Mike Phipps

Michael Elston Phipps (born January 19, 1947) is a former American college and professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football league (NFL) for twelve seasons during the 1970s and 1980s. Phipps played college football for Purdue University, and was recognized as an All-American. He was the third overall pick in the 1970 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears of the NFL.

Early years

Phipps was born in Shelbyville, Indiana. He attended Columbus High School in Columbus, Indiana, and played for the Columbus Bulldogs high school football team.

College career

Phipps attended Purdue University, where he played for the Purdue Boilermakers football team. He began his college career replacing All-American Boilermakers quarterback Bob Griese. His first major victory was a 28-21 upset of defending national champion Notre Dame Fighting Irish on September 30, 1967. Combining strong passing skills with excellent mobility helped Phipps establish a new school single-season record for total offense and earn the Boilermakers a share of the Big Ten Conference title.