Tommy Maddox is a former American football quarterback who played for various teams in the National Football League (NFL) and the XFL. He began his football career in high school, where he was a standout player and led his team to a state championship. He then went on to play college football at UCLA, where he set several records and was named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year in 1990.
Maddox was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft, but he struggled to find success in the league early on. He was eventually released by the Broncos and spent several years playing in the Arena Football League (AFL) and the XFL before returning to the NFL in 2002.
In 2002, Maddox signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers and became the team's starting quarterback after an injury to their previous starter. He had a breakout season, leading the Steelers to the playoffs and earning the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. Maddox continued to play for the Steelers for several more seasons, but he was eventually replaced as the team's starting quarterback.
Maddox then signed with the New York Giants in 2005, but he was released before the start of the regular season. He retired from football shortly thereafter.
Overall, Maddox's football career was marked by ups and downs. He struggled to find success early on in the NFL, but he was able to revive his career in the XFL and eventually became a successful starting quarterback in the NFL. Despite his success, Maddox was never able to establish himself as a long-term starter in the league and ultimately retired after a relatively short career.
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