“Life is full of highs and lows. We need them both to grow to our fullest potential.”
Justifying the above statement, Chris Weinke is the story of an NFL quarterback who had spectacular ups and downs during his career.
From his high school days, the stellar quarterback became the oldest person to receive Heisman Trophy at 28. He has also garnered numerous awards and titles in his pockets.
Chris was already a star from his college days and had the full potential to become the nation’s best quarterback.
The rising star had already achieved so much in college that many speculated his professional career would bring him more success and fame.
But unfortunately, the moment he embarked on his professional career, his career went downhill. Chris had a short-lived NFL career, as he retired early.
What happened to Chris after his retirement, and where is he now? We have covered it all, so read to the end.
The article covers the life story of Chris Weinke. But, before we dive right into his life story, let’s quickly know his quick facts.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Christopher Jon Weinke |
| Name | Chris Weinke |
| Nick Name | Chris |
| Date of Birth | July 31, 1972 |
| Age | 51 years old |
| Birth Place | Saint Paul, Minnesota |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Zodiac Sign | Aries |
| Height | 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) |
| Weight | 235 lb (107 kg) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Father’s Name | Ron Weinke |
| Mother’s Name | Betty Weinke |
| Siblings | Derek, Sarah |
| High School | Cretin-Derham Hall High School |
| Education | Degree in Sports Management |
| University | Florida State University |
| Marital Status | Not available |
| Wife | Not available |
| Marriage Year | Not available |
| Children | Not available |
| Profession | NFL Player Coach |
| Position | Quarterback |
| Leagues | National Football League (NFL) |
| NFL Draft | 106th overall pick in the fourth round by Carolina Panthers in 2001 |
| Debut Year | 2001 |
| Retirement as a player | 2007 |
| Teams |
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| Awards and Achievements |
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| Net Worth | $11 million |
| Social Media | |
| Merch | Trading Card, Autographed Photo |
| Last Update | April, 2024 |
Chris Weinke | Early Life
On July 31, 1972, Chris Weinke was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was taken to his Father, Ron Weinke, and his mother, Betty Weinke.
Chris is not the only child in his family. He has two siblings, Derek and Sarah Weinke.
Chris is more of a private person and wants to keep his personal life confidential. Thus, little information has been provided regarding his childhood and family background.
However, based on his remarkable career, it’s fair to presume that he’s been a sports lover from childhood and that his family supported whichever career path he chose.
Chris Weinke | Amateur Years
A sporty person since childhood, Chris participated in every sports game in his school and high school days.
He attended Cretin-Derham Hall High School, where he was a three-sport champion. He played as the baseman for the baseball team, quarterback for the football team, and hockey team captain.
Chris excelled in all three sports, but he was more drawn to football, and that’s when he decided he wanted to pursue his career in football.
He had an amazing high school career and was even selected as Minnesota’s Prep Football Player of the Year. Furthermore, the football prodigy made it to the Parade’ magazine and ‘USA Today All-America selection at 16.
Chris had achieved a lot despite his young age. Many Division I colleges wanted to recruit him to their college team based on his talents and capability.
It was hard to select the University amongst numerous offers, and after deep thought, Weinke chose Florida State University.
In 1989, Weinke signed a letter of intent to play for Florida State University, but the rising young athlete had other plans.
Minor League Baseball
Rather than attend University, Weinke entered the 1990 baseball draft and was selected by the Toronto Bluejays’ farm team as the 62nd overall selection.
He then spent most of the 1990s in minor-league baseball. When his baseball career halted, he did a rapid U-turn and returned to Florida State University at 25, with four years of eligibility remaining.
Over and above that, what’s highlighting is he was only one step away from playing in the major leagues.
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Back to Florida State
In 1997, Weinke enrolled at Florida State University on a scholarship. He joined the FSU’s football team, the Seminoles, where he was assigned a quarterback position.
Despite his age, he gave a spectacular performance and led the Florida State Seminoles to a 9–1 record and a second national rating in 1998.
But unfortunately, Chris was met with a neck injury and had to miss the rest of the season. However, he led the second-ranked Seminoles to win the national title the following season. It was the school’s first national title.
Due to his stellar performance, Weinke was awarded numerous awards and titles in his college career. In 2000, he was awarded the Heisman Trophy, given to the finest player in college football.
Besides the Heisman award, Chris received the Davey O’Brien and the Johnny Unitas Awards.
Furthermore, Chris also helped the Seminoles to their third national championship game in three years, but they were defeated 13–2 by the Oklahoma Sooners.
Weinke ended his Florida State career with a 32–3 record and multiple FSU records, including the most career passing yards and touchdown passes.
He became the seventh Seminole (and the second quarterback) to have his jersey retired in 2001.
In addition, he also earned a degree in Sports Management and was a two-time ACC All-Academic Team selection.
Chris Weinke | Professional Career
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers picked Wienke in the fourth round (106th overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played as the quarterback in the Carolina Panthers.
In his rookie games, Weinke had the most pass attempts per game of any rookie in NFL history at the time. He was later named the Panthers’ backup quarterback after the season.
However, despite his stellar college career, Chris’s career in NFL was below expectations. He re-signed with Carolina for the 2006 season and retired in 2007.
San Francisco 49ers
After retiring from Carolina, Chris was signed by the Francisco 49ers on December 12, 2007. He had average gameplay for a season and ended his NFL career since the 49ers did not resign him for the next season.
Chris Weinke | Retirement
Chris officially retired as a player in NFL in 2007. After his retirement, Weinke and his family moved to Austin, Texas, where he worked as a marketing and event development vice president for Triton Financial.
Later, Weinke became the IMG Madden Football Academy director in Bradenton, Florida, in 2010.
The Academy provides a thorough football training program that teaches fundamental football principles.
Life was going steady even after retirement, but Chris felt he was missing something in his life. It was the football that was the essence of his life.
Thus, Chris embarked on his coaching career to be connected to football.
Chris Weinke | Coaching Career
On February 19, 2015, it was reported that Weinke had been appointed as the St. Louis Rams’ quarterback’s coach. He served as a coach for two years in the Rams.
Later on March 1, 2017, Weinke was hired as an offensive analyst for the University of Alabama coaching staff.
The next year, he joined the University of Tennessee coaching staff as the running backs coach.
Weinke was hired as Georgia Tech’s quarterback coach on January 2, 2022.
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Chris Weinke | Awards and Achievements
As a player
- A national champion (1999)
- ACC Player of the Year (2000)
- ACC Offensive Player of the Year (2000)
- Johnny Unitas Award (2000)
- Davey O’Brien Award (2000)
- Heisman Trophy (2000)
- Sammy Baugh Trophy (2000)
- Florida State Seminoles Jersey No. 16 honored
- USA Today High School All-American (1989)
As a coach
- CFP national champion (2017)
Chris Weinke | Wife and Children
As mentioned, Chris Weinke is a private person who loves keeping his personal life low-key in the media. Thus, his relationship status is still unknown.
There was a rumor that he had married a woman, but their relationship couldn’t last, and they divorced later.
However, there has been no evident information regarding his marital status and children. But stay tuned for the updates.
Chris Weinke | Net Worth
The net worth of Chris Weinke is roughly estimated to be $ 11 Million. He earned his net worth as an NFL player and coach.
According to Sportrac, Chris signed his entry-level contract with the Carolina Panthers for $2,262,000, receiving a signing bonus of $500,000 and an average salary of $452,400.
He later renewed the contract for $4,500,000 with signing bonus of $1,200,000 and average salary of $1,500,000.
In 2007, he signed one year contract with the San Francisco 49ers for $595,000.
It is not known how much he earns as a coach, but it can be assumed that he is paid a handsome salary based on his skills and expertise in the field.
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Social Media Handles
Chris Weinke has no social media presence. He does not have Facebook or Instagram. He loves keeping his personal life private. Thus, he is not on any social media platforms.
Fans also believe he is old enough to be active on social media, but many older people have an active social media presence.
So, it’s all about personal choice, and Chris has opted not to share his life on social media. However, we can catch him on Twitter with 17.5k followers.
He might have a personal hidden profile to connect with the close ones, but he has no public profiles.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why did Chris Weinke join college late?
Chris Weinke joined Florida State University in 1989, right after graduating his high school. But, he forgoes his University admission to play in the minor baseball league. Later, he returned to the University at the age of 25.
What are Chris Weinke’s NFL statistics?
In Chris’s seven-year NFL career, he had 709 passing attempts, 386 passing completions, and a percentage of 54.4 %. He had passing yards of 3,904 and a passer rating of 62.2
