Born in 1965 in Pennsylvania, Rich Gannon is known for his career as a quarterback in the National Football League. After playing collegiate football with the University of Delaware, Gannon was drafted as a defensive back by the New England Patriots in 1987. Gannon insisted on remaining a quarterback, so he was quickly traded to the Minnesota Vikings. After a few years with the team, he was elevated to the position of starting quarterback. He later played for the Washington Redskins, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Oakland Raiders before his retirement after the 2004 season. During a career that lasted more than a decade and a half, Gannon gathered a number of awards, including four Pro Bowl selections (at which he was named MVP twice), three All-Pro selections, the title of MVP from both the AP and Pro Football Weekly (2002), and the Bert Bell Award – twice.