Cade McNown

Cade McNown
Cade McNown
Born	Cade Brem McNown; January 12, 1977 (age 49); Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Occupation(s)	American football quarterback (retired), finance executive
Years active	1995–2002 (football)
Known for	College football quarterback at UCLA, NFL quarterback

Cade Brem McNown (born January 12, 1977) is a retired professional American football quarterback who competed for four seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He gained prominence at UCLA, where he was honored with the Johnny Unitas Award during his senior year. Selected 12th overall in the first round of the 1999 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears, McNown’s two-year stint with the Bears was hindered by injuries and inconsistent play. He finished his NFL career serving as a backup quarterback for the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers. In 2020, McNown was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Early life

McNown was born in Portland, Oregon and initially attended San Benito High School in Hollister, California. For his senior year, he transferred to West Linn High School in West Linn, Oregon, where he played both quarterback and free safety. He guided his team to the semifinals of the 1994 Oregon Class 4A playoffs and set a school record in pole vault as part of the track team. His decision to commit to UCLA was influenced by fellow top quarterback recruit Brock Huard signing with Washington; both were among the premier high school quarterbacks on the West Coast in 1994.

College career

McNown enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles and played for the Bruins from 1995 through 1998. He earned the starting quarterback role as a true freshman after four games and led all freshman quarterbacks nationally in several statistical categories. The Bruins ended the 1995 season with a 7–5 record and participated in the Aloha Bowl, where they were defeated by Kansas.

During his sophomore year in 1996, McNown’s performance declined somewhat as UCLA finished 5–6; he ranked ninth in the Pac-10 for pass efficiency. The season concluded on a high note with an overtime comeback victory against rival USC, winning 48–41.

In 1997, McNown set a target for his team to average 30 points per game, but they exceeded this by scoring an average of 39.75 points. After an initial 0–2 start, UCLA won their next ten contests, including a triumph over Texas A&M in the 1998 Cotton Bowl Classic. They finished as Pac-10 co-champions and ranked No. 5 nationally. McNown was named Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the Cotton Bowl, was a finalist for the Davey O'Brien Award, earned third-team All-American honors from Associated Press and The Sporting News, secured second-team All-Pac-10 recognition, and placed eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting. He led the nation in passing efficiency with a rating of 168.6 and shattered numerous UCLA records previously held by Tom Ramsey.

In his final collegiate season (1998), McNown guided UCLA to a 10–2 record and a Rose Bowl berth as sole Pac-10 champions. The Bruins opened with a school-record 20-game winning streak, winning their first ten games before falling to the Miami Hurricanes, which ended their hopes for a BCS Championship appearance. Subsequently, they lost the Rose Bowl to Wisconsin, 38–31. McNown set multiple school records for passing and total offense, became the Pac-10’s all-time leader in total offense, and earned numerous accolades including co-Offensive Player of the Year for the Pac-10, the Pop Warner Memorial Trophy as top senior player on the West Coast, consensus first-team All-American status, and the prestigious Johnny Unitas Award. He finished third in Heisman voting and was named MVP of the 1999 Senior Bowl, throwing two touchdown passes to lead the South team to victory.

McNown holds several UCLA records for passing and total offense and remains the only UCLA quarterback undefeated (4–0) against rival USC. His achievements earned him induction into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009, the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 2017, and ultimately into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2020.

College statistics

Season	Team	Passing								Rushing
Season	Team	Cmp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/A	TD	Int	Rtg	Att	Yds	Avg	TD
1995	UCLA	122	245	49.8	1,698	6.9	7	8	110.9	71	311	4.4	5
1996	UCLA	176	336	52.4	2,424	7.2	12	16	115.2	88	58	0.7	4
1997	UCLA	189	312	60.6	3,116	10.0	24	6	166.0	79	26	0.3	4
1998	UCLA	207	357	58.0	3,470	9.7	25	11	156.6	75	182	2.4	3
Career		694	1,250	55.5	10,708	8.6	68	41	138.9	313	577	1.8	16

Chicago Bears

Following the NFL Scouting Combine, some evaluators raised concerns about McNown's throwing power. He was featured alongside Akili Smith, Daunte Culpepper, and Donovan McNabb on the cover of ESPN The Magazine for its draft preview issue. The Chicago Bears selected him with the twelfth overall pick in the first round of the 1999 NFL draft, a choice obtained through a trade with the Washington Redskins. This marked the highest quarterback selection by the Bears since Jim McMahon.

Prior to the draft, Erik Kramer had been designated as Chicago's starting quarterback but was released before McNown signed a contract after holding out through most of training camp; he eventually agreed to a $22 million deal. Head coach Dick Jauron appointed Shane Matthews as the starting QB after preseason, while McNown saw limited playing time aimed at gaining experience.

McNown's initial start occurred on October 10 against the Philadelphia Eagles, where he completed 17 of his 33 pass attempts for a total of 255 yards, throwing one touchdown and two interceptions in a narrow defeat. He sustained a sprained right knee early during a victory over Green Bay and was briefly replaced by Jim Miller during Miller's suspension before reclaiming the starting role. In a game versus the Detroit Lions, McNown set rookie franchise records with 27 completions, 301 passing yards, and four touchdowns—becoming the first Bears rookie quarterback to surpass 300 yards passing in a single game. Injuries persisted; he missed part of another game due to a thigh strain and established a then-rookie record with 42 pass attempts in the season finale loss.

For the Bears' 2000 campaign, McNown was named starter ahead of Matthews (while Miller was sidelined with injury), but his performance deteriorated amid a struggling team that began with a 1–6 record, prompting fans to call for Miller's reinstatement. Midseason, McNown suffered a shoulder injury and was substituted multiple times due to injuries affecting the quarterback position overall. His final start that year resulted in a shutout loss where he completed only nine passes and threw an interception; he was benched in favor of Matthews in the last game but returned late to help secure an upset victory over Detroit.

Over two seasons as a starter, McNown compiled a record of 3–12 and is often regarded as one of the most disappointing draft selections in Bears and NFL history due to his underwhelming performance and issues within the locker room. His candid demeanor alienated both fans and teammates; he once told booing supporters to stay away from games and blamed receivers following poor plays. Reports surfaced about locker room discord linked to his behavior, including boasting about his $6.1 million signing bonus while neglecting offseason workouts and charity events—actions that drew criticism from media and peers alike for immaturity despite his substantial earnings.

Miami Dolphins

Due to McNown's role as a backup behind Miller and Matthews, along with his personality, the Bears decided to trade him to the Miami Dolphins during the 2001 preseason. The transaction involved McNown and a seventh-round draft choice being exchanged for a sixth-round and a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2003 draft. Serving as Miami's third-string quarterback that year, McNown did not participate in any games.

San Francisco 49ers

In the 2002 offseason, the Dolphins sent McNown to the San Francisco 49ers in return for a conditional seventh-round draft selection. With GM Terry Donahue at the helm, the 49ers were in search of a quarterback suited for the West Coast offense. McNown vied for the backup quarterback position behind starter Jeff Garcia but suffered a shoulder reinjury during preseason, necessitating surgery that sidelined him for the entire season. After being placed on injured reserve, he was released during the 2003 offseason. Subsequently, his rights were obtained by the Calgary Stampeders, although he never signed with the team.

NFL career statistics

Year	Team	Games		Passing								Rushing
Year	Team	GP	GS	Cmp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/A	TD	Int	Rtg	Att	Yds	Avg	TD
1999	CHI	15	6	127	235	54.0	1,465	6.2	8	10	66.7	32	160	5.0	0
2000	CHI	10	9	154	280	55.0	1,646	5.9	8	9	68.5	50	326	6.5	3
Career		25	15	281	515	54.6	3,111	6.0	16	19	67.7	82	486	5.9	3

Personal life

In September of 1999, McNown faced charges for unlawfully possessing a disabled parking permit that he used during his time playing football at UCLA; he entered a no contest plea. Other athletes implicated included Skip Hicks, Larry Atkins, Marques Anderson, and Brendon Ayanbadejo.

By the year 2000, reports indicated that McNown had relationships with Heather Kozar, who was named Playboy Playmate of the Year in 1999, as well as Brande Roderick, who would later receive that title in 2001.

McNown is married to Christina Brascia, daughter of actor and dancer John Brascia and actress/model Sondra Scott. As of June 2016, the couple has four children.

Following his football career, McNown transitioned into finance, initially working in private wealth management at UBS before moving to JPMorgan Chase Private Bank. In 2013, he advanced to vice president at Lourd Murray Capital Management. By mid-2016, he held the position of senior managing director at Kayne Anderson and later joined The Carlyle Group in June 2022 as managing director and Client Relationship Manager.

On October 22, 2021, Tunnel 8 at the Rose Bowl was officially dedicated in honor of McNown.

External links