It was something straight out of Hollywood. The underdog backup steps in for the injured star and leads his team to victory. As he walks off the field the crowd chants his name.
Except, this player's name is not Rudy. His name is Jay Fiedler, and he stepped in for the injured Mark Brunell October 17, and led the Jacksonville Jaguars over the Cleveland Browns. There is one more catch: he is a Dartmouth alum, Class of 1994.
With the Browns leading 7-6 midway through the third quarter, the struggling Brunell went down with bruised ribs. Fiedler, over the final quarter and a half, completed 12 of 14 passes for 113 yards, scrambled for 27 yards, and led the Jags offense for 17 points and a 24-7 win. He also completed the first TD pass of his career, a 7-yard toss to Kyle Brady. After a two-point conversion, the score was 14-7 and Jacksonville was well on their way.
Last Sunday was obviously a career day for Fiedler. His statistics in just over 23 minutes of play surpassed his previous totals by far. Nevertheless, Fiedler refused to be surprised by his own play when The Dartmouth caught up with him for a phone interview.
"I wasn't surprised," he said. "I've been ready for that chance for a long time. I just went out there and proved to everybody else what I knew I could do."
The question for Fiedler and the Jaguars is where they go from here. The Jags had a bye this week, which may have allowed for Brunell's injured ribs to heal.
However, considering Brunell's inconsistent play, Jacksonville coach Tom Coughlin could have a quarterback controversy on his hands, despite the fact that Brunell is slated to start for their next game. However, Fiedler revels in the role of an underdog.
The football record books here at Dartmouth are full of Fiedler's achievements. Nearly every passing record has Jay Fiedler's name next to it. He owns records in career passing yards (6,684), completions (456), and touchdowns (58).
Dartmouth head football coach John Lyons had nothing but glowing reviews for his former players' performance.
"It's really exciting," Lyons said. "We know how hard he has worked. He's had some ups and downs, being a free agent, getting cut, and playing over in Europe. To get a chance in a situation like that was great. I think he made himself a lot of money with that appearance."
The top four passing games in Dartmouth history were orchestrated by Fiedler. He led the Big Green to consecutive Ivy League titles, and earned a spot on the first team all-Ivy squad his junior and senior years, all while compiling a 21-7-1 career record as starter. In the East-West Senior Shrine Game he was named co-offensive player of the game.
Despite his accolades in college, Fiedler was left un-drafted in 1994. Apparently the NFL draft gurus thought his success came as a result of the weaker competition he played against. Eventually, the Philadelphia Eagles took a chance and signed him as a free agent. He spent two years in Philly as their No. 3 quarterback, appearing in 2 games. After the 1995 season, he was let go. During the summer of 1996, he made an appearance at the Bengals camp, but didn't make the final roster.
After two years away from the NFL and in Europe, the Minnesota Vikings signed Fiedler when backup QB Paul Johnson was injured. He appeared in 5 games last year, completing 3 of 7 for 41 yards.
The question of whether his performance catapulted him into a starting job still remains.
Fiedler was diplomatic when asked about the potential quarterback controversy brewing in Jacksonville, saying "it all depends on Mark's ribs," and that he expects that Brunell will start.
Whatever Tom Coughlin's decision, it is clear that Jay Fiedler has made a statement to the NFL: he belongs.
