Grieb Wins Offensive Honors
Published on August 16, 2002 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- San Jose SaberCats quarterback MARK GRIEB (6-3, 205, Cal-Davis), who led his team to 12 consecutive wins to start the 2002 season has been named Offensive Player of the Year. Grieb finished the season with 3,346 passing yards, completing 249 of 385 passes with 70 touchdowns and just five interceptions. His 126.4 pass efficiency rating was fourth-highest in league history and was 10 full rating points better than any other quarterback in the league.
During his record-setting season, Grieb passed for 300 or more yards four times and fired five or more touchdowns in 10 games. He completed more than 70% of his pass attempts in five games. Grieb did not throw an interception until the sixth game of the season. Even in the game he was injured (a Week 13 loss to Arizona), he threw for 254 yards and six first-half touchdowns against the Rattlers before leaving the game early in the third quarter with a broken collarbone.
With his 70 touchdown passes, Grieb becomes the 14th player in league history to reach 200 career touchdown passes. He now has 201 touchdown passes against just 16 interceptions in his five-year AFL career. Improving his career pass efficiency rating to 124.3, Grieb retains the Arena Football League career record in that category.
Other candidates for Offensive Player of the Year included: Sherdrick Bonner (Arizona), Chris Horn (Arizona), Aaron Bailey (Carolina), Andy Kelly (Dallas), Clint Dolezel (Grand Rapids), Eddie Brown (Indiana), Greg Hopkins (Los Angeles), Mike Horacek (New Jersey), Steve Papin (New York), Jay Gruden (Orlando), and James Hundon (San Jose).
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from August 16, 2002
- Arbet Earns Coach of the Year Nod - AFL I
- Thomas Named Top Defensive Player - AFL I
- Grieb Wins Offensive Honors - AFL I
- Hopkins Named AFL's Top Ironman - AFL I
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- Rampage Retain Top Assistant - Grand Rapids Rampage
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