Jesse Palmer Biography

Fast Facts

• Played for a club football team while in high school, leading the Myers Riders to three straight league titles (1994-96)
• Also starred on baseball and basketball teams
• Shared quarterback duties at the University of Florida with Doug Johnson and Rex Grossman, playing 27 games and throwing for 31 touchdowns under pass-happy head coach Steve Spurrier
• Became the second Canadian-born quarterback to start an NFL game (Mark Rypien was first), filling in three times for the injured Kerry Collins of the New York Giants in 2003
• The Giants drafted Palmer with the 125th pick in 2001
• Courted 25 single women as the season 5 star of ABC's The Bachelor (2004)
• Palmer ultimately chose Jessica Bowlin of California, but the pair failed to sustain a relationship
• Speaks French, which came in handy while completing his pro career with the CFL's Montreal Alouettes
• Broke into broadcasting as a football analyst with Fox Sports Net, CSTV, MSG and the NFL Network before joining ESPN full-time in 2007
• Reports on sports and entertainment for Canada's CTV, serving as a New York correspondent for "eTalk
• " Also reports on the NFL for Canada's top sports network, TSN