Chad Steven Henne

Chad Steven Henne (born July 2, 1985) is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan. While attending, Henne became the second all time true freshman starting quarterback in Michigan history; accumulated a total of 32 wins in regular season play, 8,740 offensive yards, and 87 touchdowns; and in his senior season, led the Wolverines to a Capital One Bowl victory over Florida. He was subsequently rewarded as the game's MVP after throwing for over 350 yards.

Henne's professional career began when he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins, fifty-seventh overall in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Henne spent most of his rookie season on the bench under veteran quarterback Chad Pennington. In his sophomore season as a Dolphin, Henne stepped in to relieve the injured Pennington and started the remaining 13 games.

Early years

Henne was born in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania to Sheldon and Suzanne Henne.

In 2000, fives games into his freshman season at Wilson Senior High School in West Lawn, Pennsylvania, Henne stepped in for the injured starting quarterback. After putting up quality numbers, the Bulldogs coach decided to allow Henne to finish the season as the starter. Finishing the 2000 season on a high note, Henne ended up starting his sophomore year and ultimately the rest of his high school career. At the end of his junior year in 2003, having been offered forty scholarships from various schools, Henne narrowed his college options down to five schools: Miami, Michigan, Georgia, Tennessee, and Penn State. Before his first game as a senior, Henne announced his plans to become a Wolverine at the University of Michigan. By the end of his senior year in 2004, Henne had thrown for a total of 7,071 passing yards, ranking third all time in Pennsylvania state history. Following high school Henne played in the 2004 U.S. Army All-American Bowl as a member of the East team.

College career

In 2004, Henne entered the 2004 college football season as a freshman for the Wolverines, and third on the depth chart behind redshirt sophomore Matt Gutierrez and redshirt freshman quarterback Clayton Richard. The Monday prior to the season opener against Miami University, Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr announced Gutierrez would start even though he was suffering from a sore shoulder. A few days later Carr decided to allow Henne to start in relief of Gutierrez, a position Henne was not unfamiliar with.

Henne ended his first career game with a 43-10 win, completing 14 of 24 passes for 142 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Henne was just the second true freshman in Michigan history to start on opening day, a feat not seen at Michigan since Rick Leach in 1975

Alongside freshman running back Mike Hart, he galvanized an explosive offensive unit that featured receivers Braylon Edwards, Jason Avant, and Steve Breaston. (All five would later go on to the NFL.) Henne's freshman season was highlighted by a triple-overtime win over in-state rival Michigan State and a record-tying performance in the Rose Bowl against Texas. He also tied the Michigan season record for touchdown passes with 25, first set by Elvis Grbac in 1991.

Henne was criticized in 2005 after the Michgian, ranked in the top five of the preseason polls, stumbled to a 3–3 start. The sophomore quarterback was particularly scrutinized after his performance in a close loss to Notre Dame, in which he completed fewer than half of his pass attempts and lost a fumble on the goal line. After their 3–3 start, Michigan won four consecutive games to clinch the program's 21st consecutive winning season.

As a junior in 2006, Henne earned Rivals.com All-American third-team honors. He was a Manning Award finalist, Maxwell Award semifinalist, Davey O'Brien Award semifinalist and Walter Camp Award candidate. The All-Big Ten Conference second-team choice started all thirteen games. He hit on 203-of-328 passes for 2,508 yards and 22 touchdowns with eight interceptions, ranking fifth in U-M's season record list for touchdown passes, eighth in attempts and completions and tenth in passing yards. For the third straight year Michigan concluded their season by losing to Ohio State and then dropping their bowl game, this time to Southern California.

During his senior year in 2007, Henne completed 162 of 278 passes for 1,938 yards, 17 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He suffered a knee injury in the first half of the second game of the season against Oregon, and sat out the second half, as well as subsequent games against Notre Dame and Penn State, before returning to the starting lineup against Northwestern. Henne played his final college game against Florida in the Capital One Bowl. Henne was named the MVP of the game after he led his team to a 41–35 victory over the Gators and reigning Heisman Trophy winner, Tim Tebow.

For his career, Henne completed 828 of 1,387 passes for 9,715 yards, 87 touchdowns, and 37 interceptions. All five marks are school records. Henne's passing touchdown total is second in Big Ten Conference history.