Kevin Benjamin Kolb (born August 24, 1984, in Victoria, Texas) is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Eagles in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Houston.
Early years
While attending Stephenville High School in Stephenville, Texas, he became the starting quarterback for the Yellowjackets during his sophomore year.[1] Kolb was a two-time UIL District 8-4A offensive MVP. His most outstanding year was his senior year, 2002, in which he completed 206 of 321 passing attempts for 3,357 yards and 29 touchdowns. At the end of the 2002 season, he was selected Honorable Mention All-State and Second Team Academic All-State.
College career
Kolb initially committed to Oklahoma State to play college football but rescinded this commitment when the University of Houston hired head coach Art Briles, a former head coach at Stephenville High School.
Kolb started in Houston as a true freshman in 2003, making his debut against Rice University at Robertson Stadium. On September 20, Kolb threw for 321 yards and four touchdowns and went 20-for-29 passing in the 42–35 win over Mississippi State.[2] On October 25, Kolb accounted for over 400 yards passing and 100 yards rushing against Texas Christian, only the fourth time this feat has been achieved in Division I-A. Kolb finished the season with 3,131 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and only six interceptions en route to a 7-6 record on the year, which ended with a 54-48 loss to the University of Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl.[3]
After a losing season in 2004, Kolb led the Cougars to a 6-5 regular-season record in 2005. He was named the Cougars’ MVP[4] in the Fort Worth Bowl in a 42-13 loss to Kansas.
Kolb’s signature college year was 2006, in which he threw 30 touchdowns and only four interceptions on the way to a 10-4 record and a Conference USA championship. Kolb won the conference’s offensive MVP, but Houston lost to South Carolina 44-36 in the Liberty Bowl. Kolb ended his career with 12,964 total passing yards, fifth all-time. He is also tied with Bruce Gradkowski and Andrew Walter for 22nd all-time in touchdown passes with 85.
Professional career
Philadelphia Eagles
2007
Kolb was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round (36th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft. He was the third quarterback taken in the draft behind JaMarcus Russell (1st overall) and Brady Quinn (22nd overall). He signed a 4-year contract with the team on July 25, 2007.[5] Kolb spent 2007 as the third-string quarterback behind Donovan McNabb and A. J. Feeley.
2008
Kolb saw very little action in his second year in the league, mostly garbage time. He completed only 17 passes on 34 attempts for 144 yards, throwing no touchdowns and four interceptions. He played the entire second half of the Eagles game against the Baltimore Ravens on November 23 in the infamous benching of Donovan McNabb.[6] Kolb threw an interception in the endzone to Ed Reed, who took it back 108 yards for a touchdown, an NFL record.[7]
2009
His first NFL start was a 48-22 loss against the New Orleans Saints at home on September 20, 2009. His first career touchdown was recorded in the first quarter of that game on a 71-yard pass to DeSean Jackson; he threw for 391 yards on 31 completions. On September 27, 2009, Kolb made his second start for the injured Donovan McNabb, throwing for 327 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-14 win against the Kansas City Chiefs. Kolb thus became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 300 yards in each of his first two career starts. Kolb was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week after his efforts against the Chiefs.[8]
2010
Kolb expressed his desire to be the starting quarterback for the Eagles during the 2010 offseason: “Obviously my goal is to be the starter and to start for 16 games and to lead this team as far as we can go. Personally, I don’t have a lot of personal goals right now, they’re more team-oriented, besides me getting on the field and proving I can take over this thing.”[9] On March 26, Adam Schefter reported that the Eagles expect Kolb to be the starting quarterback for the 2010 season.[10] On April 4, McNabb was traded to the Washington Redskins, making Kolb the starting quarterback.[11] Kolb signed a one-year contract extension worth $12.25 million on April 29, keeping him under contract with the Eagles through the 2011 season.[12]
Personal
Kolb married his wife Whitney Huddleston in February 2007;[13] they reside in Woolwich Township, New Jersey, just outside of suburban Philadelphia.[citation needed] Whitney gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Kamryn June, on January 10, 2009.[14][15] Their second child, a daughter named Atley Rose, was born in April 2010.[16]
Kolb majored in business entrepreneurship at the University of Houston.[17]
Kolb is an avid hunter; he hunts wild hogs with a couple of dogs and a 12-inch Bowie knife. He asserts that controlling the hog population is an essential part of protecting his hometown’s crops. “One hog can ruin an entire field of crops in just one night. They dig up and eat the roots. They need to be controlled,” says Kolb.
