After a standout prep career at Ottawa High School where he led his team to state titles in basketball and track and a state runner-up finish in football, Grogan spent his collegiate career at Kansas State University. During his college career, he completed 166 of 371 attempts for 2,214 yards, 12 TDs and 26 interceptions, ran for additional 585 yards and six touchdowns on 339 attempts. A multi-functional player, Grogan was a part-time punter for the team, hitting seven punts for 279 yards, and also caught a 22-yard TD pass as a senior.
Steve Grogan played in 149 games during his 16-year NFL career from 1975–1990, all with the New England Patriots. He ranks third all time among Patriots’ quarterbacks with 3,593 attempts 1,879 completions, 26,886 yards and 182 touchdowns. Grogan’s 35 rushing touchdowns rank fourth in Patriots history, but his 1979 season proved to be his best as he completed 206 of 423 passes for 3,386 yard and 28 touchdowns while rushing for 368 yards and 2 touchdowns. In 1995, Grogan was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame.
Despite playing at the typically protected quarterback position, Grogan was still revered as one of the hardest hitters and toughest player in Patriots history. He played hard for 16 years despite suffering a variety of injuries that included five knee surgeries, screws in his leg, a cracked fibula, two ruptured disks in his neck (which he played with for over a season), a broken left hand (he instead handed off with his right hand), two separated shoulders on each side, the reattachment of a tendon to his throwing elbow and three concussions.
Mr. Grogan resides in Massachusetts with his family.
Categories: Local to New England, Sports
