Warren Moon

Quarterback who won five straight Grey Cups and later starred in the NFL.

Harold Warren Moon (born November 18, 1956) is an American former professional football quarterback who played 23 seasons, primarily for the Houston Oilers of the NFL and the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL. He is considered one of the greatest undrafted players in NFL history and is the only player inducted into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

Quick Facts

Number: 1
Position: Quarterback
Born: 18 November 1956
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
High school: Alexander Hamilton (Los Angeles)
College: West Los Angeles (1974), Washington (1975–1977)

Facts from the source article.

Did You Know?

Moon mentored Cam Newton, the first overall pick of the 2011 NFL draft, citing their shared experiences as prominent African-American quarterbacks.
In December 2017, Moon was suspended indefinitely from his sportscaster position after being sued for sexual harassment.

Early life

Born in Los Angeles, Moon was the middle child among six sisters. His father, a laborer, died of liver disease when Moon was seven; his mother, Pat, worked as a nurse. Moon learned cooking, sewing, ironing, and housekeeping to help care for the family. He chose to play only football in high school because he needed to work the rest of the year. He attended Alexander Hamilton High School using a friend's address for better academic and athletic opportunities. As a senior in 1973, he was named to the all-city team and the team reached the city playoffs.

College career

Moon began at West Los Angeles College, setting records as a freshman in 1974, but few four-year colleges pursued him. Washington offensive coordinator Dick Scesniak wanted the quarterback. Under coach Don James, Washington went 11–11 in Moon's first two seasons as starter. As a senior in 1977, Moon led the Huskies to the Pac-8 title and a 27–20 Rose Bowl upset over Michigan, earning MVP honors with two short touchdown runs and a 28-yard touchdown pass.

Professional career

Six weeks before the NFL draft, Moon signed with the Edmonton Eskimos. He shared quarterback duties with Tom Wilkinson from 1978 to 1981, winning four consecutive Grey Cups. Moon became the starter midway through 1980, winning his first Grey Cup Offensive MVP award as Edmonton beat Hamilton 48–10. In 1981, Moon was moved to the reserve list for an October game; during the Grey Cup, Edmonton trailed 20–0 before Moon was replaced by Wilkinson, then returned to lead three touchdown drives and a game-winning field goal for a 26–23 victory.

In 1982, Moon became the first professional quarterback to pass for 5,000 yards in a season, throwing 36 touchdowns. Edmonton won a fifth consecutive Grey Cup, and Moon earned his second Grey Cup Offensive MVP. In 1983, he set CFL records for completions (380), attempts (664), and yards (5,648), and won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award. The Eskimos finished 8–8 and lost in the West semifinal.

Personal life

Warren Moon wed Felicia Hendricks in 1981, a woman he had known since age sixteen. They had three kids before divorcing in 2001. In 1996, a misdemeanor spousal assault charge against him ended in acquittal. He married Mandy Ritter in 2005; they have one child and are now separated. Moon resides in Redmond, Washington as of 2020. His Crescent Moon Foundation, started in 1989, offers college scholarships to low-income students.