| File:Eric Hipple Real Men Do Cry Book Signing Sept 3, 2009.jpg Hipple at a book signing in September 2009. | |
| No. 17 | |
| Quarterback | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: September 16, 1957 | |
| Place of birth: Lubbock, Texas | |
| Career information | |
| College: Utah State | |
| NFL Draft: 1980 / Round: 4 / Pick: 85 | |
| No regular season or postseason appearances | |
| Career history | |
| * Detroit Lions (1980–1986, 1988–1989) | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| * NFL Completion Percentage Leader (1986) | |
| TD–INT | 55–70 |
| Yards | 10,711 |
| QB Rating | 68.7 |
| Stats at NFL.com | |
Eric Ellsworth Hipple (born September 16, 1957) is a public speaker and a retired professional American football player.
Early life and education[]
Eric Hipple was born in Lubbock, Texas.
Hipple attended Utah State University with an athletic scholarship.[1] At Template:Cvt and Template:Cvt, he was a star quarterback for the team. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the university's Jon M. Huntsman School of Business.[2]
Career[]
Hipple was selected by the Detroit Lions in the fourth round of the 1980 NFL Draft. He played his entire 10-season NFL career for the Lions from 1980 to 1989. He missed the whole 1987 season with a sprained thumb. His best year as a pro came during the 1985 season when he threw 17 touchdown passes.
- Career statistics
- 102 games
- 1,546 attempts
- 830 completions
- 10,711 yards
- 55 touchdowns
Post-athletics career[]
As a result of the suicide in 2000 of Hipple's 15-year-old son, Hipple is involved in educating people about the dangers of depression.[1] Hipple delivers speeches on suicide prevention and mental illness at high schools, youth groups, members of the military and their families, local organizations and corporations.[3] He is the Outreach Coordinator of the Depression Center of the University of Michigan.[3] A documentary film by the Depression Center features Hipple.[3] He also co-authored a study about depression and pain in retired professional football players.[3]
Hipple's book, Real Men Do Cry, was published in 2008.[4] It discusses Hipple's playing career with the Lions, his bouts with depression, and details of the warning signs of teens who have died from suicide.[5]
Personal life[]
In 2000, Hipple's 15-year-old son Jeff committed suicide by shotgun.[5] Hipple has acknowledged he has also suffered from bouts with depression,[5] including his adolescence.[1] After his son's death, Hipple abused drugs and alcohol.[5] and was convicted of drunk driving and served time in jail.[1] He filed for bankruptcy as well.[5]
In 2005, Hipple disarmed a man wielding a knife at a party in Michigan.[6]
In other media[]
A football poster of Hipple can be seen on the wall in the 1983 feature film Mr. Mom.
He was a guest star in the show Home Improvement (TV series) as himself in Season 3 Episode 18 building a house for Habitat for Humanity guest starring several top name athletes and Former President Jimmy Carter.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Bloch, Jim (November 29, 2006). "Hipple and Kramer deliver tips on recognizing depression, preventing suicide". Archived from the original on September 7, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080907170303/http://www.voicenews.com/stories/112906/loc_20061129002.shtml.
- ↑ "Alumni and Friends". Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, Utah State University. http://huntsman.usu.edu/htm/alumni-and-friends-directory/memberID=4313. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Johnson, Beth (September–October 2007). "Sharing experience and hope: Telling His Story to Save Others". Inside View. University of Michigan Depression Center, University of Michigan Health System, University of Michigan. http://www.depressioncenter.org/hipple/.
- ↑ Hipple, Eric; Horsley, Gloria; Horsley, Heidi (2008). Real Men Do Cry: A Quarterback's Inspiring Story of Tackling Depression and Surviving Suicide Loss. Quality of Life Publishing Company. ISBN 9780981621920.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Pluto, Terry (September 30, 2010). "Guilt and pain: Ex-NFL QB Eric Hipple preaches understanding when it comes to suicidal depression". Plain Dealer. http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/index.ssf/2010/09/guilt_and_pain_ex-nfl_qb_eric.html. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
- ↑ Emkow, Bill (July 26, 2005). "Eric Hipple subdues knife-wielding man". Muskegon Chronicle. http://blog.mlive.com/highlightreel/2005/07/muskegon_chronicle_eric_hipple.html. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
External links[]
- Official website
- "Freeing Eric Hipple", ESPN video feature
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