Jake Eaton
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| embed =
| name = Jake Eaton
| image = Jake Eaton.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Eaton with the Orlando Predators in 2007
| number =
| position = Quarterback
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1981|02|11}}
| birth_place = Rutland, Vermont, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lb = 215
| high_school = Rutland
| college = Maine (1999–2002)
| cis =
| draftyear =
| draftround =
| draftpick =
| suppdraftyear =
| suppdraftround =
| cfldraftyear =
| cfldraftround =
| cfldraftpick =
| afldraftyear =
| afldraftround =
| afldraftpick =
| undraftedyear =
| expansiondraftyear =
| expansiondraftround =
| expansiondraftpick =
| pastteams =
- Edmonton Eskimos ({{CFL Year|2004}})
- Cape Fear Wildcats ({{af2 Year|2004}})
- Manchester Wolves ({{af2 Year|2005}})
- Orlando Predators ({{AFL Year|2006}}–{{AFL Year|2009}})
| pastcoaching =
| pastexecutive =
| pastadmin =
| status =
| aflstatlabel1 = Comp. / Att.
| aflstatvalue1 = 79 / 118
| aflstatlabel2 = Passing yards
| aflstatvalue2 = 958
| aflstatvalue3 = 16-7
| aflstatlabel4 = QB Rating
| aflstatvalue4 = 100.88
| aflstatlabel5 = Rushing TD
| aflstatvalue5 = 2
| afl = 3621
| HOF =
| CollegeHOF =
| CFHOF =
}}
Jake Eaton (born February 11, 1981) an American former professional football quarterback. He is currently a high school athletic director in Proctor, Vermont. He played in the af2 with the Cape Fear Wildcats in 2004 and the Manchester Wolves in 2005. He went on to the Arena Football League in 2006 and played for the Orlando Predators before retiring in 2009. Eaton was inducted into the University of Maine Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.
Early life
Eaton was born on February 11, 1981, in Rutland, Vermont. During his childhood, Eaton lived with both of his parents after their divorce.{{cite news |last1=Thomas |first1=Kevin |title=Eaton's Golden Rules |work=Portland Press Herald |date=August 20, 2000 |page=1D}} He competed in athletics and softball before attending Rutland High School. At Rutland, Eaton totaled 1,582 points in basketball.{{cite news |last1=Haley |first1=Tom |title=Eaton joins Maine’s Hall of Fame |url=https://www.rutlandherald.com/eaton-joins-maine-s-hall-of-fame/article_50839e61-ee4e-524b-a331-919608bcdada.html |work=Rutland Herald |date=21 May 2016}} As a gridiron football player, Eaton amassed over 5,000 passing yards and over 50 touchdowns.{{cite news |last1=Warner |first1=Pete |title=Small details a big concern for QB Eaton |work=The Bangor Daily News |date=December 7, 2001 |page=C1}}
At Vermont Division I championships, Eaton led Rutland to the high school championship game in 1996.{{cite news |last1=Fredette |first1=Bob |title=Raiders, Tigers in D-I Final |work=Rutland Daily Herald |date=November 2, 1996 |page=21}} His team would win the championship game held that year.{{cite news |last1=Garrity |first1=Patrick |title=Armed and dangerous |work=The Burlington Free Press |date=August 29, 1997 |page=1B}}{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Jamie |title=Rutland wins crown, 20-4 |work=The Burlington Free Press |date=November 12, 1996 |page=1B}} The following year, Eaton won the high school title in 1997 with Rutland.{{cite news |last1=Garrity |first1=Patrick |title=Red Raiders repeat, 24-14 |work=The Burlington Free Press |date=November 9, 1997 |page=1C}} He also reached the final with Rutland in 1998.{{cite news |last1=Fillion |first1=Don |title=Crown crosses town, MSJ thumps Rutland |work=The Burlington Free Press |date=November 15, 1998 |page=5C}} For the Division I basketball championship, Rutland and Eaton made it to the semifinals in 1999.{{cite news |last1=Filion |first1=Don |title=BHS rips Rutland, 73-37 |work=The Burlington Free Press |date=March 10, 1999 |page=1B}} Outside of sports, Eaton was interested in working with children for his career.{{cite news |last1=Donoughe |first1=Mike |title=Armed and dangerous |work=The Burlington Free Press |date=September 25, 1998 |page=9B}}
College career
At the University of Maine from 1999 to 2002, Eaton played for the Maine Black Bears football team.{{cite news |last1=Haley |first1=Tom |title=Profile: Eaton has big dreams at a small school |url=https://www.rutlandherald.com/profile-eaton-has-big-dreams-at-a-small-school/article_304d921b-c4fe-58ec-83f8-b69922fc8f67.html |accessdate=23 March 2019 |work=Rutland Herald |date=14 June 2018}} As a quarterback, Eaton replaced injured teammate Brian Scott in 1999 for five games. Eaton was the season leader in passing yards from 2000 to 2002. With 7,145 passing yards, Eaton was in the top five for career passing yards with Maine during 2022.{{cite web |last1=McHatten |first1=Tyson |title=Maine Football 2022 Media Guide |url=https://goblackbears.com/documents/2022/8/30/2022_FB_Media_Guide.pdf |website=University of Maine Athletics |access-date=October 10, 2022 |pages=79–81 |date=August 30, 2022}}
During these seasons, Eaton and Maine were defeated in the quarterfinals of the 2001 NCAA Division I-AA football playoffs.{{cite news |title=Black Bears whipped |work=Rutland Daily Herald |agency=The Associated Press |date=December 9, 2001 |page=B1}} In November 2002, Eaton broke his medial collateral ligament.{{cite news |title=Maine's Jake Eaton is out for N.H. game |work=Brattleboro Reformer |agency=Associated Press |date=November 20, 2002 |page=13}} Due to his knee, Eaton did not quarterback the Maine players that reached the quarterfinals of the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football playoffs.{{cite news |last1=Warner |first1=Pete |title=Black Bears notch playoff win |work=The Bangor Daily News |date=December 2, 2002 |page=A1}}{{cite news |last1=Warner |first1=Pete |title=Final game hits seniors |work=The Bangor Daily News |date=December 9, 2002 |pages=C1, C4}} After leaving the team in 2002, Eaton had 77 combined touchdowns with his rushes and passes.{{cite news |last1=McLaughlin |first1=Ryan |title=‘We weren’t intimidated’: This former UMaine quarterback led team to 28 victories |url=https://bangordailynews.com/2016/09/29/sports/we-werent-intimidated-this-former-umaine-quarterback-led-team-to-28-victories/ |accessdate=23 March 2019 |work=Bangor Daily News |date=29 September 2016}}
Professional career
After college, Eaton became part of the Edmonton Eskimos in April 2004.{{cite news |title=Jake Eaton signs with CFL's Edmonton team |work=Bangor Daily News |date=28 April 2004 |page=6}} He remained with the Canadian Football League team until he lost his spot in June 2004.{{cite news |last1=Hall |first1=Vicki |title=Esks new QB is a scholar and a gentleman |work=Edmonton Journal |date=7 June 2004 |page=D5}} That year, Eaton went to the af2 and played in three games with the Cape Fear Wildcats. He then moved to the Manchester Wolves in 2005 and totaled 4,006 yards alongside 88 touchdowns.{{cite web |title=Wolves QB Jake Eaton signs with Orlando Predators |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/wolves-qb-jake-eaton-signs-with-orlando-predators/n-3230788 |website=OurSportsCentral |accessdate=22 March 2019 |date=13 October 2005}}
In 2006, Eaton joined the Arena Football League as a member of the Orlando Predators. During his time with the Predators, Eaton underwent medical treatment for his multiple knee injuries in 2008.{{cite news |last1=Raspuzzi |first1=Dawson |title=Winning wisdom |work=Rutland Daily Herald |date=September 13, 2008 |page=B3}} As a quarterback until 2009, Eaton had a career total of 958 passing yards and 16 touchdowns.{{cite web |title=Jake Eaton |url=http://www.arenafan.com/players/?page=players&player=3621&pageview=career |website=ArenaFan |accessdate=22 March 2019}} After ending his football career, Eaton became an elementary school gym teacher and high school athletic director in Proctor, Vermont, during the 2010s.{{cite news |last1=Solloway |first1=Steve |title=Steve Solloway: Leadership hard to find on stat sheet |url=https://www.pressherald.com/2011/08/27/leadership-hard-to-find-on-stat-sheet_2011-08-28/ |accessdate=23 March 2019 |work=Portland Press Herald |date=27 August 2011}}
Awards and honors
For Rutland, Eaton won the Gatorade Player of the Year for Vermont in 1998 and 1999.{{cite web |title=Jake Eaton 1997 - 1998 Vermont Football Player of the Year |url=https://playeroftheyear.gatorade.com/winner/jake-eaton/22307 |website=Gatorade Player of the Year |access-date=January 20, 2022}}{{cite web |title=Jake Eaton 1998 - 1999 Vermont Football Player of the Year |url=https://playeroftheyear.gatorade.com/winner/jake-eaton/22256 |website=Gatorade Player of the Year |access-date=January 20, 2022}} While with the Maine football team, Eaton was offensive player of the year for the university in 2000.{{cite news |last1=Haley |first1=Tom |title=Eaton reaps grid honors at Maine |work=Rutland Daily Herald |date=December 22, 2000 |page=B7}} Eaton was also one of the winners of the Most Valuable Player award for Maine from 2001 to 2002. Eaton was inducted into the University of Maine Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.{{cite web |title=Jake Eaton |url=https://goblackbears.com/hof.aspx?hof=183 |website=University of Maine Sports Hall of Fame |accessdate=22 March 2019}} In 2017, he was selected to join a hall of fame for the Vermont Principals' Association.{{cite news |last1=Abrami |first1=Alex |title=VPA announces star-studded Hall of Fame class |url=https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/sports/2017/03/08/vpa-announces-star-studded-hall-fame-class/98897400/ |access-date=October 10, 2022 |work=Burlington Free Press |date=March 8, 2017}} Eaton was also chosen to become part of the Vermont Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.{{cite news |title=Vermont Sports Hall of Fame class announced |url=https://www.rutlandherald.com/sports/vermont-sports-hall-of-fame-class-announced/article_8fb4374c-df05-5511-9f7c-d0642b5db176.html |access-date=March 2, 2023 |work=Rutland Herald |date=March 1, 2023}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{commonscatinline}}
{{Maine Black Bears quarterback navbox}}
{{Orlando Predators starting quarterback navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eaton, Jake}}
Category:American football quarterbacks
Category:Canadian football quarterbacks
Category:Cape Fear Wildcats players
Category:Edmonton Elks players
Category:Maine Black Bears football players
Category:Manchester Wolves players
Category:Orlando Predators players
Category:High school athletic directors in the United States
Category:People from Rutland (city), Vermont