Jay Fiedler

Jay Brian Fiedler (born December 29, 1971) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Dartmouth Big Green. He played 76 games at quarterback in the NFL, starting 60, and threw 69 touchdowns. He was inducted into the National Jewish Museum Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.

Fiedler is Jewish, and was born to a Jewish family on Long Island in Oceanside, New York. He is a distant relative of Arthur Fiedler, the long-time conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra.

Fiedler attended Oceanside High School in Oceanside, New York, and won varsity letters as a quarterback in football, a point guard in basketball, and as a decathlete in track and field.

He is an alumnus of Dartmouth College, where he was a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity. In football, Fiedler set school and Ivy League records for touchdown passes (58), passing yards (6,684) and total offense (7,249 yards).

Fiedler was named Co-Offensive Player of the Game in the 1994 East-West Shrine Game. He received a Scholar-Athlete Award from the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame, the Nils V. "Swede" Nelson Award for sportsmanship, and received his degree in mechanical engineering. He was named the MVP for the 1994 Ivy Bowl in Japan.

Fiedler was viewed as a possible late round draftee in 1994, but doubts over the quality of his opposition at Dartmouth meant he was not chosen. Fiedler would be signed by the Philadelphia Eagles (1994–95) and have stints with the Minnesota Vikings (1998) and Jacksonville Jaguars (1999) before finding steady work with the Miami Dolphins beginning in 2000. In between his time with the Eagles and Vikings, Fiedler served as a receivers coach at Hofstra University in 1997 before being signed as a free agent by Minnesota in 1998.

Fiedler signed a three-year, $3.8 million contract with the Dolphins in 2000, replacing Dan Marino as starter. He beat out Damon Huard for the starting role.

Fiedler's stint with the Dolphins featured three 10+ win seasons in four years, two 11–5 seasons in 2000 and 2001, an AFC East title, and two postseason appearances including a victory for the Miami Dolphins. During these years, the Dolphins' offense lagged notably behind its defense, which featured perennial Pro Bowlers in cornerbacks Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain, and Pro Football Hall of Famers defensive end Jason Taylor and linebacker Zach Thomas. He is the last Miami Dolphins quarterback to win a playoff game, winning the 2000 AFC wild card game, 23–17 in overtime, versus the Indianapolis Colts on December 30, 2000, at Pro Player Stadium. As of 2025, it remains the last postseason win for the Dolphins. In 2004, Fiedler was benched after week 1 in favor of A.J. Feeley, but was brought back as starter after Feeley struggled.