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Heath Shuler
Joseph Heath Shuler (born December 31, 1971) is an American former politician and professional football quarterback who served as the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 11th congressional district from 2007 to 2013. The district covers the Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina. A member of the Democratic Party, he played in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons prior to his political career.
Shuler played college football at the University of Tennessee, winning SEC Player of the Year in 1993, and was selected by the Washington Redskins third overall in the 1994 NFL draft. Unable to match his collegiate success, he was traded from the Redskins after three seasons and spent his final two with the New Orleans Saints.
Shuler launched his first political campaign during the 2006 House elections and defeated Republican incumbent Charles H. Taylor. During his Congressional tenure, he was a member of the Blue Dog Coalition and known for challenging the leadership of his party, including running against Nancy Pelosi for Democratic leader in 2010. After his district was redrawn in 2011 to replace much of his Democratic support from Asheville with several Republican counties, Shuler announced he would not seek re-election the following year. He retired from politics after his term ended.
Shuler was born in Bryson City, North Carolina, a small town in the Great Smoky Mountains near the Tennessee border. His father was a mail carrier and his mother a homemaker and volunteer with the Swain County Youth Association; he has a younger brother, Benjie.
Shuler's athletic career began at Swain County High School in Bryson City. A standout quarterback who led his team to three NCHSAA 1A state championships, he was named as the North Carolina High School Player of the Year. He attracted scout attention and accepted an athletic scholarship to the University of Tennessee in 1990.
Under head coaches Johnny Majors and Phillip Fulmer, Shuler gained national attention as one of the SEC's top quarterbacks. After a limited role in the 1991 season behind quarterback Andy Kelly, he became a prolific passer. In the 1992 season, he passed for 1,712 passing yards, ten touchdowns, and four interceptions as Tennessee finished with a 9–3 record. The next season, he finished with 2,354 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and eight interceptions as Tennessee finished with a 9–2–1 record. He held nearly all Volunteer passing records by the end of his collegiate career; most were subsequently eclipsed by Peyton Manning. In 1993, Shuler was the Southeastern Conference (SEC) player of the year and came in second behind Florida State quarterback Charlie Ward in the voting for the Heisman Trophy.
Shuler was a first-round selection in the 1994 NFL draft, taken by the Washington Redskins with the third overall pick. He held out of training camp until he received a 7-year, $19.25 million contract, most of the holdout being due to Shuler's agent and the Redskins general manager discussing the parameters of the contract. The Redskins had fallen on hard times since winning Super Bowl XXVI, and Shuler was considered the quarterback of the future. However, Shuler's poor play contributed to a quarterback controversy with fellow 1994 draft pick, seventh-rounder Gus Frerotte. Public and fan sentiment soon began to back Frerotte, especially after Shuler threw five interceptions in a 19–16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Shuler started 18 games in his first two years with the team and was benched in his third year, as Frerotte led the team.
After the 1996 season, Shuler was traded to the New Orleans Saints for a fifth-round pick in the 1997 draft and a third-round pick in 1998. Shuler's statistics remained poor. He suffered a serious foot injury during the 1997 season in New Orleans and had two surgeries to try to correct it. Football statistics site Football Outsiders called Shuler "The least valuable quarterback of 1997." Shuler chose the Saints over the Green Bay Packers, who were also interested, because of the opportunity to start in New Orleans despite Washington GM Charley Casserly urging Shuler to pick the Packers because of their ability to develop quarterbacks.
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Heath Shuler
Joseph Heath Shuler (born December 31, 1971) is an American former politician and professional football quarterback who served as the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 11th congressional district from 2007 to 2013. The district covers the Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina. A member of the Democratic Party, he played in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons prior to his political career.
Shuler played college football at the University of Tennessee, winning SEC Player of the Year in 1993, and was selected by the Washington Redskins third overall in the 1994 NFL draft. Unable to match his collegiate success, he was traded from the Redskins after three seasons and spent his final two with the New Orleans Saints.
Shuler launched his first political campaign during the 2006 House elections and defeated Republican incumbent Charles H. Taylor. During his Congressional tenure, he was a member of the Blue Dog Coalition and known for challenging the leadership of his party, including running against Nancy Pelosi for Democratic leader in 2010. After his district was redrawn in 2011 to replace much of his Democratic support from Asheville with several Republican counties, Shuler announced he would not seek re-election the following year. He retired from politics after his term ended.
Shuler was born in Bryson City, North Carolina, a small town in the Great Smoky Mountains near the Tennessee border. His father was a mail carrier and his mother a homemaker and volunteer with the Swain County Youth Association; he has a younger brother, Benjie.
Shuler's athletic career began at Swain County High School in Bryson City. A standout quarterback who led his team to three NCHSAA 1A state championships, he was named as the North Carolina High School Player of the Year. He attracted scout attention and accepted an athletic scholarship to the University of Tennessee in 1990.
Under head coaches Johnny Majors and Phillip Fulmer, Shuler gained national attention as one of the SEC's top quarterbacks. After a limited role in the 1991 season behind quarterback Andy Kelly, he became a prolific passer. In the 1992 season, he passed for 1,712 passing yards, ten touchdowns, and four interceptions as Tennessee finished with a 9–3 record. The next season, he finished with 2,354 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and eight interceptions as Tennessee finished with a 9–2–1 record. He held nearly all Volunteer passing records by the end of his collegiate career; most were subsequently eclipsed by Peyton Manning. In 1993, Shuler was the Southeastern Conference (SEC) player of the year and came in second behind Florida State quarterback Charlie Ward in the voting for the Heisman Trophy.
Shuler was a first-round selection in the 1994 NFL draft, taken by the Washington Redskins with the third overall pick. He held out of training camp until he received a 7-year, $19.25 million contract, most of the holdout being due to Shuler's agent and the Redskins general manager discussing the parameters of the contract. The Redskins had fallen on hard times since winning Super Bowl XXVI, and Shuler was considered the quarterback of the future. However, Shuler's poor play contributed to a quarterback controversy with fellow 1994 draft pick, seventh-rounder Gus Frerotte. Public and fan sentiment soon began to back Frerotte, especially after Shuler threw five interceptions in a 19–16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Shuler started 18 games in his first two years with the team and was benched in his third year, as Frerotte led the team.
After the 1996 season, Shuler was traded to the New Orleans Saints for a fifth-round pick in the 1997 draft and a third-round pick in 1998. Shuler's statistics remained poor. He suffered a serious foot injury during the 1997 season in New Orleans and had two surgeries to try to correct it. Football statistics site Football Outsiders called Shuler "The least valuable quarterback of 1997." Shuler chose the Saints over the Green Bay Packers, who were also interested, because of the opportunity to start in New Orleans despite Washington GM Charley Casserly urging Shuler to pick the Packers because of their ability to develop quarterbacks.
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