| Career Highlights: Brian
sipe was an unheralded quarterback at San Diego State when he graduated
in 1972. Cleveland drafted him as an afterthought that year, picking him
up in the 13th round of the NFL Draft (330th pick overall) Some felt that
sipe may not have been big enough to survive in the pocket of an NFL team,
but the 195 lb. Sipe made the team in '72, and was relegated to bench duty.
Sipe got a break, however, in 1974 when the fledgling Mike Phipps got hurt.
Number 17 didn't play like an all pro that year, throwing for 1 TD and 7
INT's, but he continued to be the backup for another year before finally
getting the chance to start in 1976. This is when Sipe began to come into
his own. That year, he threw for 17 TD's, but the best was yet to come.
Brian had a breakout year in '79, as he led the league in TD's (28) and
threw for almost 3800 yards. Sipe led the team to many last minute victories
that year, and his offensive crew became known as the Kardiac Kids. The
next season was even better, as Sipe was named league MVP and threw for
over 4000 yards and 30 TD's. The Kardiac Kids won 9 of their 11 games by
less than a TD, and had it not been for the "mistake on the lake,"
they would have been on their wat to a Super Bowl appearance as well. Sipe
had 3 more average seasons in Cleveland after that before moving on to the
USFL, and before he was done he held most of Cleveland's career passing
records. That's not a bad resume for a 13th round draft pick! FDM |
