John Friesz is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. He was born on August 19, 1967, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and attended the University of Idaho, where he played college football for the Vandals.
Friesz was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the sixth round of the 1990 NFL Draft. He spent his first four seasons with the Chargers, serving as a backup quarterback behind Stan Humphries. In 1994, Friesz became the starting quarterback for the Chargers after Humphries suffered a shoulder injury. He played well, throwing for 3,880 yards and 19 touchdowns, but the team finished with a 8-8 record and missed the playoffs.
After the 1994 season, Friesz signed with the Seattle Seahawks as a free agent. He spent three seasons with the Seahawks, starting 25 games and throwing for over 6,000 yards and 29 touchdowns. In 1997, Friesz suffered a season-ending injury in the second game of the season, and was replaced by Warren Moon.
Friesz then signed with the Washington Redskins in 1998, where he served as a backup to Brad Johnson. He played in only two games that season, completing 5 of 9 passes for 46 yards. Friesz was released by the Redskins after the season, and signed with the Seattle Seahawks for a second stint in 1999.
Friesz played in only one game for the Seahawks in 1999, and was released after the season. He then signed with the New England Patriots in 2000, but was released before the start of the regular season.
In his NFL career, Friesz played in 106 games, starting 46 of them. He threw for 10,911 yards and 45 touchdowns, with 43 interceptions. Friesz was known for his accuracy and intelligence on the field, but was often hampered by injuries throughout his career.
After retiring from football, Friesz became a football analyst for ESPN and the Mountain West Network. He also worked as a high school football coach in Idaho, and was inducted into the University of Idaho Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003.
Overall, John Friesz had a solid NFL career as a quarterback, playing for four different teams over 10 seasons. While he never achieved superstar status, he was a reliable backup and occasional starter who was respected by his teammates and coaches.
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