jon Kitna on IR |date=December 14, 2011 |website=ESPN|access-date=April 30, 2020}}</ref> McGee was promoted to backup quarterback in his place. The injury forced him to announce his retirement from the [[NFL]] on January 12, [[2012 NFL season|2012]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bengals101.com/2012/01/13/former-cincinnati-bengal-jon-kitna-decides-to-retire/ |title=Former Cincinnati Bengal Jon Kitna Decides to Retire |website=Bengals101.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227142016/http://www.bengals101.com/2012/01/13/former-cincinnati-bengal-jon-kitna-decides-to-retire/ |archive-date=December 27, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

On Christmas Eve, [[2013 NFL season|2013]], Kitna was called out of retirement to serve as an emergency back-up behind quarterback [[Kyle Orton]], for the season finale against the [[Philadelphia Eagles]], following a back injury to Romo.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cowboys decide on... Jon Kitna to backup Kyle Orton|url=http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/cowboys/2013/12/cowboys-decide-on-jon-kitna-to-backup-kyle-orton.html}}</ref> He donated his game salary ($55,294 before taxes) to the [[Lincoln High School (Tacoma, Washington)|Lincoln High School]] Booster Club.<ref>{{cite web|last=Archer|first=Todd|title=Kitna will give check to high school team|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/dallas-cowboys/post/_/id/4722267/jon-kitnas-check-going-to-high-school-team|work=ESPN.com|date=December 26, 2013 |publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|access-date=April 30, 2020}}</ref>