Jake Plummer
The 'Jake the Snake' quarterback whose fearless, scrambling style and playoff heroics brought excitement and credibility to long-suffering franchises.
Born 1974 (age 52)·American football player·Birthday: December 19·Generation X
Biography
Jake Plummer played the quarterback position with a gunslinger's heart and a playground spirit. Drafted by his college-state Arizona Cardinals, he immediately injected hope into a moribund franchise, famously leading a last-minute touchdown drive to beat the Cowboys in his first start. His daring, sometimes reckless, style earned him the nickname 'Jake the Snake' and made the Cardinals relevant. His career zenith came after a 2003 trade to the Denver Broncos. Under coach Mike Shanahan, Plummer matured into an efficient passer and a master of the bootleg, leading Denver to the 2005 AFC Championship Game. His 2005 season was arguably his best, with a 90.2 passer rating and a 13-3 record. Plummer's tenure in Denver ended abruptly with the arrival of Jay Cutler, and he walked away from the game on his own terms after a brief trade to Tampa Bay. His legacy is that of a winner who played with palpable joy and grit, transforming the cultures of the teams he led.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Jake was born in 1974, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jake Was Born
The biggest hits of 1974
#1 Movie
The Towering Inferno
Best Picture
The Godfather Part II
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Jake's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1974Born
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1979Started school
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1987Became a teenager
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Could drive
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1992Could vote
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Turned 21
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2004Turned 30
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 40
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 50
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 52 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Led the Denver Broncos to the AFC Championship Game in the 2005 season.
- Holds the Arizona Cardinals franchise record for most career passing touchdowns (90).
- Finished third in voting for the NFL Most Valuable Player Award in 2005.
- Led the NFL in game-winning drives in 1998 with the Arizona Cardinals.
Did You Know?
He was a standout handball player in high school and considered pursuing it professionally.
After retiring from the NFL, he became a dedicated advocate for medical marijuana and a successful businessman in the cannabis industry.
He played in the 1997 Rose Bowl for Arizona State, throwing a last-second 'Hail Mary' touchdown pass to beat Ohio State.
He is an avid and skilled player of the board game Settlers of Catan, even participating in tournaments.
“I played the game because I loved it. I didn't play it for the fame or the money. I played it because it was fun.”
