# Quinn Early

Quinn Remar Early (born April 13, 1965) is an American former professional football player who was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the third round of the 1988 NFL draft. Early was a wide receiver who played college football for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes. Early played in 12 National Football League (NFL) seasons from 1988 to 1999.

## Early life and college

Early played high school football at Great Neck South High School in Great Neck, New York. He was an All-New York Team selection in track & field, as well as an All-County Team member in both football and basketball.
As a four-year letterwinner for the Iowa Hawkeyes, Early was named First Team All-Big Ten in 1987 as a wide receiver. He finished the 1987 season as the Big Ten leader in receptions, and finished second in receiving yards (978) and touchdowns (10). As a senior, he was named Third Team All-American.
Early helped the Hawkeyes win the 1985 Big Ten title, but their 45–28 loss to UCLA in the Rose Bowl marked the only bowl game loss during his college tenure. Early played a significant role in Iowa's victories at the 1986 and 1987 Holiday Bowls, as well as the 1984 Freedom Bowl. Both Holiday bowl victories in back-to-back seasons came by a single point:
* 1986: Iowa 39, Wyoming 38
* 1987: Iowa 20, San Diego State 19
During his career at Iowa, Early was a key receiving target for three future NFL quarterbacks: Chuck Long, Mark Vlasic, Chuck Hartlieb and Dan McGwire.

## Professional career
### San Diego Chargers (1988–1990)

Early was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the third round of the 1988 NFL draft, the 1th wide receiver to be drafted (and the second wide receiver selected by the Chargers behind first-round selection Anthony Miller of Tennessee. Early was the Hawkeyes' highest draft pick in 1988.
Early played three seasons with the Chargers, totaling 55 receptions, 739 yards and 5 touchdowns during that span. More than half of those figures came in his rookie season (29–375–4), as he missed 10 games in 1989, and started just three games in 1990.

### New Orleans Saints (1991–1995)

Prior to the 1991 season, Early joined the New Orleans Saints, where he would remain for the next five seasons. He would reach the postseason for first time in 1991 and again in 1992. In a 1992 NFC Wild Card Game loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Early caught a team-best seven passes for 93 yards and his only postseason touchdown, a 7-yard pass from Bobby Hebert.
Progressively, his playing time and opportunities as a pass receiver increased each season, peaking in 1995, when Early recorded career bests of 135 targets, 1,087 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns. In 1994, he caught a career-best 82 passes.

### Buffalo Bills (1996–1998)

Early signed with the Buffalo Bills in 1996, reaching the playoffs in 1996 and 1998 (however, Early was not active for the 1998 playoffs).
1996 proved to be Early's most productive season in Buffalo. His 63-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter of the Bills' Week 2 game provided the game-winning points in a 17–10 home win over the Super Bowl-bound New England Patriots. He also recorded a career-long 95-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter of a Week 14 loss at Indianapolis.
In the Bills' 1996-97 AFC Wild Card playoff loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Early recorded postseason bests in receptions (9) and receiving yards (122). The upstart Jaguars -- only in their second season -- upset Buffalo at Rich Stadium 30–27. It would be his last NFL postseason appearance.

### New York Jets (1999)

Early retired after a stint with the New York Jets in 1999. Despite playing in all 16 games, he recorded just three starts, collecting just six receptions for 83 yards.

## NFL career statistics

Legend :
| | Led the league |
| Bold | Career high |

### Regular season

| Year | Team | Games | Games | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD |
| 1988 | SDG | 16 | 11 | 29 | 375 | 12.9 | 38 | 4 |
| 1989 | SDG | 6 | 3 | 11 | 126 | 11.5 | 21 | 0 |
| 1990 | SDG | 14 | 3 | 15 | 238 | 15.9 | 45 | 1 |
| 1991 | NOR | 15 | 12 | 32 | 541 | 16.9 | 52 | 2 |
| 1992 | NOR | 16 | 16 | 30 | 566 | 18.9 | 59 | 5 |
| 1993 | NOR | 16 | 15 | 45 | 670 | 14.9 | 63 | 6 |
| 1994 | NOR | 16 | 13 | 82 | 894 | 10.9 | 33 | 4 |
| 1995 | NOR | 16 | 15 | 81 | 1,087 | 13.4 | 70 | 8 |
| 1996 | BUF | 16 | 13 | 50 | 798 | 16.0 | 95 | 4 |
| 1997 | BUF | 16 | 16 | 60 | 853 | 14.2 | 45 | 5 |
| 1998 | BUF | 16 | 2 | 19 | 217 | 11.4 | 37 | 1 |
| 1999 | NYJ | 16 | 3 | 6 | 83 | 13.8 | 24 | 0 |
| | | 179 | 122 | 460 | 6,448 | 14.0 | 95 | 40 |

### Playoffs

| Year | Team | Games | Games | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving | Receiving |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD |
| 1991 | NOR | 1 | 1 | 5 | 41 | 8.2 | 12 | 0 |
| 1992 | NOR | 1 | 1 | 7 | 93 | 13.3 | 20 | 1 |
| 1996 | BUF | 1 | 1 | 9 | 122 | 13.6 | 25 | 0 |
| | | 3 | 3 | 21 | 256 | 12.2 | 25 | 1 |

## Martial arts and stuntman

Early taught Choy Li Fut Kung Fu in San Diego and has written and published for Inside Kung Fu magazine. Early also serves as a stunt performer (both credited and uncredited) in both movies and television. IMDb credits him as having been a stunt double in productions for actors Will Smith, Michael Dorn, Richard Roundtree, Shemar Moore, Mike Epps, Mykelti Williamson and Chike Okonkwo. Early has served as writer for two episodes of This Is One and RSVP, as well as the 2023 television movie Stay Out.
In January 2013, Early was one of several professionals named as part of a mentoring program to assist with former #1 overall draft pick JaMarcus Russell's potential comeback to the NFL.