Ken O'Brien

Biography

Ken O'Brien overcame a controversial draft selection to establish himself as one of the most intellectually gifted and accurate quarterbacks of his era, earning the distinction as the first New York Jets quarterback to lead the NFL in passer rating. Born on November 27, 1960, in Rockville Centre, New York, O'Brien moved to California at age three and attended Jesuit High School in Carmichael, excelling in football, basketball, and baseball. He began his collegiate career in 1978 at Sacramento State as a reserve before transferring to the University of California, Davis, under coach Jim Sochor. In his senior year of 1982, O'Brien earned NCAA Division II All-American honors, leading UC Davis to a perfect 10-0 regular season and the Division II championship game. Ranked second nationally in total offense and third in passing efficiency, he won the Babe Slater Award twice (1981, 1982) as the conference's best offensive player. He became the first player to compete for both teams in the Causeway Classic rivalry and earned All-Far Western Conference quarterback honors three times before his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997. The New York Jets shocked observers by selecting O'Brien 24th overall in the 1983 NFL draft over the future Hall of Famer Dan Marino, who was chosen three picks later by Miami. Jets fans booed the obscure Division II quarterback, prompting Miami coach Don Shula's famous question, "Who's he?" O'Brien played nine seasons with the Jets (1984-1992) and one with the Philadelphia Eagles (1993), accumulating 25,094 passing yards, 128 touchdowns, and 98 interceptions with an 80.4 passer rating across 129 games. He earned two Pro Bowl selections (1985, 1991) and finished with a 50-59-1 record as a starter. His greatest moments showcased his clutch brilliance: the legendary September 21, 1986, shootout with Dan Marino, when O'Brien threw for 479 yards and four touchdowns in the Jets' 51-45 overtime victory, combining with Marino for 927 yards and ten passing touchdowns; his November 2, 1986, historic performance against Seattle, becoming the first quarterback to achieve a perfect passer rating (158.3) while throwing 400-plus yards, completing 26 of 32 passes for 431 yards in a feat not duplicated until Nick Foles in 2013; the 1985 breakthrough season when he led the NFL with a 96.2 passer rating and the lowest interception rate, guiding the Jets to an 11-5 record and earning AFC Player of the Year honors. Following his retirement, O'Brien served as a quarterbacks coach at UC Davis (1997) before joining USC (1998-1999), where he developed the Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer into an NFL star. He enjoyed a broadcasting career in Sacramento before transitioning to wealth management, and is currently working at IWP Wealth Management in Manhattan Beach, California, where he helps families manage financial planning and protect assets. O'Brien frequently visits Sacramento, which he still calls home, and was inducted into the Sacramento Sports Hall of Fame. Married to his wife Stacey, O'Brien has four adult children and became a first-time grandfather in December 2018. He remains second only to Joe Namath in Jets franchise history for career passing yards, establishing a legacy that transcended the controversial circumstances of his selection.