Athletes - Randall Cunningham

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	Athletes - Randall Cunningham

Randall Cunningham (born March 27, 1963 in Santa Barbara, California) is a former American football player, at the position of quarterback.

After attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he was selected in the second round of the 1985 draft by Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he remained through the 1995 season. During the latter year his relations with Ray Rhodes, then the Eagles' head coach, became strained, and he announced his retirement from football following the end of that season, taking a job as an analyst for TNT in 1996. The following year, however, he resumed his playing career, with the Minnesota Vikings from 1997 through 1999, the Dallas Cowboys in 2000, and the Baltimore Ravens in 2001 before retiring for good. He won the NFL MVP award in 1990, the height of the 'Ultimate Weapon' stories, and again after his comeback with Minnesota in 1998.

NFL career

Philadelphia Eagles

Cunningham's career highlights include leading the Eagles to a 36-20 road victory over the New Orleans Saints in a 1992 NFC wild-card playoff game, which was the first time the Eagles had won a postseason game on the road since 1949. He would on occasion make sensational plays, perhaps most notably avoiding what appeared to be a sure sack in the end zone by Buffalo's Bruce Smith during a game in November of 1990 and throwing a 95 yard touchdown pass off his back foot, and across the field. His avoidance of a sure tackle against the Giants on Monday Night Football after taking a strong hit from Carl Banks that knocked him off his feet allowed him to throw a TD pass to Jimmie Giles, a highlight staple. That same year, Cunningham finished with 942 rushing yards - 2nd most ever for a Quarterback, 10th best in the league, and nearly became the first quarterback to both run and pass for 1,000 yards in a season.

Minnesota Vikings

While with the Vikings, he orchestrated two late touchdown drives which enabled Minnesota to defeat the New York Giants in an NFC wild-card game in 1997, also on the road. The following year, he guided the Vikings to a 15-1 regular season record (tied for best ever since the 16-game NFL season was initiated) with 34 touchdown passes and only 10 interceptions. He retired in 2002 as the NFL's all-time leader in rushing yards for the quarterback position.

After retirement

After retirement, Cunningham returned to UNLV to finish his college degree. Cunningham has also been active in the music business since his retirement from the NFL by opening a recording studio and producing a musical group. Cunningham, a born again Christian, became an ordained Protestant minister and founded a church called The Cupbearer in Las Vegas in 2004.

Triva

Cunningham's older brother, Sam Cunningham, was a long-time Pro Bowl running back for the New England Patriots who as a USC Trojan that steamrolled the Alabama Crimson Tide 42-21 on September 12, 1970, helped convince Bear Bryant to integrate Southern college football.

Randall Cunningham holds the unlikely record, being a quarterback, for having the fourth longest punt in NFL history at 91 yards.

Cunningham won a cult following after his non-appearance in the 1991 NES video game, Tecmo Super Bowl. With his name replaced by QB Eagles, Cunningham's TSB version is considered one of the greatest "video game athletes" of all time.

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