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Delhomme heads to IR, career in Charlotte could be over

The Jake Delhomme era in Carolina apparently is over.

We think the correct term is “euthanasia.”

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Panthers have placed Delhomme on injured reserve.

Delhomme joined the team in 2003, and he replaced Rodney Peete as the starter at halftime of a Week One game against the Jaguars.  Trailing 17-0 at the time, Delhomme rallied the Panthers to a 24-23 win.  He started all of the remaining games that year, culminating in a narrow loss against the Patriots in the Super Bowl. 

In 2009, Delhomme had his worst season as a starter.  During 11 starts, Delhomme threw eight touchdown passes and 18 interceptions, for a 59.4 passer rating.  That’s more than 20 points below his lowest passer rating for a given season.

Per Schefter, the move comes after Delhomme tested his injured finger this week, and it continued to swell.

Whether the Panthers pull the plug on Delhomme’s career in Charlotte remains to be seen.  After all, they reacted to a horrendous performance in the 2008 NFC divisional playoffs against the Cardinals by essentially pretending it didn’t happen.  A contract extension and $20 million in guaranteed money later, Delhomme was still the guy when the 2009 season started.

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30 Responses to “Delhomme heads to IR, career in Charlotte could be over”
  1. Iverson says: Dec 24, 2009 10:34 AM

    Adam_Schefter:
    As for next year, the Panthers still owe Delhomme $13 million. So unless they want to give him money for nothing, Delhomme will be back.

  2. Tdk24 says: Dec 24, 2009 10:37 AM

    Jake, come to Oakland baby!

  3. hayward giablommi says: Dec 24, 2009 10:37 AM

    Delhomme will never hold another starting job for the remainder of his career.
    After his Favre-esque meltdown in last year’s playoffs, the fact that he was brought in as this years starting QB with no contingency plan reflects very poorly on the coaching staff and player personnel department, both of whom should be taking some serious heat for allowing this season to be destroyed by some of the worst QB play seen this decade.

  4. Ranoversquarells says: Dec 24, 2009 10:41 AM

    Sad to see how it all ended. Has a Rick Ankiel feeling to it.

  5. tre_fizzle says: Dec 24, 2009 10:43 AM

    Florio what about the 13 Million they owe him in 2010? You think they’ll let him walk and pay him that?

  6. Chapnasty2 says: Dec 24, 2009 10:44 AM

    Hey Florio, Stop ending my accounts!

  7. dcfan-1212450 says: Dec 24, 2009 10:48 AM

    Delhomme made Carolina a contender when their defense wasn’t enough. Steve Smith is only relevant because of Delhomme. But the man has been bad. It may be time to move on for the Panthers. This years draft has plenty of QBs. They should draft one, will probably keep Delhomme for one more year due to his contract, let him mentor the next QB, and then move on.

  8. Nobe says: Dec 24, 2009 10:54 AM

    Jake’s career has been over for two years now. Carolina got to the playoffs last year on the back of their running game.
    Only problem is that no one noticed until this year.

  9. schism says: Dec 24, 2009 11:12 AM

    Delhomme had a good run, I think he’ll move on.
    Matt Moore could be somthing special, or at least well above average.

  10. D.R.Universal says: Dec 24, 2009 11:14 AM

    trust me–i been watching him up close since he’s been a Panther and he was never really that good to begin with….he went from average to terrible over the last 2 years!!
    BUT for some strange reason..John Fox has hitched his job to this BUM and that is the reason why he needs to go as well!

  11. stevemcguigan says: Dec 24, 2009 11:16 AM

    Chapnasty:
    Ever think there might be a reason you aren’t welcome?

  12. HappyBunny says: Dec 24, 2009 11:17 AM

    You mean his career wasn’t already over?

  13. al54 says: Dec 24, 2009 11:29 AM

    Chapnasty2, To bad your parents can’t see what an idiot you are!! But then again they probably wouldn’t own up to you being their son. Grow up loser! Everytime I see your dum ass on here I flag it.

  14. SixburghSteelers says: Dec 24, 2009 11:57 AM

    “The Jake Delhomme era in Carolina apparently is over.”
    It’s BEEN over…

  15. Drat says: Dec 24, 2009 11:58 AM

    Everyone seems eager to see Delhomme go. But they forget the really important question. Where will they get anyone better? Same in St. Louis with Bulger. It’s not like you can just go to Walmart and fish about in the “QBs better than Bulger” bin. Replacing a player is more about the replacement than the original player.

  16. Bob S. says: Dec 24, 2009 12:19 PM

    Quebec City is trying to get a CFL franchise, they’d really love to have him lead their team

  17. litemater says: Dec 24, 2009 12:56 PM

    “Delhome” in the Heading? Maybe Delhomme?

  18. HarrisonHits says: Dec 24, 2009 1:06 PM

    As to what Delhomme is owed, it’s called an injury settlement and it happens all the time.

  19. Brewster says: Dec 24, 2009 1:27 PM

    Euthanasia? Classic Florio.
    Very funny. As was Drat’s comment about finding a QB better than Bulger at Walmart.

  20. Rafterman says: Dec 24, 2009 1:28 PM

    Delhomme was never anymore then a career backup!
    Now he can go on with his life’s work. Why John Fox bet his job on him we’ll never know…

  21. comment_submission_error says: Dec 24, 2009 1:46 PM

    Delhomme still has a better QB rating than JaMarcus Russell, so he has that going for him. Russell isn’t even in the top 32.

  22. Iron Wolf says: Dec 24, 2009 1:57 PM

    As a non Panthers fan, my take on him was that he was gutsy, a good leader, but almost always made the killer mistake. I’m sure Panthers fans’ hearts have been broken more than once. Too bad, he was so close to being very good.

  23. Bubby Brister says: Dec 24, 2009 2:07 PM

    “We need to reach out to the kids on this Christmas holiday. And I ain’t just talkin about the kids in the US. I mean the euthanasia, the euthanafrica, the euthankorea, excedrin, excedrin.”
    - Emmitt Smith

  24. scrapdawg12 says: Dec 24, 2009 2:38 PM

    They owe Delhomme 13 million next year. Ask him to rework his deal and be the starter or just give him the 13 million and get the heck out of town. What a bad contract. Sounds like the Titans with Kerry Collins. Maybe the teams could trade QB’s?

  25. Todd Wallace says: Dec 24, 2009 2:59 PM

    Delhomme wasn’t a great quaterback but certainly a good one. I can’t judge because I’ve never had a linebacker nail me on a blindside blitz coming at about Mach Three.
    I think he might be a good fit with the Raiders. Gradkowski(sp) was at least moving the ball after Russell got benched. Too bad he got hurt. He still might end up as a starter next season and Jake would make a good back-up. Russell is a lost cause. I was at Giants Stadium last October when the G-Men destroyed Oakland 44-7. Russell would rarely even move and the Giants D had a field day at his expense.
    Jake might do well in Oakland.

  26. Todd Wallace says: Dec 24, 2009 3:01 PM

    Gotta go!
    No matter who you are or which team you root for I wish all Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and all that is good to you and all the people in your life that you love and care about.
    Peace.

  27. RavensFreak00 says: Dec 24, 2009 3:02 PM

    This is a great Christmas gift for us Panthers fans.

  28. Chapnasty2 says: Dec 24, 2009 3:41 PM

    @ the haters
    Just because I’m always right doesn’t mean you have to hate!

  29. epatrick2882 says: Dec 24, 2009 8:29 PM

    WELL THEY WATCHED MICHAEL VICK BURN THEM FOR SO LONG MIGHT AS WELL MAKE HIM THE MAN…IM A FALCON FAN BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE VICK IN THOSE CAROLINA BLUES!!

  30. Gailikk says: Dec 25, 2009 7:27 AM

    Well, as a 49er fan, my thoughts are who shall the replacement be. The panthers don’t have a 1st round pick (thanks for that by the way) and unless we believe they can draft a starting qb in the second round (that usually takes 2-3 years of bench warming) then the other options are rather ugly. Of course this is all moot depending on the next head coach. Hey, maybe carolina can trade next years 1st to trade up and grab a qb at the end of the first round.

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