Editing Jeff Blake (section)

==Professional career==
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 5
|    height in = 11 3/4
|       weight = 202
|         dash = 4.86
|    ten split = 1.68
| twenty split = 2.81
|      shuttle = 4.60
|   cone drill =
|     vertical = 30.5
|     broad ft =
|     broad in =
|        bench =
|     arm span = 32 7/8
|    hand span = 8 1/2
|    wonderlic =
|         note = All values from [[NFL Combine]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=24444 |title=Jeff Blake, Combine Results, QB - East Carolina (NC) |website=nflcombineresults.com |access-date=May 7, 2022}}</ref>
}}
Blake was not valued highly as a draft prospect due to his height, which was measured slightly under 6 feet.<ref>{{Cite web |title=No critic can shake QB Blake |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1994/12/02/no-critic-can-shake-qb-blake/ |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=Tampa Bay Times}}</ref> Blake was selected in the sixth round by the New York Jets in 1992 but he played little before being cut in 1993. He credited head coach [[Bruce Coslet]] in instilling the steps to have a lengthy career by having a focus on defense and trying to read defenses, which they did for the first four weeks Blake was with the Jets. When Coslet was fired after the 1993 season, he soon was hired as the offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals. He encouraged the Bengals to pick up Blake, who was brought into a roster that had [[David Klingler]] as the starter and [[Donald Hollas]] as the presumed backup. The 1994 Bengals were 0–7 with [[David Klingler]] before Blake was thrust into the starting role due to injuries by Klingler and Hollas. He threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns in his debut against the [[Dallas Cowboys]] in a narrow 23–20 loss. Blake went 3–6 as a starter, throwing for 2,154 yards with 14 touchdowns to 9 interceptions. He was named the starter for the 1995 season. That year saw local interest for his play, with a rap song even being composed called "Shake-N-Blake"; he established great rapport with Bengal receivers [[Carl Pickens]] and [[Darnay Scott]], helping the former vie for the receiving title in 1995. They won only seven games, but Blake threw for 3,822 yards with 28 touchdowns to 17 interceptions as Blake made the Pro Bowl. One writer later argued that his play helped influence Ohio voters in [[Hamilton County, Ohio|Hamilton County]] to approve a sales tax increase to help fund a new [[Paycor Stadium|new stadium]] for the team, as the measure passed in March 1996 (the stadium opened in 2000).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Makdook |first=Dadio |date=2021-08-09 |title=Paul Brown Stadium is arguably the "house that Jeff Blake built" |url=https://www.cincyjungle.com/2021/8/9/22614351/paul-brown-stadium-is-arguably-the-house-that-jeff-blake-built |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=Cincy Jungle |language=en}}</ref> He signed a five-year, $13.1 million contract not long before the Pro Bowl selection. The 1996 season, where the Bengals went 8–8 with Blake as starter, was the only one between 1991 and 2002 that did not result in a losing season. He threw for 3,624 yards with 24 touchdowns to 14 interceptions. The 1997 season was less successful. Amidst a year that saw him start just 11 games (with others filled by [[Boomer Esiason]]), Blake threw for 2,125 yards with 8 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. 1998 saw Blake passed over for free agent [[Neil O'Donnell]] for all but two games. He was given the bulk of the time in 1999 while they tried to nurture newly drafted [[Akili Smith]], with Blake going 3-9 and throwing for 2,670 yards with 16 touchdowns to 12 interceptions.

Frustrated by management, Blake left the Bengals after the 1999 season in free agency.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Makdook |first=Dadio |date=2015-08-11 |title=Exclusive interview with Jeff Blake |url=https://www.cincyjungle.com/2015/8/11/9123697/cj-exclusive-interview-with-former-bengals-qb-jeff-blake |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=Cincy Jungle |language=en}}</ref> He signed with the [[New Orleans Saints]] as a free agent. Blake started 11 games at quarterback before breaking his foot late in the 2000 season and being replaced by [[Aaron Brooks (American football)|Aaron Brooks]]. He threw for 2,025 yards with 13 touchdowns and 9 interceptions as the Saints were 7–4 with him as starter as Brooks led the Saints to the playoffs. Blake left the Saints after the 2001 season saw him get no starts in favor of Brooks. He started 11 games for the Baltimore Ravens in 2002 (after injury to [[Chris Redman]]) and 13 games for the Cardinals in 2003, but neither team expressed interest in signing him to a long-term contract.

Blake was signed by the Chicago Bears before the [[2005 NFL season]] to replace back-up quarterback [[Chad Hutchinson]]. Following an injury to the Bears' starting quarterback, [[Rex Grossman]], coach [[Lovie Smith]] opted to select rookie [[Kyle Orton]] to fill the slot. During the last game of the regular NFL season, Blake was put in to replace Kyle Orton during the fourth quarter, completing eight of nine passes. Despite stating that he wished to continue playing for the Bears and work with Grossman,<ref>http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20060321/ai_n16151519{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> the Bears did not express any interest in re-signing Blake. His contract with the team expired before the start of the [[2006 NFL season]]. His position was filled by Kyle Orton, who was demoted after the Bears signed [[Brian Griese]] to serve as Grossman's back-up. At the conclusion of his fourteen-year career, Blake amassed 21,711 passing yards, with 134 touchdown passes, and 99 interceptions. A mobile quarterback, Blake ran for 2,027 career rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. He made 100 career starts.