Gary Hogeboom

He finished his career with 3,088 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns, 957 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. He had a 19-2-1 records in his 2 seasons as a starter. In total he won 24 games in 28 starts. At the time, he was the school's All-time leader in touchdown passes (19), total offense yards (4,045 yards), pass completions (208), career passing yards (3,088) and was ranked third in passing yards for a season (1,404).

Against the San Diego Chargers, coach Meyer unveiled the wishbone offense, in which Hogeboom would be used on occasions during the season. He also came off the bench for an injured Chandler, to lead the team to a 17-14 win against the Buffalo Bills. At the end of the year, he was left unprotected—eligible to sign with any team that wanted him—under Plan B free agency.

As a junior in 1978, he became the starter at quarterback in a triple-option wishbone offense, registering 1,095 passing yards, 5 passing touchdowns, 329 rushing yards and 5 rushing touchdowns, while contributing to a 9-2 record. The next year, he posted 1,404 passing yards, 9 passing touchdowns, 417 rushing yards and 9 rushing touchdowns, leading his team to the school's first Mid-American Conference title with a 10-0-1 record.

In 2005, Hogeboom was a contestant on Survivor: Guatemala, the 11th season of the CBS reality TV show Survivor. He kept his professional sports past a secret and even sneakily claimed that he was a landscaper named Gary Hawkins. He did this out of fear that he would be eliminated right away if the other competitors assumed he was already wealthy, being a former NFL quarterback. Unfortunately for him, his plan failed when another contestant, Danni Boatwright, who worked in sports radio, recognized him immediately. Despite this confrontation between the two, Danni would be Gary's closest ally throughout the game. In fact, post-show interviews from other contestants revealed that they actually all knew his real identity but didn't care, because he was a strong, well-liked player.

He was acquired because of Neil Lomax's problematic arthritic left hip, which eventually forced him to retire. Hogeboom was named the starter and posted career highs with 2,591 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and 19 interceptions, but finished with a 5-8 record. The next year Joe Bugel was hired as the new head coach and Hogeboom was waived on September 3, 1990.

On September 23, 1990, he signed as a free agent with the Washington Redskins for depth purposes after quarterback Mark Rypien was injured. He was released on December 28 to make room for defensive tackle Tracy Rocker.

In 1989, he was inducted into the Central Michigan Athletics Hall Of Fame. In 1994, he was inducted into the Mid-American Conference Sports Hall of Fame. In 2000, he was inducted into the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame.

On March 3, 1989, he was signed as a Plan B free agent with the Phoenix Cardinals, reuniting with head coach and former Cowboys assistant Gene Stallings. He also was the highest signed player with four-year $3.27 million contract and a $250,000 signing bonus.

After acquiring Hogeboom the Indianapolis Colts traded Mike Pagel, who had been the previous starter at quarterback, to the Cleveland Browns for a ninth round pick (#247-Bob Ontko) in the 1987 NFL Draft.

With a potential player strike looming, the Colts started the 1987 season with two losses, one was with Jack Trudeau who was replacing an injured Hogeboom. At this point the NFL Players Association chose to call a work stoppage and Hogeboom was one of the handful of players who chose to cross the picket lines and keep playing. At issue was specific language in Hogeboom's contract which potentially could have cost him all his remaining salary.

On April 28, 1986, he was traded to the Colts in exchange for switching positions in the second round of the 1986 NFL Draft and a conditional draft choice (not exercised). With the Colts' 2nd-round pick, the Cowboys selected Darryl Clack, and with the Cowboys' 2nd-round pick, the Colts selected Jack Trudeau.

In 1985, he started 2 contests and played in parts of 3 others, substituting an injured White. Hogeboom lost 2 contests, completing 70 passes for 978 yards, 5 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.

In the 1984 pre-season, Hogeboom completed 18 out of 32 attempts for 255 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, compared to White's 46 out of 83 attempts for 609 yards, 3 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.

Prior to the 1983 season, the Cowboy players and fans began to lobby for Hogeboom to be the starting quarterback. White had led the team to three straight NFC Championship game appearances after taking over for Hall of Famer Roger Staubach, but couldn't win a Super Bowl. The players also felt that White had betrayed them because of his public support for the NFL team owners during the 1982 NFL players strike. Furthermore, White was seen as quiet and standoffish, unlike the more vocal and personable Hogeboom.

White responded to the criticism by having his best statistical season ever in 1983 and leading the Cowboys to a 12-2 record going into a home matchup against the Redskins. However, the Cowboys were beaten at home by a score of 31-10, and the Redskins would go on to finish the season at 14-2, and reach their second straight Super Bowl. The Cowboys, meanwhile, would lose soundly 42-17 the next week to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football, and then lose 24-17 in the wildcard playoff game at home against the Los Angeles Rams. The rumblings for White to be benched got stronger and Hogeboom also began demanding to be traded.

In 1982, he passed Glenn Carano on the depth chart for the backup quarterback role behind Danny White. In the 1982 NFC title game against the Washington Redskins, he replaced a concussed White at the start of the second half and helped the team get back in the contest with 2 consecutive scoring drives, until making two critical interceptions, one returned by Darryl Grant for a touchdown that sealed the 31-17 loss. He completed 14 out of 29 attempts for 162 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He began to garner attention and opened some eyes from Cowboys coaches and players alike with this performance.

Hogeboom was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fifth round (133rd overall) of the 1980 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he earned a roster spot following the retirement of Roger Staubach. He was the third-string quarterback in his first 2 seasons.

Hogeboom played for eleven seasons (1980–1990) and passed for 9,346 yards, 49 touchdowns and 60 interceptions, along with 164 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns.

Jack Trudeau would finish out the season as the starter, taking the Colts to their first playoff game since 1977, which they would lose 21–38 against the Cleveland Browns.

Gary Keith Hogeboom (born August 21, 1958) is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts and Phoenix Cardinals. He played college football at Central Michigan University. He was a contestant on the CBS reality TV show Survivor: Guatemala.