Skylar Thompson is an American college football quarterback with a passion for using his own experiences to guide other people in their lives. He plays for the Kansas State Wildcats, an athletic team representing the Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas.
Thompson has made a reputable name for himself as an outstanding sportsman, and as a result, he has bagged numerous career honors throughout his football journey.
Also, Skylar aims to play professionally in the future, and with the amount of success he has already achieved as a Wildcat, he is undoubtedly headed in the right direction.
Above all, Skylar Thompson is someone who was able to pick himself up after hitting rock bottom at a very young age.
Therefore, in this article today, we will look into the life of this noted player and how he managed to turn a childhood nightmare into his most prominent dream.
Skylar Thompson: Quick Facts
Full Name | Skylar John Thompson |
Birth Date | June 4, 1997 |
Birth Place | Palmyra, Missouri, USA |
Residence | Manhattan, Kansas, USA |
High School | Fort Osage High School |
University | Kansas State University |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | White |
Religion | Christianity |
Zodiac Sign | Gemini |
Mother’s Name | Teresa Thompson |
Father’s Name | Brad Thompson |
Stepmother’s Name | Katherine Burns Thompson |
Siblings | Eric, Ashley, Anthony |
Age | 27 |
Height | 6’2″ ( 1.87 m) |
Weight | 223 lb ( 101 kg) |
Hair Color | Brunette |
Eye Color | Brown |
Marital Status | Unmarried |
Children | None |
Profession | Student-Athlete |
Current Team | Kansas State Wildcats |
Position | Quarterback |
Social Media | Instagram, Twitter, Facebook |
Merch | Wildcats Jersey, Wildcats Hoodie |
Last Update | September, 2024 |
Skylar Thompson: Family and Early Life
Skylar Thompson was born on June 4, 1997, in Palmyra, Missouri, USA. He is the son of Brad Thompson and the late Teresa Thompson.
Likewise, Thompson has a stepmother, Katherine Burns, and three siblings. He has an older brother, Eric, an older sister, Ashley, and a younger brother, Anthony.
In 2019, Skylar shared an article with his fans and supporters about losing his mother to a battle with cancer as a child.
How was his Childhood?
When Skylar was six years old, his mother Teresa was diagnosed with stage-four breast cancer. The doctors had told his family that chemotherapy would not help her recover, but they did not give up.
Therefore, Brad and Teresa traveled across the USA in search of the best treatment for her. She received chemotherapy at the Cancer Treatment Center of America, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Unfortunately, on May 11, 2004, Teresa Lynn Thompson passed away, only two days after Mother’s Day. Skylar had a loving relationship with his mother, which was tough.
It was the worst pain young Skylar had ever experienced, especially since he had recently lost his grandfather John Walter Thompson due to pancreatic cancer on October 23, 2003.
Losing two of his essential family members had a lot of negative impact on his young mind.
He was unprepared and couldn’t cope with it well. However, after these unfortunate events, his relationship with his father grew more substantial. They supported each other through it all.
Brad ensured his son was busy and surrounded by people who cared for him properly.
Because of this, Skylar also maintains a good relationship with his stepmother Katherine, who helped him and his father in their time of need.
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Skylar Thompson: Education
Skylar Thompson went to Fort Osage High School in Independence, Missouri. His family had moved from Palmyra to Kansas City with his father, siblings, and stepmother to start a new life.
Meanwhile, he made his father promise to let him play football in school. Football was his form of escapism, so it was no surprise that he joined the school football team immediately.
John was a three-year starter in high school, listed on the top 250 players in the Class of 2016 by Rivals.
Thompson received the title of 2015 Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year. The Simone Award also named him the most outstanding football player in the Kansas City metro area.
In addition, he also played basketball in high school and earned Second Team All-State Honors in his sophomore year.
His grandfather was a graduate assistant coach at Kansas State University (K-State) under Cotton Fitzsimmons in 1970. So, Thompson shares his passion for K-State and its athletic team with his grandfather.
Thompson completed his Bachelor’s degree in Management in May 2019 from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas.
Likewise, he is looking to finish his Master’s degree in Academic Advising.
Skylar Thompson: Professional Career
As a freshman at Kansas State University, Skylar Thompson played in a total of 8 games, with starts in the final four contests. He threw for 689 yards and 5 touchdowns on 51-of-83 aim, and he also added 237 rushing yards and another 3 scores.
Similarly, Thompson had one of his best games as a freshman when he threw for 204 yards and 3 touchdowns on 10-of-13 accuracy, leading his team to victory at No. 10 Oklahoma State.
In 2018, Thompson was in 11 games with 10 starts. That year, he had two of his career-best 213 yards against UTSA and Texas Tech.
As 2019 rolled in, he played 13 games and started all of them, throwing for 2,315 yards and 12 touchdowns on 177-of-297 aims with 5 interceptions.
In 2020, Thompson started the first three games, but unfortunately, a shoulder injury caused him to end his season early.
Likewise, he threw for 626 yards and 4 touchdowns on 40-of-64 aims with no interceptions. In summary, Skylar Thompson led K-State to a 21-point comeback victory at No.3 Oklahoma.
It was the first-ever win for the Kansas State Wildcats over a team ranked in the top 5 Associated Press Top 25 poll.
Overall, Skylar Thompson has made a noteworthy career as a 30-game starter. The NFL player has been considered the third most starter in the history of K-State quarterbacks since 1990.
After Ell Roberson, he is the second player in K-State history to throw for over 5,000 yards & rush for 1,000 yards in their careers.
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Skylar Thompson: Awards and Honors
Skylar Thompson has gained multiple honors in his career as a student-athlete for his unmatched talent. Firstly, in his first year at K-State, he won the 2017 Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year Award.
Secondly, he was recognized for his skills at the beginning of his career after receiving the 2017 Manning Award Star of the Week (Oklahoma State) and 2017 Big 12 Newcomer of the Week (Oklahoma State, Iowa State).
Further, Thompson received recognition from the league’s coaches in the 2019 Honorable Mention All-Big 12.
In addition, he went on to receive the 2019 Maxwell Award for Player of the Week (Oklahoma) and the 2019 Davey O’Brien Award for Great 8 List (Oklahoma).
The exceptional quarterback was on the 2020 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week List (Oklahoma) and the 2020 Davey O’Brien Award Great 8 List (Oklahoma).
And to further prove his ability, he received the First Team Academic All-Big 12 honors and was voted the team captain in 2020.
Thompson has garnered attention as a distinguished player by securing a spot in the 2021 Maxwell Award watch list, the 2021 Manning Award watch list, and the 2021 Wuerffel Trophy watch list.
Skylar Thompson: Interests
Skylar Thompson had a keen interest in sports since he was a child. For instance, he played football, basketball, and baseball instead of playing with action figures like most other kids.
Above all, his love for sports-inspired him to become a football player, and it is his dream to turn professional one day.
Thompson has been very open about his love for food. He still remembers the mac-n-cheese his mother used to make for him when he was little.
Moreover, he also enjoyed the steak and grilled chicken his father made for their family.
Love for Music & Charity
Similarly, he loves gaming, watching movies, and listening to music. Music is something he shared with his dad growing up, and it helped them both cope with the death of his mother and grandfather.
They listened to Eminem’s greatest hits CD together. Consequently, even today, Eminem is one of Thompson’s favorite artists to listen to before his football games.
Besides that, Thompson is also involved in Outdoors Disability Advocacy. Many people with disabilities do not get the same opportunities as non-disabled people to enjoy outdoor recreational activities.
Therefore, Thompson advocates for those who find outdoor activities inaccessible because of the lack of awareness and necessary resources.
Skylar Thompson: Shoulder Injury And His Return
Thompson had been starting almost all his games since 2017 until his season-ending injury in October 2020.
The surgery on his throwing arm prevented him from returning for the rest of the games, but he remained determined to better himself despite the challenging circumstances. The quarterback will return for one more season as a Wildcat in September 2021.
To clarify, this will be his sixth season playing for the K-State football team, and his thousands of supporters are already on the lookout for his most awaited comeback.
Since this will be his last season on the Kansas State Wildcats, he is more committed than ever to proving himself.
On the other hand, he recently acted as a camp counselor at the Manning Passing Academy, a prestigious football camp in the United States, with other renowned college football quarterbacks.
Skylar Thompson: Net Worth, Salary, And Career Earnings
While it is unclear how much Thompson earns as a college football player, it is safe to bet that he receives stipends and scholarships for his hard work.
Unlike professional players, college athletes are not paid for representing their colleges.
In 2021, an old rule made by the NCAA that forbids college athletes from accepting brand deals was suspended.
Therefore, players like Thompson now have a way of making money off of their name through sponsored content and endorsements.
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Skylar Thompson: Social Media
Although Thompson is not very active on social media, he does take the time out of his day once in a while to share pictures and videos of himself taken during a game.
He also posts pictures of his family now and then on Instagram, allowing his fans and supporters to see a glimpse of his personal life outside the football ground.
Instagram: 11.5K followers
Twitter: 10.9K followers
Skylar Thompson: FAQs
Is Skylar Thompson returning to Kansas State Wildcats?
Yes, Skylar will return in 2021 for his last season as the quarterback for the K-State football team. The athlete had been forced to end his season early in October 2020 due to a shoulder injury.
Which High School did Skylar Thompson go to?
Skylar Thompson went to Fort Osage High School in Independence, Missouri, United States. He is originally from Palmyra but moved to Independence before joining high school.