Aaron Sparrow

Aaron Sparrow (born January 27, 1972) is a former American football quarterback who played three seasons in the Arena Football League (AFL) with the Nashville Kats, Grand Rapids Rampage and Carolina Cobras. He played college football at Norfolk State University. He was also a member of the Calgary Stampeders, Augusta Stallions, Buffalo Destroyers, Norfolk Nighthawks and Wichita Stealth.

Aaron Sparrow
Position:Quarterback
Personal information
Born: (1972-01-27) January 27, 1972
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school:Portsmouth (VA) Wilson
College:Norfolk State
Undrafted:1996
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
  • af2 Offensive Player of the Year (2000)
Career Arena statistics
Comp. / Att.:70 / 111
Passing yards:766
TD–INT:16–7
QB rating:93.15
Rushing TDs:1
Player stats at ArenaFan.com

Early years

Sparrow played high school football at Woodrow Wilson High School in Portsmouth, Virginia. He was the All-Tidewater Player of the Year in 1989 and 1990.[1] He also earned Parade All-American honors and helped the team win a state championship.[2][3][4] Sparrow recorded career totals of 78 touchdown passes and 5,182 career passing yards.[1]

College career

Sparrow originally committed to play football for the Virginia Cavaliers but ended up transferring to Norfolk State University after failing to meet academic requirements.[5][6][7]

Sparrow played for the Norfolk State Spartans from 1992 to 1995. He recorded 617 completions, 1,119 attempts, 8,758 passing yards and 79 TD passes in his college career. He was a 3-time All-CIAA selection, 1994 CIAA Offensive Player of the Year, 1995 CIAA Co-Offensive Player of the Year and a 2-time Division II All-American from 1994 to 1995. He was Named to the Football Gazette Division II All-America Team as a junior in 1994, when he passed for 3,212 yards and 31 touchdowns while completing what was then a school record 59.8 percent of his passes. Sparrow was also named 1st team Football Gazette and 3rd Team AP All-American as a senior. He was inducted into the Norfolk State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009.[8]

Professional career

Calgary Stampeders

Sparrow signed with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) in May 1996.[9] He was released by the team on June 11, 1996.[10]

Nashville Kats

Sparrow appeared in two games for the Nashville Kats of the Arena Football League (AFL) in 1997.[11] He had a tryout with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL after the 1997 season.[3]

Grand Rapids Rampage

Sparrow played in one game for the Grand Rapids Rampage of the AFL during the 1998 season, completing 13 of 16 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns.[11][12] He also threw an interception during the game and hurt his shoulder when he attempted to tackle the returner. He finished the game but could not throw a football when he woke up the next morning. Sparrow missed the rest of the 1998 and 1999 seasons rehabbing from surgery.[3]

Augusta Stallions

Sparrow played for the Augusta Stallions of the af2 in 2000, earning af2 Offensive Player of the Year honors after completing 335 of 513 of his passes for 4,000 yards and 78 touchdowns with a 122.94 passer rating.[11][13] He also rushed for 54 yards and eleven touchdowns.[11] He garnered First Team All-af2 recognition as well.[13]

Buffalo Destroyers

Sparrow was signed by the Buffalo Destroyers of the AFL in October 2000.[14] He was placed on injured reserve on April 9, 2001. He was released by the Destroyers on July 20, 2001.[15]

Carolina Cobras

Sparrow signed with the Carolina Cobras of the AFL on November 27, 2001, recording fourteen touchdown passes on 595 yards during the 2002 Arena Football League season.[12][16] He was released by the Cobras on November 2, 2002.[17]

Norfolk Nighthawks

Sparrow played for the Norfolk Nighthawks of the af2 in 2003 and completed 239 of 395 passes for 3,006 yards and 51 touchdowns.[11]

Wichita Stealth

Sparrow played for the Wichita Stealth of the af2 in 2004.[18]

AFL statistics
YearTeamPassingRushing
CmpAttPctYdsTDIntRtgAttYdsTD
1998Grand Rapids131681.217121116.41110
2002Carolina579560.059514688.713101
Career7011163.176616793.154111

Stats from ArenaFan:[19]

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References
  1. "Larry Rubama". hamptonroads.com. October 25, 2013. Archived from the original on December 27, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  2. "Prep Qb Narrows Choices". dailypress.com. September 19, 1990. Archived from the original on October 26, 2015. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
  3. Vergane, Mike (June 25, 2000). "Sparrow Getting his Chance in Augusta". oursportscentral.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2016.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  4. "PARADE MAGAZINE ALL-AMERICANS FROM HAMPTON ROADS" (PDF). media.trb.com. Archived from the original on July 8, 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2016.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  5. Teel, David (September 5, 1993). "U.va. Gets By With Poise At Quarterback". Daily Press. Archived from the original on July 7, 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2016.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  6. "Cavaliers miss out on Sparrow". The Free Lance-Star. Associated Press. June 13, 1991. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
  7. Teel, David (February 6, 1991). "Notebook: Another Qb Commits To The Cavaliers". Daily Press. Archived from the original on July 7, 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2016.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  8. "Aaron Sparrow - Athletics Alumni". nsuspartans.com. Archived from the original on December 27, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  9. Miller, Ed (May 1, 1996). "SNUBBED BY NFL, SPARROW GOES TO CFL SPARTAN WILL COMPETE WITH 2 EX-STATE QBS". The Virginian-Pilot. Archived from the original on July 7, 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2016.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  10. Miller, Ed (June 1996). "SPARROW BACK AT NSU AFTER SHORT STAY IN CFL". The Virginian-Pilot. Archived from the original on July 7, 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2016.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  11. "A Sparrow lands with the Stealth". oursportscentral.com. February 4, 2004. Archived from the original on July 7, 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2016.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  12. "Aaron Sparrow". arenafan.com. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  13. Gay, Chris (August 11, 2000). "Stallions coach, quarterback honored". old.chronicle.augusta.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2016.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  14. "Stallions lose, gain coach". the Augusta Chronicle. November 7, 2000. Archived from the original on July 7, 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2016.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  15. "Historical Team Transactions". arenafan.com. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
  16. "Dallas ready for expansion draft". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. December 1, 2001. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  17. "Historical Team Transactions". arenafan.com. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  18. "Sparrow named offensive player of the week". oursportscentral.com. April 27, 2004. Archived from the original on July 7, 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2016.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  19. "Aaron Sparrow". arenafan.com. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
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