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Great professional football players such as Dick Butkus, Fran Tarkenton and Barry Sanders enjoyed long and outstanding careers and were inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. But none of them ever won a Super Bowl.
Breaux Bridge native Jake Delhomme, 29, marched the Carolina Panthers to within an eyelash of that lofty goal in his very first season with the team.
Delhomme showed he belonged on the sport's biggest stage by standing firm against an accomplished New England defense an throwing three touchdown passes in a 32-29 loss in Superbowl XXXVIII.
Carolina came up short against the Patriots following a long journey that included playoff stops in St. Louis and Philadelphia. The Panthers were severely tested, having to overcome a speedy St. Louis squad in double overtime.
When Delhomme unleashed a long touchdown pass that fell into the capable hands of Steve Smith, the Panthers charged out of the Edward Jones Dome toward the "City of Brotherly Love". The full volume of 65,000 frozen and ferocious Philadelphia Eagles fans awaited Jake and the Panthers in the NFC Championship game. But Carolina answered with a convincing victory.
Jake's transformation from backup quarterback to playoff hero was unmistakable.
Following a handful of seasons spent mostly in a backup role for the New Orleans Saints, Delhomme signed with Carolina in March of 2003 to compete for starting quarterback job.
If there was a specific place and time in which Delhomme secured his role as a leader with the Carolina Panthers, it would be at Ericsson Stadium on Sept 7, 2003. Sprinting across the grass field in the game's final minute with Jacksonville defenders hot on his heels, Delhomme was trying to make the right decision that would enable the Panthers to secure the victory.
When Delhomme entered the game, his new team trailed 17-0. But what had appeared to be a lost cause became celebration as Delhomme completed the game-winning touchdown pass to Ricky Proehl.
In a profession where actions speak volumes, Delhomme said plenty with his opening performance.
"When you are the new guy, you want to make a good impression, but you can't try to do too much," Delhomme says. "Guys will pretty much welcome you with open arms. It does take some time to develop relationships on the field."
Delhomme had shown himself to be a skilled player at Teurlings Catholic High School in Lafayette before becoming the new kid on the block at the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1993.
USL head coach Nelson Stokley and his staff faced a decision. As a less-than-brawny kid of 185 pounds, should Jake be given a redshirt year and some prep time before facing the rigors of college football?
When the USL Ragin' Cajuns struggled in their first game of 1993 against Utah State, the decision was made to give Jake some on-the-job training. Although USL would lose its first two games, the end result was an 8-3 record and a tie for the Big West Conference championship.
"It wasn't an easy decision playing Jake as a freshman because we knew he probably needed to be redshirted," Coach Stokley says. "But I also knew he could play. He was solid. He knew where to go with the ball. He had poise, and people followed him. His freshman year was a learning experience. We played a lot of good teams. I knew he would get bigger and stronger and improve."
Delhomme was a constant in the Cajuns' lineup throughout his college career. Amid the steady string of games there was some national exposure when USL upset Texas A&M in 1996 at Cajun Field.
By the time Delhomme completed his senior season, there were no guarantees about his football future. Jake's father, Jerry, says his son was fully aware that a professional football career might not be in the cards.
"One of the reasons Jake picked USL was he liked the coaches and he knew their history. He also wanted job opportunities. Jake knew you can't play football all your life," Jerry Delhomme says.
The Saints would sign Jake as an undrafted free agent. A couple of years of being released and then re-signed to the Saints' practice squad followed.
Meanwhile, the continual training ground for Jake included playing in NFL Europe for the 1999 World Bowl champion Frankfurt Galaxy. The journey abroad was a learning experience in many ways.
"I was able to grow up and learn," Delhomme reports. "You get to see Europe and get paid to see Europe. You are stuck with 35 guys in a hotel. You become close as a team."
Then came an opportunity to test himself against the best.
The Dallas Cowboys, a Super Bowl champion or contender for much of the 1990s, were the Saints' opponent on Christmas Eve in '99. Jake's first NFL start would come against what some refer to as "America's Team." Jake and the Saints won out on the Superdome carpet, 31-24.
"You always wonder: Will the game move too fast?" Jake says. "When you have success against a team like Dallas, you realize it's not too fast and you do belong. You have to take advantage when you get a chance."
In Jerry Delhomme's mind, the game against Dallas was a major turning point in Jake's career.
"We always knew Jake had the ability and the mentality. It was showcased against the Cowboys. And the coach in Carolina (John Fox) saw something he liked," Jerry points out.
After Saints' owner Tom Benson cleaned house of the Coach Mike Ditka regime, Jake eventually settled into a spot as a backup behind Aaron Brooks. Delhomme saw action in four games during the 2002 season, but it was apparent that team executives saw Brooks as the long-term starter for the Saints.
Although Jake had tasted some success in the NFL, he needed to know that he could run his own show. Varied interest from teams around the league, including the Panthers, convinced Jake to leave his comfort zone in New Orleans and head to Carolina.
Rodney Peete had played well for the Panthers during the 2002 season, but with Peete in the twilight of his career, in his late thirties, Carolina needed to address its own long-term situation as quarterback.
After Delhomme cemented himself as the starter, thanks to the thrilling first game, Peete contributed to the Panthers' success by providing valuable guidance to the up-and-coming Delhomme.
"I have tried to gravitate to the veteran guys," Jake says. "Guys that have been in the league for 10 years, they have that calming effect. It's great."
Away from the field, Jake has become part of the Carolina community in a short time. The team ran a weekly feature called "Cajun up with Jake," in which Delhomme discussed the Panthers, opposing teams and life as an NFL quarterback.
"I think Jake won the Carolina people over during the off-season," Jerry Delhomme says. "Their coach wanted to get quality people and good players."
While fans in Carolina have been getting acquainted with Jake, many back home who wanted to keep track of the Panthers faced a dilemma: How would they be able to follow the team if unable to pay for an NFL viewing or audio package?
In stepped KPEL 105.1 FM Radio in Lafayette. The station worked out a deal to become a Panthers broadcast affiliate.
"Our whole staff played a role in the decision," according to the station's general manager, Mike Grimsley.
"There are only a few Panthers' games on TV here, and Jake has a large following in Acadiana."
"We had to buy some equipment and set up. I think it caught the Panthers by surprise that a station in Lafayette would want to carry their games. But when they found out a motivation, they were happy to help."
For Jake Delhomme's fans in Louisiana, seeing the whole process play out has been a great thing to witness.
"It's like a dream for us," Jerry Delhomme says. "It's amazing for us to be here in Breaux Bridge and have Jake in the limelight. What an accomplishment."
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