Jim Everett James Samuel Everett III ( born January 3 , 1963 in Emporia , Kansas ) is a retired professional American football quarterback who played for twelve seasons in the National Football League ( NFL ) . Everett attended Purdue University and was selected in the first round of the 1986 NFL Draft . He was selected as the third pick in the first round by the Houston Oilers , and was the first quarterback taken that year . Unable to work out a contract agreement with Everett , the Oilers traded his rights to the Los Angeles Rams , with whom Everett played from 1986 to 1993 . He then played with the New Orleans Saints from 1994 to 1996 and ended his career with a stint with the San Diego Chargers in 1997 . College career . Everett was recruited out of Eldorado High School in Albuquerque , New Mexico to play either safety or quarterback for Purdue University . He was soon slotted into the quarterback role where he narrowly missed out on being a four - year starter at Purdue , as a game day decision before his first game as a freshman led to Scott Campbell getting the nod over Everett . Campbell held off Everett for three years , one of which Everett was able to redshirt to gain an extra year of eligibility . Upon Campbell ' s graduation to a seven - year career in the NFL , Everett took over the reins of the pass - oriented Boilermaker offense . As a junior , Everett led the Boilermakers to the 1984 Peach Bowl , where he passed for 253 yards and three touchdowns . Purdue lost the game to Virginia , quarterbacked by future Green Bay Packer Don Majkowski , 27 – 24 . Everett is also the only Purdue quarterback to ever beat Michigan , Notre Dame , and Ohio State all in the same season . During the 1985 season , Everett led the NCAA in total offense ( 3 , 589 yards ) , which at the time was a school record ( since broken by Drew Brees ) . He finished sixth in balloting for the 1985 Heisman Trophy . Everett earned regular membership on the Distinguished Students list at Purdue , and graduated with a degree in industrial management . During his time at Purdue , Everett regularly tutored fellow Purdue athletes in courses such as calculus and statistical analysis . He was also initiated into the Sigma Chi fraternity during his time as an undergraduate . NFL career . Everett had a productive NFL career , especially with the Rams , where he was a statistical leader in several passing categories . His Rams teams were successful early in his career , earning playoff berths in 1986 , 1988 , and 1989 . However , after losing the 1989 NFC Championship Game , he would not find himself back in the playoffs for the remainder of his career . Despite that he continued to produce fine statistics , and was rewarded with a trip to the 1991 Pro Bowl game , played in Honolulu , Hawaii . The 1993 season was a low point in Everett ' s career . He played in only ten games but managed to throw twelve interceptions . He only threw eight touchdown passes , tying the lowest amount in his career and matching his rookie total when he only played in six games . The next season in New Orleans he turned his performance around . In three years with the Saints , he threw 22 , 26 , and 12 touchdowns . Over his career , Everett managed to perform well enough to be among league leaders in several passing categories . His 203 touchdown passes rank 25th all - time , and his 34 , 837 passing yards are good enough for 14th all - time . He also ranks 15th all - time in completions and 16th all - time in pass attempts . On a year to year basis , he was among the top ten league leaders in the following categories : pass attempts ( seven times ) , completions ( eight times ) , pass yards ( seven times ) , and passing touchdowns ( six , including leading the league twice ) . Jim Rome controversy . Following the 1989 regular season , Everett was reportedly " shellshocked " from the numerous times he was sacked and hit in the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers ( the 49ers won , 30 – 3 ) . At one point in the game , Everett was so rattled that he collapsed to the ground in the pocket in anticipation of yet another sack , even though the 49ers ' defensive players actually had not yet reached him – a play now known as Everett ' s " Phantom Sack " . From then on he was perceived to shy away from hits , and later acknowledged that his confidence was never fully restored . This eventually led to a confrontation in 1994 with then " Talk2 " host Jim Rome . Rome had regularly mocked Everett ' s aversion to taking hits on the field by addressing him as " Chris " Everett ( a reference to female tennis player Chris Evert ) . When Everett appeared as a guest on " Talk2 " , Rome wasted no time , applying the insult twice within the show ' s first 30 seconds . Everett warned Rome not to do so again , implying that physical confrontation would ensue otherwise . When Rome did , Everett overturned the table between them and shoved Rome to the floor while still on the air . In a 2012 interview with Deadspin , Everett stated that " a large burger franchise " wanted to use the footage in an ad . Everett agreed , but Rome did not , blocking the deal . Post - NFL . After his NFL career ended , Everett settled in Southern California . He received an MBA degree from Pepperdine University and started his own asset management business .