At a Glance
Hometown: Tacoma, Washington (born September 21, 1972) High School: Jon attended Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Washington. He lettered in baseball, basketball, and football. College: Jon graduated from Central Washington University with a degree in Math Education. As quarterback during his senior year, Jon led the Wildcats to the 1995 NAIA National Football Championship. NFL Experience: Jon signed with the Seattle Seahawks in 1997 after being named The Most Valuable Player in NFL Europe’s World Bowl Championship (World Bowl V). During his first two seasons in the League, Kitna had the opportunity to gain valuable insight and experience as the backup to Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon. While filling in for Moon in a game versus Oakland in 1997, Jon led the second biggest comeback in Seahawk history, throwing for 283 yards and turning a 21-3 deficit into a 22-21 victory. As the starting quarterback in 1999, he led the Seahawks to their first playoff appearance in more than a decade. After the 2000 season, Jon signed with Cincinnati as an unrestricted free agent. In an overtime victory against Pittsburgh, he set the franchise record for the most pass attempts in a single game with a 51% completion rate. During his first season as a Bengal, Kitna threw more passes (581) than any other quarterback in franchise history. Jon joined the Detroit Lions as an unrestricted free agent in 2006. His addition fueled the struggling franchise. He brought energy onto the football field, leadership off the football field and comradery into the locker room. In a player dispute over which type of music should be played in the locker room before an off-season practice, Jon was forced into a mediator role. He settled the controversy among his teammates by saying, “If everybody can’t have the opportunity to listen to the music of their choice, then we will listen to no music at all.” Jon was physically tough and mentally sound. No other Detroit quarterback took every snap in a single season before Jon did during his first. For not having much NFL experience, it didn’t take Jon long to secure a place in Detroit’s record books. In 2007, Jon became only one of nine passers in NFL history to throw for 4,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. He was also the first Lions quarterback to finish the season ranked in the top five among the NFL’s passing leaders in more than a decade and the third quarterback in franchise history to record at least 300 passing yards in five games.Jon was named a team captain for the second consecutive year in 2008. He took every snap in the first four weeks before a back injury ended the remainder of his final season in Detroit.Kitna was traded to Dallas in February 2009. With his back revived after an intense rehab schedule, Jon led the Cowboys in passing yards during preseason games. He served as backup to Tony Romo for the entire regular season. The Cowboys began the 2010 season with only one win through the first five weeks. In week seven, Kitna moved into the starting role after Romo suffered a season ending injury. In week ten, Dallas announced Jason Garrett, brother to All Pro Dad John Garrett, as the franchise’s interim head coach. It was the first time Dallas replaced a head coach during a season in franchise history. In the midst of change and adversity, Kitna’s leadership prevailed. Behind Jon, the Cowboys fought hard and bounced back to finish the season 5-6.
Bio
Career Bio: PLAYER: Central Washington University (1992-1995), Barcelona Dragons (1997), Seattle Seahawks (1997-2000), Cincinnati Bengals (2001-2005), Detroit Lions (2006-2008), Dallas Cowboys (2009-Present) Career Highlights: • Moved into 8th place for recording the most passing yards by a Detroit Lions quarterback (2008)• First Lions quarterback to pass for 4,000 yards in back-to-back seasons (2007)• Completed a pass that tied for the 8th longest play from the line of scrimmage (Detroit Lions 2007)• Threw for 200 yards in 15 games, first quarterback to do so since Kurt Warner in 2001 (Detroit Lions, 2006)• Set Detroit franchise record for most completions (372) and attempts (596) – (2006)• Completed more passes than any other quarterback in the NFL (Detroit Lions, 2006)• NFL Comeback Player of The Year (2003)• Only quarterback in NFL to take every offensive snap, Cincinnati Bengals (2003)• Attempted to pass more times (581) than any other quarterback in Cincinnati Bengals franchise history (2001)• AFC Offensive Player of The Week (12/30/2001)• Set Bengals franchise record for passing yards in back-to-back games (2001)• Led Seahawks to the franchise’s first playoff appearance in more than 10 years (1999)• AFC West Champions, Seattle Seahawks (1999)• AFC Offensive Player of The Month (October, 1999)• Won the “Unsung Hero Award” by the NFL Players Association (1998)• Won NFL Europe World Bowl V (1997)• NFL Europe World Bowl Most Valuable Player (1997)• Runner-Up for World League Most Valuable Player (1997)• All-America NAIA First Team selection (1995) Family Bio: Jon met his wife, Jennifer, at Central Washington University. They married on August 13, 1994. When Jon finished college he taught at a local high school before pursuing a promising professional football career. Jeni, also a teacher, continued to work at a high school even when Jon signed on as a free agent with the Seattle Seahawks. When Jon and Jeni returned home from celebrating Jon’s NFL European Championship while playing with the Barcelona Dragons, they had a boy, Jordan, who was born on October 30, 1997. After Jordan came Jalen and Jada. In addition, Jon and Jeni are the legal guardians for two teenage cousins - Chris and Casey.As a father focused on steering his kids in the right direction, a verse from Proverbs always comes to mind, “Train a child in the way they should go, and when they are older they will not turn from it.” Kitna can see this passage working in his kids lives, “You’re training them or teaching them, and sometimes you feel like they’re not listening or it’s not getting through. But then you’ll see a couple months later that they’ll catch hold of it. It just reinforces that you should be consistent.” For Jon and Jeni, watching their kids grow and learn in light of the Word is a big prize being dedicated parents.Jon is the playmaker in his kids' lives. He says: "My kids wake up and make a new game every day. They are a true joy." Jon greatly admires his own father who, "...would sacrifice a lot of personal desires for me and my brother. My dad didn't have a father and wanted to do the exact opposite of what his own father had done to him - to be there." In addition to All Pro Dad, Jon and Jeni started the Jon and Jennifer Kitna Eternal Blessings Foundation in 2001. The couple’s foundation is a Christian-based ministry at Remann Hall in Tacoma, Washinton that ministers to teenagers. Jon relates to every teenager that comes in contact with his foundation, “I was a lot like they are. I made some wrong decisions, did some things I shouldn’t have. The only difference between them and me was, I didn’t get caught. And two, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. But other than that, I was just like those kids.” The Eternal Blessings foundation supports and partners with various Christian ministries around the United States. Jon avidly recruits NFL teammates to join him in spending time with the teenagers involved with the foundation. Jon is a playmaker on the field, in his community but more importantly, as a husband and father.
Foundations:
• Jon and Jennifer Kitna Eternal Blessings Foundation
Volunteer:
• Host of The WildCat Classic Golf Tournament, an annual charity event held at the Suncadia Resort in Roslyn, Washington• Supported and helped raise funds for Michigan animal shelters by appearing in the Detroit Lions pet calendar• Participant in the Detroit Lions 17th annual golf outing that raised necessary funds for assisting Detroit Lions sponsored charities• Motivational speaker in high schools and youth groups• Volunteer holiday hospital visitor• Annual supporter of the Salvation Army Angel Christmas Tree Program• Contributor to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas
Additional Information:
• As a Detroit Lion, Jon donated tickets to the Boys & Girls Club through the Detroit Lions ‘Cats for Kids Foundation’ and took time after home games to meet the youth that attended the game• Jon particularly enjoys telling the Old Testament’s story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the resilient way in which they relied upon their enduring faith in the midst of having their lives threatened over and over again.
