Charlie Whitehurst Charles David Whitehurst ( born August 6 , 1982 ) is an American football quarterback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Chargers in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft . He played college football at Clemson . Whitehurst has also played for the Seattle Seahawks . He is the son of former NFL quarterback David Whitehurst . Early years . Whitehurst was a player with the Alpharetta Youth Football Association ( AYFA ) . His 1993 90 Pound Division 1 Team won the both the Southeastern Region Championship and the State of Georgia Championship . His 1994 105 Pound Division 1 Team won the Division 1 Championship in GYFC and the Runner up for the State of Georgia Championship . He attended Taylor Road Middle School . Whitehurst attended Chattahoochee High School in Johns Creek , Georgia and was a three year letterman in football and a four year letterman in baseball . College career . While playing college football at Clemson University , Whitehurst became the first quarterback to go 4 - 0 in the rivalry between Clemson and the University of South Carolina , including a 63 - 17 route of the Gamecocks in Columbia on November 22 , 2003 . Professional career . San Diego Chargers . Whitehurst was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft . He played in two regular season games as the third - stringer to Billy Volek and starter Philip Rivers . Seattle Seahawks . Whitehurst was acquired by the Seattle Seahawks on March 17 , 2010 , in exchange for a 2011 third - round draft pick to San Diego , and the two teams switched second - round picks in the 2010 NFL draft . He was signed to a two - year , $ 8 million contract for a quarterback with essentially no starting experience . Seattle ' s front office later stated they had already picked up a potential franchise quarterback in the draft by acquiring Whitehurst with the 2011 pick . On November 7 , 2010 Whitehurst started and played in week 9 against the New York Giants due to an injury suffered by starter Matt Hasselbeck . Whitehurst started on January 2 , 2011 , in a Sunday Night game against the division rival St . Louis Rams to determine the NFC West champion . In the game , Whitehurst had a 61 - yard pass to Ruvell Martin . Whitehurst was 5 - for - 5 for 85 yards on the opening drive and finished the first half going 16 - for - 21 with 138 yards and one touchdown . Hasselbeck returned as the starter for the subsequent playoff game . Prior to the 2011 preseason , Whitehurst was named the backup to Tarvaris Jackson , the former Vikings quarterback whom Seattle acquired in the 2011 offseason . However , Jackson and Whitehurst were expected to compete for the starting job once Whitehurst became familiar with the new offensive schemes . Whitehurst went 14 - of - 19 passing with one touchdown to put Seattle on the board against the Vikings in 2011 ' s second preseason action . Whitehurst took over for an injured Jackson during a week 5 matchup at the New York Giants . In that game Whitehurst outscored Jackson ' s 14 points in the first three quarters by putting up 20 points in the fourth quarter , going 11 - for - 19 , 149 yards , and a 27 - yard touchdown pass to Doug Baldwin , securing a 36 - 25 Seattle victory . Coach Pete Carroll named Whitehurst to take over as starting quarterback until Jackson healed from a pectoral injury , although no official date of Jackson ' s medical clearance had been released . In week 7 against the Cleveland Browns , Whitehurst was named starter after Jackson could not recover from his pectoral injury suffered in the Giants game . Whitehurst did not fare well in the start , going 12 of 30 for 92 yards , with no touchdowns and two turnovers . Second stint with Chargers . On March 16 , 2012 , Whitehurst signed a two - year contract with the San Diego Chargers .