Rex Grossman

Grossman is a third-generation football player, following in his father and paternal grandfathers footsteps.  Both his father, Daniel, and grandfather, Rex, played football at Indiana University.

Grossman played quarterback at Bloomington South High School in Bloomington, Indiana.  Grossman led his team to the 1998 5A state title, his senior year.  He threw for 216 yards, 5 touchdowns in that championship game.  Grossman's five touchdowns set a record for the most touchdowns in an Indiana state high school championship game.

Grossman chose the University of Florida rather than the school in his hometown, Indiana University, where his father and grandfather played football. After his freshman year in 1999, where he was a redshirt, Grossman found himself the third-string quarterback in extremely deep group of quarterbacks, that included senior Jesse Palmer and highly rated true freshman Brock Berlin. Nevertheless, after an injury to Palmer, Grossman quickly established himself as the Gators' starter.  It was that year he achieved the third highest passer efficiency rating in the history of the NCAA.  His sophomore year he came in second place to University of Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch for the Heisman Trophy, the closest vote in Heisman Trophy history. He broke or approached many records set by Gator great, Danny Wuerffel.

Grossman had an uneventful junior season in 2002, under new coach Ron Zook, who had replaced Steve Spurrier at the end of the prior season.  Grossman opted to forego his last year of college eligibity and declared for the NFL draft.

Grossman was chosen by the Chicago Bears, the 22nd overall pick in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft.  Most of his rookie season was spent in a reserve capacity, though he did start the last three games, after the Bears had been eliminated from playoff contention.

Under new Bears head coach Lovie Smith, Grossman secured the starting job in 2004.  In the third game of the season, Grossman suffered a season ending knee injury while scrambling for a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings on their artificial turf in the Metrodome.

After a full recovery from his knee injury, Grossman married Alison Miska in Bloomington, IN shortly before the start of the 2005 training camp.  He entered training camp as the starting quarterback that year. However, disaster struck once again in the second pre-season game.  Grossman broke his ankle, forcing him to miss the first 13 games of that season.

On December 18, 2005, Grossman entered the game in the second half of the Bears' fourteenth game, leading the team to a victory against the Atlanta Falcons. Grossman's success against the Falcons led to him being named the starter the following week. Grossman helped the Bears clinch their division with a win over the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Day, 2005.

In Grossman's first ever playoff game, he completed 17 of 41 passes with one touchdown and one interception.