It should come as no surprise to Thundering Herd football fans that Chad Pennington, the most storied quarterback in school history, has made yet another comeback. After four seasons with the New York Jets, where he was named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2006 after major shoulder surgery, Pennington was cut by the team. He then signed with the beleaguered Miami Dolphins and under his leadership guided a team that was 1-15 in 2007 to an 11-5 record in 2008. For his stellar play in Miami he garnered serious MVP consideration before being awarded his second Comeback Player of the Year Award in just three years…
HQ: We’ve come up with a new nickname for you: “Chad Pennington, the Comeback Kid?” What do you think?
Pennington: (Laughing) Well, it’s good if you are talking about winning football games, but if you are talking about winning “Comeback Player of the Year” again, I really don’t want to major in it.
HQ: What’s it like living in Florida? Can we expect you to be perpetually tan like former Dolphins QB Dan Marino?
Pennington: I really enjoy living in Florida, especially when West Virginia’s getting pounded with snow and it’s 80 degrees down here. But don’t expect me to be perpetually tan because even if the sun is shining I like to stay in the shade.
HQ: How good will the Dolphins be in 2009?
Pennington: I think it depends on which players are coming back, how hard we work and how well we understand that 2008 won’t help us at all. Secondly, I think it depends on how well we mesh together with all of the new faces and how we come together as a team.
HQ: What one NFL player on defense really scares you?
Pennington: From past experience, I think that player would and should be Ed Reed. (Editor’s note: Pennington only threw seven interceptions during the 2008 regular season, but gave up two picks to the Baltimore Raven’s All-Pro safety in the first round of the playoffs as the Dolphins lost 27-9.)
HQ: What’s your favorite memory from your playing days at Marshall?
Pennington: The MAC Championship game against Western Michigan in 1999. It’s third and goal, seven seconds left. I scramble out to the right and hit Eric Pinkerton for the winning touchdown.
HQ: That was Pinkerton’s one and only collegiate touchdown?
Pennington: Yep.
HQ: When you were living in Huntington and dating your wife Robin, where were some of your favorite places to go hang out?
Pennington: We loved to go eat at Mycroft’s and River City Sub. And we loved the Buffalo Chicken Finger sub at Buffalo Pizza Company.
HQ: I’m sorry to tell you that none of those restaurants are around any longer. Let’s change gears. Why is the Herd struggling these days? What do you think is going on?
Pennington: Well, I’m not close enough to the situation to give you an educated opinion. All I know is that I’m going to do everything I can to support us and help us get back on the winning track because that’s where we deserve to be.
HQ: Everybody knows that when you retire you probably have a promising career in broadcasting. However, is there anyway we could talk you out of that and persuade you to come back to Huntington and coach the Thundering Herd?
Pennington: (Laughing) Oh, you can be talked out of a lot of things. But what you’ll really have to talk me out of is coaching high school football, because that is where my passion lies.
HQ: Your 1st and 10 Foundation helps a lot of different charities. Which one is closest to your heart?
Pennington: I don’t have a particular one. We really enjoy just being able to take money that our sponsors and donors give us and put it right back into southern West Virginia. And we’re extremely proud to say that every dollar that’s donated to us goes directly to helping people — not one dollar goes to overhead costs or running the Foundation.
HQ: It’s fourth down and goal, and there’s one second left on the clock. You’re on the nine yard line. Whose the one receiver in the NFL that you want to throw the ball to and why?
Pennington: Well that’s easy, Randy Moss. Randy has it all. Along with his competitive spirit, you know he’s going to come down with it.
HQ: The phone rings and it’s the producers of “Dancing with the Stars.” Do you accept the invitation or do you decline?
Pennington: I totally decline! I love my wife and I don’t want to look at her face while I’m trying to do that. (Laughing)
