Rypien, Mark R.
Football
b. Oct. 2, 1962, Calgary, Alberta
After graduating from Washington State University in 1986, Rypien was chosen by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round of the NFL draft. He missed all of the 1987 season with a knee injury and was active for just one game in 1988, but didn't play.
The 6-foot-4, 235-pound Rypien became the team's starter during the 1989 season and was named to the Pro Bowl the following year, when he passed for 3,768 yards and 22 touchdowns against only 13 interceptions.
Another knee injury kept him out of action for nearly two months in 1990, but Rypien returned to have his finest year in 1991. He completed 249 of 421 passes for 3,564 yards and 28 touchdowns, throwing just 11 interceptions, and was named NFC player of the year by United Press International. Rypien was also chosen most valuable player in Super Bowl XXVI, when he completed 18 of 33 for 292 yards and 2 touchdowns in Washington's 37-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills.
After a long contract dispute, Rypien had a poor season in 1992, throwing 17 interceptions against just 13 touchdown passes. When the Redskins plummeted to a 4-12 record in 1993, he ranked last among the conference's passers.
He spent the next four seasons as a backup with three different teams, then retired. Rypien came out of retirement in 2001 to back up Peyton Manning with the Indianapolis Colts and retired for good after throwing just 9 passes in 6 games that season.