Bill Musgrave

Biography

The Falcons will lean heavily on Bill Musgrave’s 17 years of experience as an NFL player and coach to guide the team’s quarterbacks again for the fifth season in 2008. Under Musgrave’s tutelage, quarterback Matt Ryan played like a seasoned veteran, earning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors by the Associated Press and Sporting News en route to leading the Falcons to the playoffs.

Ryan’s accomplishments included a 61.1 season completion percentage (sixth-best ever by a Falcons QB in a single-season), 12.98 yards per completion (second in NFL), nine consecutive games with 200+ yards passing, nine games with zero interceptions, and nine contests with a passer rating of 94.1 or higher. In addition, he became only the second rookie signal-caller to ever throw for over 3,000 yards in a single-season (Peyton Manning, 1998). To top off his excellent rookie campaign, Ryan established an NFL rookie record with 26 completions along with a pair of scoring passes versus the eventual NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals.

Before coming to Atlanta four years ago, Musgrave helped QB Mark Brunell and the 2005 Washington Redskins reach the playoffs and defeat the NFC South champion Buccaneers in Tampa, Florida. Brunell passed for a career-high 23 touchdowns, the most by a Redskins signal-caller since 1999.

Musgrave's own six-year pro career as a quarterback began as a fourth round draft choice by the Dallas Cowboys in 1991. He played for the San Francisco 49ers from 1991-94, serving as a back-up to Joe Montana and Steve Young, while also learning his craft from the likes of coaches Mike Holmgren and Mike Shanahan. He was a member of the 49ers' Super Bowl XXIX winning team in 1994. Musgrave followed Shanahan to Denver to play behind another future Hall of Famer QB John Elway from 1995-96.

Musgrave was a four-year starting quarterback and three-year captain at Oregon from 1987-90. In addition to taking the Ducks to their first bowl games in 26 years in 1989 and 1990, he finished his collegiate career as Oregon's all-time leader in passing and total offense, while establishing 15 school records. His 60 passing touchdowns ranked second only to Elway in PAC-10 history.

A member of both the University of Oregon and state of Colorado Hall of Fames, Musgrave was born November 11, 1967 in Grand Junction, Colorado. He received the prestigious Denver Post's Gold Helmet Award for 1985, as well as being named the Colorado High School Athlete of the Year after a stellar three-year career in basketball, track, baseball and football at Grand Junction High School.

He and his wife, Neely, have four children.

Bill Musgrave’s Coaching Background
 

• 2006-2009 -- Quarterbacks // Atlanta Falcons
• 2003-2004 -- Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks // Jaguars
• 2001-2002 -- Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks // Virginia
• 2000 -- Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks // Panthers
• 1999 -- Quarterbacks // Panthers
• 1998 -- Offensive Coordinator // Eagles
• 1997 -- Quarterbacks // Raiders