L.A. Xtreme Former UCLA quarterback and Tommy Maddox will revive his football skills as a member of the Los Angeles Xtreme, a team in the newly formed XFL.
By Diamond Leung
Daily Bruin Contributor
Tommy Maddox could be sitting at home in his old varsity jacket right now feeling sorry for himself.
But he’s not.
Instead, after a disappointing six-year career in the National Football League, the 29-year-old former UCLA quarterback is sporting the white and navy blue jersey of the Los Angeles Xtreme, a charter franchise of the newly created XFL.
The Xtreme will give Maddox a chance to revive his professional football career in the city where in the early 1990s he thrust himself into the national spotlight with his phenomenal play.
“It feels great to be back,” Maddox said. “I had a lot of fun playing at UCLA.”
And rightly so. Maddox passed for 33 touchdowns and more than 5,000 yards in his two seasons as a starter for the Bruins (1990-91). He remains the only player in Pac-10 history to throw for more than 5,000 yards by the end of his sophomore year.
As a 19-year-old freshman, Maddox threw for 409 yards and three touchdowns in a memorable 45-42 loss to USC in 1990, breaking UCLA’s single-game records for passing and total offense.
“(Maddox is) fantastic,” former USC head coach Larry Smith said after the shootout. “The guy is something. He has a lot of poise and he’s a gutty guy.”
“The UCLA-USC rivalry is a rivalry like no other,” Maddox said. “It was one of the most fun games I’ve ever played in.”
UCLA’s faithful fans soon began to mention Maddox and former UCLA standout and NFL great Troy Aikman in the same breath.
Maddox lived up to the hype the following season. In his second year under center, he led the Bruins to a 9-3 record and a win in the John Hancock Bowl over Illinois, earning him first-team sophomore All-American honors.
“Tommy has all the tools he needs to be as good as the best,” said former UCLA offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Homer Smith in 1991.
Because of ringing endorsements as well as the promise of big money for him in the professional ranks, Maddox decided to forgo his final two years of eligibility and leave UCLA for the NFL.
Everything was falling into place. The Denver Broncos took Maddox in the first round with the 25th overall pick in the 1992 NFL draft and signed him to a multimillion-dollar contract. He was to become the heir apparent to future NFL Hall of Famer John Elway. But things simply didn’t work out that way.
Maddox was thrown into the fire in his rookie season, becoming the youngest NFL quarterback to throw a pass in 46 years. The 21-year-old started four games in place of the injured Elway and lost all of them. He finished the 1992 season with five touchdowns and nine interceptions.
“It was a tough transition – not only on the field, but off the field,” Maddox said.
He was not prepared for the speed of the game in the NFL. Maddox would never establish himself as a starting quarterback in the league.
In 1993 he threw only one pass, and the Broncos traded him to the Los Angeles Rams. He played backup quarterback for the Rams and the New York Giants before being released by the Atlanta Falcons in 1997. Maddox’s uneventful NFL career was over.
“I don’t have any regrets,” Maddox said. “I’ve accepted it.”
But what if he could do it all over again?
“I would do it different. They’d have to kick me out of school.”
While he was out of football, Maddox went back to his Texas home and owned an insurance company. However, his desire to play again never went away.
“I was away from the game for a few years, but I realized I wasn’t ready for that,” Maddox said.
Maddox signed with the New Jersey Red Dogs of the Arena Football League and earned a starting job for the 2000 season. In 13 games, he threw for more than 3,000 yards and 65 touchdowns in pass-happy indoor stadiums.
Showing signs of his former self, Maddox has emerged as one of the most coveted quarterbacks in the XFL, an upstart league looking to fill its rosters with players who couldn’t make it in the NFL.
The XFL, although it gets flak for being founded by World Wrestling Federation chairman Vince McMahon, features a legitimate brand of football. No more will Maddox have to deal with the AFL’s 50-yard fields, rebound nets and sideline barriers.
The Xtreme, which will play its home games at the Los Angeles Coliseum, had the first crack at Maddox last October in a territorial draft. They did not hesitate to protect him from being snatched up by another team in the later XFL draft.
“Tommy brings a maturity to the team since he’s been around the block,” Xtreme head coach Al Luginbill said. “He’s decided the game means a lot to him. I haven’t gotten anything but positive leadership skills out of Tommy.”
“He’s a better athlete than (St. Louis Rams quarterback) Kurt Warner,” said Luginbill, who coached last year’s NFL league and Super Bowl MVP in NFL Europe. “They both have that feel for the game.”
Maddox, however, is realistic about his chances for a return to the NFL.
“I’m not really looking to accomplish anything like that,” he said. “I’m 29 years old and have a wife and two kids.”
Maddox isn’t even a guarantee to start for the Xtreme in its inaugural season. Though he will likely get the nod for the season opener in San Francisco this Sunday, former Tampa Bay Buccaneer quarterback Scott Milanovich is providing some healthy competition for the job.
In any case, Maddox just wants to enjoy his time as a football player in the XFL.
“I want to help my team win. I hope to win a championship.”
Hey, it sure beats dwelling on what could have been.