Kevin Kolb Kevin Benjamin Kolb ( ; born August 24 , 1984 ) is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent . He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft . He has also been a member of the Arizona Cardinals and the Buffalo Bills . He played college football for the Houston Cougars . Kolb attended Stephenville High School in Stephenville , Texas , where he was a three - year starter at quarterback . He moved on to the University of Houston where he earned Conference USA Offensive Most Valuable Player of the Year honors in 2006 . Kolb started for two games in place of the injured Donovan McNabb during the 2009 NFL season for the Eagles , and earned NFC Player of the Week honors following his week 3 performance against the Kansas City Chiefs . Following McNabb ' s trade to the Washington Redskins in April 2010 , Kolb became the starting quarterback for the Eagles . However , after suffering a concussion in week 1 against the Green Bay Packers , Kolb was replaced at quarterback by Michael Vick . Vick suffered a rib cartilage injury in week four and Kolb was named the starter . When Vick returned after week eight , Kolb was relegated to a backup role . Kolb was traded to the Arizona Cardinals prior to the start of the 2011 season . Kolb was released by the Cardinals on March 15 , 2013 . Early years . While attending Stephenville High School in Stephenville , Texas , Kolb became the starting quarterback for the Yellow Jackets during his sophomore year . He was a two - time UIL District 8 - 4A offensive MVP . His most outstanding year was his senior year , 2002 , in which he completed 206 of 321 passing attempts for 3 , 357 yards and 29 touchdowns , as well as rushing for 197 yards . At the end of the 2002 season , he earned honorable mention All - State and second - team Academic All - State honors . College career . Kolb initially committed to Oklahoma State to play college football but rescinded this commitment when Houston hired head coach Art Briles , a former head coach at Stephenville High School . Kolb was also recruited by TCU , Oklahoma and Texas Tech . 2003 . One day before the season - opener in 2003 , Kolb was named the starter in Houston as a true freshman , the first true freshman quarterback to start in the season - opener in school history , making his debut against Rice at Robertson Stadium . On September 20 , Kolb threw for 321 yards and four touchdowns and went 20 - for - 29 passing in the 42 – 35 win over Mississippi State . He was named Conference USA Player of the Week for his performance . On October 25 , Kolb accounted for over 400 yards passing and 100 yards rushing against TCU in a 62 - 55 loss to the Horned Frogs , only the fourth time this feat had been achieved in Division I - A . He tied the league record with 578 total yards , and earned Conference USA offensive co - player of the week honors for his performance . Kolb finished the season with 3 , 131 passing yards , 25 touchdowns , and only six interceptions en route to a 7 - 6 record on the year , which ended with a 54 - 48 loss to Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl . Following the season , Kolb was named Conference USA Freshman of the Year . 2004 . Kolb was named to the Walter Camp Award , Davey O ' Brien Award and Maxwell Award watchlists prior to the start of the 2004 season . He started in all 11 games in 2004 , finishing first in the conference in total offense with 256 . 1 yards per game , and he passed for 2 , 766 yards and 11 touchdowns . 2005 . Kolb was named to the Maxwell Award and Davey O ' Brien Award watchlists for the second straight year in 2005 . After a losing season in 2004 , Kolb led the Cougars to a 6 - 5 regular - season record in 2005 . He was named the Cougars ' MVP in the Fort Worth Bowl in a 42 - 13 loss to Kansas after passing for 214 yards and scoring one rushing touchdown . He finished the season with 3 , 258 passing yards , and became the school ' s all - time total offense leader . He earned third - team All - Conference USA honors following the season . 2006 . Kolb was named to the Maxwell Award watchlist for the third consecutive year in 2006 . He was named the consensus Conference USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year , and he earned preseason all - conference honors . The 2006 season was Kolb ' s signature college year , in which he threw 30 touchdowns and only four interceptions on the way to a 10 - 4 record and a Conference USA championship . He went 22 - for - 35 for 235 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Rice University on September 2 , and was named the Conference USA Player of the Week for his efforts . He was named as a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award on November 1 . He was named the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year on November 30 . Kolb won the conference ' s offensive MVP , but Houston lost to South Carolina 44 - 36 in the Liberty Bowl . He finished the season with 3 , 808 passing yards , 30 touchdowns and four interceptions . Kolb ended his career with 12 , 964 total passing yards , fifth all - time . Kolb was invited to play in the 2007 East – West Shrine Game on January 20 , 2007 , and the 2007 Senior Bowl on January 27 . Professional career . Pre - draft . Kolb was rated as the sixth - best quarterback in the 2007 NFL Draft by NFLDraftScout . com , and was projected to be drafted in the third or fourth round . He hired Jeff Nalley and Vann McElroy as his agents prior to the draft , and they hired former NFL quarterback Jerry Rhome to work with Kolb to get him ready for the pre - draft workouts . He worked out with Danny Arnold in Stafford , Texas in February 2007 in order to prepare for the NFL Scouting Combine . Kolb worked out for the Baltimore Ravens in the first week of April , and followed it up with a visit to the Philadelphia Eagles . Philadelphia Eagles . Kolb was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round ( 36th overall ) of the 2007 NFL Draft . He was the third quarterback taken in the draft behind JaMarcus Russell ( 1st overall ) and Brady Quinn ( 22nd overall ) . He signed a four - year , $ 4 . 285 million contract with the team on July 25 , 2007 . Kolb spent 2007 as the third - string quarterback behind Donovan McNabb and A . J . Feeley . In his second year in the league , Kolb was promoted to second - string quarterback ahead of A . J . Feeley . He played the entire second half of the Eagles game against the Baltimore Ravens on November 23 after an infamous benching of McNabb . Kolb threw an interception in the endzone to Ed Reed , who took it back 108 yards for a touchdown , an NFL record . Kolb completed only 17 passes on 34 attempts for 144 yards , throwing no touchdowns and four interceptions during the season . Kolb ' s first NFL start was a 48 - 22 loss against the New Orleans Saints at home on September 20 , 2009 due to an injury to Donovan McNabb . His first career touchdown was recorded in the first quarter of that game on a 71 - yard pass to DeSean Jackson ; he threw for 391 yards on 31 completions . On September 27 , 2009 , Kolb made his second start in place of McNabb , throwing for 327 yards and two touchdowns in a 34 - 14 win against the Kansas City Chiefs . Kolb became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 300 yards in each of his first two career starts . He was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week after his efforts against the Chiefs . Kolb expressed his desire to be the starting quarterback for the Eagles during the 2010 offseason : " Obviously my goal is to be the starter and to start for 16 games and to lead this team as far as we can go . Personally , I don ' t have a lot of personal goals right now , they ' re more team - oriented , besides me getting on the field and proving I can take over this thing . " Kolb gained many comparisons to the situation Aaron Rodgers endured backing up Brett Favre during his first three seasons . Kolb and Rodgers reached out to one another to share their similar plights . On March 26 , Adam Schefter reported that the Eagles expected Kolb to be the starting quarterback for the 2010 season . On April 4 , McNabb was traded to the Washington Redskins , making Kolb the starting quarterback . Kolb signed a one - year contract extension worth $ 12 . 25 million on April 29 , keeping him under contract with the Eagles through the 2011 season . In the Eagles ' season - opener against the Green Bay Packers , the supposed start of the " Kevin Kolb Era , " he was tackled by Packers linebacker Clay Matthews , and sustained a concussion . For precautionary measures , Kolb was withdrawn from the game . After passing a series of tests , he was nonetheless withheld for the game against the Detroit Lions . On September 21 , backup quarterback Michael Vick was named the starting quarterback over Kolb for the rest of the season following Vick ' s win over the Lions . Kolb took over for Vick in a game against the Redskins in week 4 after Vick suffered a chest injury . Kolb went 22 - for - 35 with 201 passing yards , one touchdown and an interception in place of Vick . Against the Atlanta Falcons in week 6 , Kolb went 23 - for - 29 for 326 yards , three touchdowns and one interception , and was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week following his performance . During the game , Kolb made an illegal horse - collar tackle on Falcons safety William Moore following an interception . The Eagles were penalized 15 yards and Kolb was later fined $ 5 , 000 by the league , the first time a quarterback was fined for a horse - collar tackle . After the 2010 season , there was speculation that the Eagles would look to make a deal for Kolb since Vick was the clear starting quarterback . However , due to the 2011 NFL Labor Dispute , the Eagles were unable to trade away Kolb . On July 19 , 2011 , Kolb expressed interest in playing for the Arizona Cardinals : " Arizona would be a great place " to play . Arizona Cardinals . Kolb was traded to the Arizona Cardinals on July 28 , 2011 , in exchange for cornerback Dominique Rodgers - Cromartie and a second - round draft pick in the 2012 NFL Draft ( which the Eagles traded for draft picks used on Vinny Curry and Brandon Boykin ) . Expected to start , Kolb had a decent preseason debut for the Cardinals in preseason play against the Oakland Raiders , going 4 - for - 7 for 68 yards ; among the four completions was a 43 - yard pass to wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald . Kolb started his first game for the Cardinals on September 11 , 2011 against the Carolina Panthers in the first week of the 2011 NFL season . Kolb was 18 of 27 for 309 yards , two touchdowns , and no picks in the 28 - 21 win over the Panthers . He also posted a 130 . 0 passer rating in the game , third best in the NFL in Week 1 . However , over the rest of the season , his play markedly deteriorated as the Cardinals lost several close games . Furthermore , he was hampered by various injuries . A foot injury ( turf - toe ) that he incurred in a game against the Baltimore Ravens sidelined him for several games . His backup quarterback , John Skelton , performed ably as he stepped in and won games against St . Louis ( once at home , once away ) and against Philadelphia . Upon return from his turf - toe injury , Kevin led the Cardinals to a comeback win against the Dallas Cowboys in overtime . The game was memorable for the blunder committed by the Cowboys ' coach , when he called a time - out and " iced " his own kicker on a potentially game - winning field goal . The ensuing kick after the time - out was not good , and in overtime , Kevin threw a touch - pass to LaRod Stephens - Howling who ran it into the end - zone for the winning score . But in the very next game against the San Francisco 49ers , Kolb was inadvertently kicked in the back of the head early in the first series . He left the game with concussion - related symptoms , and did not return that season . Following a quarterback battle , Kolb lost his starting position to John Skelton for the 2012 NFL season . Following a Week 1 injury to Skelton , Kolb entered the game during the 4th quarter , leading the team on a come - from - behind victory . Skelton was eventually ruled out for the Week 2 match - up against the New England Patriots . Kolb put up impressive numbers and was able to engineer a win . It is widely speculated that Kolb will be the starter in Arizona , assuming he can stay healthy . Arizona was handed their first loss of the season by the 2 - 2 St . Louis Rams , by a final score of 17 - 3 . Kolb completed just around 50 % of his passes , and was sacked 9 times ( The 2012 Cardinals became the first team since their 2003 counterparts to allow eight or more sacks in consecutive games ) . Kolb proved his worth to the coaching staff following October 14 ' s matchup against the Buffalo Bills , in which Kolb suffered a rib injury late in the fourth quarter . Skelton began taking snaps for the injured Kolb and was only able to complete 2 of 10 passes with a game - costing interception in the OT period . This injury caused Kolb to miss the following seven games , all of which the Cardinals lost . The Cardinals released Kolb on March 15 , 2013 after failing to agree to a restructured contract . Buffalo Bills . Kolb agreed a two - year contract for $ 13 million with the Buffalo Bills on March 30 , 2013 . On August 24 , Kolb suffered a severe concussion in a preseason game against the Washington Redskins . Early speculation is that this injury may ultimately be a career - ending injury as Kolb has had a history with head injuries , however , Kolb has made statements contrary to this . He was placed on injured reserve on August 30 . Kolb was released on March 11 , 2014 . Personal . Kolb married his wife Whitney Huddleston in February 2007 . Whitney gave birth to their first child , a daughter named Kamryn June , on January 10 , 2009 , and their second child , a daughter named Atley Rose , was born in April 2010 . Kolb majored in business entrepreneurship at the University of Houston . Kolb competes in North Texas fishing tournaments in the offseason . Kolb also enjoys hunting wild hog s in his spare time . It may seem dangerous to hunt with just a twelve - inch Bowie knife , but Kolb , assured the public , " Our dogs go and find ' em first , and then we stab the pigs . It ' s a little bit dangerous , but as long as you know what you ' re doing , you ' ll be alright . "