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Brigade Signs AFL Veteran QB Raymond Philyaw

April 6, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Kansas City Brigade News Release


The Kansas City Brigade has signed six-year Arena Football veteran quarterback Raymond Philyaw after a physical examination to determine his current health status was cleared. Philyaw signed a two-year free agent contract with the Grand Rapids Rampage in October 2005 after undergoing rotator cuff surgery the previous July. He was listed as refused to report on the Rampage roster before last January's training camp. To make room on the roster, the Brigade released QB Andy Kelly yesterday.

"If we would have had a free agent period this year, (Raymond) Philyaw would have been a player we would have gone after to compete to be our starting quarterback, "Head Coach Kevin Porter said. "This gives us a big jump, not only for this season, but also for next year. He is a tremendous player who has played at a high, playoff level and does not turn the ball over. He is also an outstanding leader on the field and in the locker room."

Philyaw spent the previous two seasons with the Chicago Rush. He started his AFL career in 2000 with the Albany Firebirds and stayed with the team for four seasons through the move to Indiana. After a stellar four-year career at Northeast Louisiana State (now Louisiana-Monroe), Philyaw went indoors to play with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League from 1997-98. He then came back stateside to lead the Madison Mad Dogs to the 1998 Indoor Football League championship.

Philyaw has established himself as one of the most efficient quarterbacks in AFL history. He has thrown 287 touchdown passes and only 32 interceptions in 78 career games for a 9.03 career TD-to-INT ratio is the highest in league history (Tony Graziani's 7.93 is a distant second). Philyaw also holds the AFL record for most passes attempted without being intercepted at 299 (July 5, 2002, at San Jose to May 4, 2003, vs. Georgia). He recorded a quarterback rating of 131.79 in 2001, the third-highest single-season mark in league history, and his career passer rating of 116.1 is fourth-highest. Philyaw's career completion percentage of 63.9 is the fourth-highest in league history among players with 1,500 pass attempts. He also ranks 13th in league history in pass attempts and completions, and 15th in passing touchdowns and passing yards. Philyaw has been named MVP or Offensive Player of the Game eleven times, most recently May 1, 2005 vs. Las Vegas.

Raymond Philyaw - Quarterback
Ht: 6-1
Wt: 200
DOB: 7-30-74
College: Northeast Louisiana State
Exp: 6

BIO
AFL records and ranks: His 9.03 career TD-to-INT ratio is the highest in AFL history (Tony Graziani's 7.93 is a distant second)...Holds the AFL record for most passes attempted without being intercepted (299 - July 5, 2002, at San Jose-May 4, 2003, vs. Georgia)...His 131.79 rating in 2001 is the third most in AFL single-season history...His career completion percentage of 63.9 is the fourth highest in league history among players with 1,500 pass attempts...His career passer rating of 116.1 is fourth highest in league history...Ranks 13th in AFL history in pass attempts and completions...Ranks 15th in AFL history in passing TDs and passing yards. AFL 2005: Played in 14 games for Chicago, setting career highs and Rush single-season records for completions (324), attempts (480) and yards (3,669)...His 67 touchdowns were one shy of his career high and his 67.5% completion percentage was the second-best of his career...Named Offensive Player of the Game and AFL Offensive Player of the Week after his performance April 10 vs. San Jose when he completed 27-of-35 passes - including his first 17 of the game - for 264 yards and six touchdowns...Missed two games - March 6 vs. Nashville and March 13 at Grand Rapids - with a sprained MCL in his right knee...Passed for a career-high 409 yards in leading the team to a 49-48 comeback win in Colorado (2/13). Completed 30 of 45 passes and threw five TDs in the game...Opened the season January 30 at Dallas by completing 23 of 33 passes for 262 yards and six TDs. It was his first action since tearing the ACL in his right knee in Chicago's AFL semifinal loss in San Jose on June 6, 2004.

AFL 2004: Played in 15 games and led the Rush to the Central Division title and to within a game of the ArenaBowl during his first season in Chicago...Completed 247-of-389 passes for 3,053 yards, 52 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions...Also scored a career-high 11 rushing touchdowns...Tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee early in the second quarter of Chicago's June 12 semifinal game at San Jose...Completed 20-of-26 passes for 203 yards and 4 TDs in AFL quarterfinal playoff win vs. Orlando...Returned to the lineup May 8 at Grand Rapids after missing the May 2 game at Detroit with a sprained MCL in his right knee suffered on April 25 vs. Los Angeles...Made his Rush debut February 8 vs. Grand Rapids, earning Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Game honors...passed for 235 yards and 2 TDs...also rushed for 3 TDs in the game...Opened the season with a Rush-record 199 consecutive passes without an interception before being picked off April 4 at Las Vega. His overall streak was 226 passes dating back to the 2003 season finale.

AFL 2003: Played in 11 games during his final season in Indiana, completing 192-of-315 passes for 2,329 yards, 44 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions...Also scored 8 rushing touchdowns...Had his best game of the year April 19 at San Jose, completing 25-of-37 passes for 345 yards and 8 touchdowns in the Firebirds' 73-71 loss...Led the Firebirds to a 3-0 start before being injured February 23 vs. Arizona...Indiana lost 5 of its next 6 games before his return to the starting lineup April 13 vs. Dallas...Missed 5 games March 2-March 29 due to a dislocated right index finger...Attempted 245 passes before being picked off May 4 vs. Georgia for the first time.

2002 with Indiana Firebirds...Threw for 3,167 yards (266-450) and 56 touchdowns in 13 games for the Firebirds. Also rushed for 4 scores...After throwing only 3 interceptions during the 2001 campaign, he was picked off 3 times in the season-opener April 19 against the Rush. Finished the season with 9 interceptions...Set career highs in completions (32) and attempts (49) May 4 vs. New York...Won his only Game MVP award of the season June 14 vs. Detroit, throwing for 257 yards (23-32), 5 touchdowns and no interceptions...Caught the first pass of his career July 20 at Chicago (6 yards).

AFL 2001: Had an excellent season in his first year as a starting quarterback for Indiana, throwing for 3,518 yards (276-404, 68.3 percent), 68 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions in 13 games...Threw for 404 yards and 10 touchdowns in a 80-74 loss to Grand Rapids (June 23)...Finished the regular season with a quarterback rating of 131.8 - the third highest single-season mark in AFL history...In his last 7 contests of the season, he completed 72 percent of his passes (152-211) for 1,992 yards, 38 touchdowns and only one interception...Led the Firebirds to the semifinal round of the playoffs, throwing for 698 yards, 16 touchdowns and 1 interception in 3 contests...Lost 83-70 to Grand Rapids in the highest scoring playoff game in AFL history...He completed 29-of-43 passes for 309 yards and eight TDs in that loss to the Rampage.

2000 with Albany Firebirds...Saw limited action at quarterback for Albany, appearing in 3 games and completing 6-of-13 passes for 81 yards and 2 touchdowns. For the season, he played in 12 contests as the holder on all field goals and extra point attempts...Made his AFL debut April 22 vs. New England but did not record any stats...Saw action at quarterback for the first time May 12 vs. Buffalo, throwing a 33-yard touchdown pass to Van Johnson.

Other professional experience: Played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League (1997-98)...Led the Madison Mad Dogs of the Indoor Football League to the 1998 IFL Championship.

College: Had an outstanding four-year career at Northeast Louisiana from 1992-96...The school is now known as Louisiana-Monroe University...Finished his career second all-time with 7,061 passing yards and a school-record 52 touchdown passes.

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