Jon Kitna Jon K . Kitna ( born September 21 , 1972 ) is a high school football coach and former American football quarterback who played for fifteen seasons in the National Football League ( NFL ) . After playing college football for Central Washington University , he signed with the Seattle Seahawks in 1996 and was allocated to the Barcelona Dragons of NFL Europe in 1997 . He led the Dragons to a World Bowl championship , and became the starting quarterback for the Seahawks in 1998 after spending the 1997 and most of the 1998 seasons as the backup to Warren Moon . Following a four - year stint with Seattle , Kitna signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2001 . He played for the Bengals from 2001 to 2005 as their starting quarterback , and , later , the mentor to Carson Palmer . He was a member of the Detroit Lions from 2006 to 2008 , and the Dallas Cowboys from 2009 to 2011 . College career . Born and raised in Tacoma , Washington , Kitna attended Central Washington University without an athletic scholarship , and was a quarterback for the Wildcats from 1992 - 1995 . In 1995 the Wildcats won the NAIA Football National Championship with Kitna as their quarterback . Professional career . Believing that his football career was over after the NAIA championship , Kitna finished his math education degree at Central Washington and began applying for high - school coaching jobs . Seattle Seahawks head coach Dennis Erickson visited the campus to give a tryout for his nephew , a receiver on the Central Washington team . Impressed by Kitna ' s strong passes , Erickson offered him the opportunity to attend the Seahawks ' 1996 training camp . Kitna made the practice squad , and after the 1996 season was sent to NFL Europe . Barcelona Dragons . Kitna was named the World ' s Most Valuable Player in NFL Europe when he led the Barcelona Dragons to the 1997 World Bowl Championship ( World Bowl V ) , winning 38 – 24 over the Rhein Fire . Seattle Seahawks . Kitna was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Seahawks . He served as a backup to Warren Moon in 1997 and most of 1998 , but started the final five games of the 1998 season . Then , in 1999 , he started 15 games for the Seahawks , leading them to a 9 – 7 record ( Kitna going 8 – 7 in games started ) and winning the AFC West , though Seattle would lose the wild card game to the Miami Dolphins . In 2000 , Kitna opened the season with a four - interception performance against the Dolphins which opened the door for coach Mike Holmgren to start Brock Huard . During that season , Kitna and Huard rotated as starting QBs due to injury and benchings . On November 5 , down 15 - 14 on 3rd - and - 16 with 1 : 28 left in the game , Kitna dodged a possible 17 - yard sack by San Diego Chargers defensive end Neil Smith and made an 18 - yard pass to Darrell Jackson . This pass set up the game - winning field goal by Rian Lindell . His last win for the Seahawks came on a rain - soaked Husky Stadium turf in December of that year , beating the AFC Championship Game - bound Oakland Raiders on a TD pass to rookie Darrell Jackson in the final minute of play . Cincinnati Bengals . In 2001 , he signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals . In 2003 , Kitna played every offensive down , and was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year after throwing for over 3 , 500 yards and 26 touchdown passes in leading the Bengals to a respectable 8 – 8 record , the team ' s first non - losing season since 1996 . Kitna ' s secondary role with the team was to prepare young quarterback Carson Palmer ( the Bengals ' # 1 draft pick in 2003 ) . It was a role Kitna accepted gracefully . By 2004 , Palmer was ready , leading the Bengals to another 8 – 8 season . Kitna was the backup for Palmer in that season . The two QB ' s developed a close friendship off the field , particularly because both men are avid golf ers . Kitna was unexpectedly thrust back behind center during the Bengals ' AFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on January 8 , 2006 . Palmer went down with a knee injury on his second play from scrimmage and Kitna stepped in off the bench and into a relief role . Kitna finished 24 - 40 for 197 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions and a fumble as the Bengals fell to the eventual Super Bowl XL champion Pittsburgh Steelers 31 – 17 . Detroit Lions . Kitna signed with the Detroit Lions as an unrestricted free agent in early 2006 . He started every Lions game in 2006 and 2007 , throwing for 4 , 000 yards each season — a franchise record at the time . In 2008 , Kitna was injured and placed on injured reserve in week 5 . The team ended the regular season with an 0 - 16 record . Dallas Cowboys . Kitna was traded to the Dallas Cowboys on February 28 , 2009 , for Anthony Henry . His role was Tony Romo ' s primary back - up with Stephen McGee being the third - string QB . Kitna did not play a single down for the Cowboys in the 2009 regular season . He remained idle until October 25 , 2010 when Tony Romo was removed after suffering a broken clavicle , which ended Romo ' s season . Kitna ended up injuring himself on December 25 , 2010 , in a game against the Arizona Cardinals . He was replaced by third - stringer McGee in the season finale against the Eagles . Kitna played well in relief of Romo throwing for over 2000 yards and 16 touchdowns in the 9 games he started , compiling a 4 - 5 record and a career high 88 . 9 passer rating in the process . Kitna retired from the NFL on January 12 , 2012 . Personal life . Kitna is currently a math teacher and football coach at his high school alma mater , Lincoln High School . As coach he led the team to a 5 – 5 record in the 2012 season . Kitna became a Christian in 1993 .