Caleb Jeffrey Hanie (born September 11, 1985) is an American former professional
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
quarterback
The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...
. He played
college football
College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
at
Colorado State and was signed by the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
as an
undrafted free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...
in 2008. He was also a member of the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
,
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
,
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...
, and
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
.
Early life
Hanie played
high school football
High school football, also known as prep football, is gridiron football played by High school (North America), high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular high school sports, interscholastic sports in both c ...
for
Forney High School in
Forney, Texas and led his team to consecutive top 3 finishes in class 3A in 2002 and 2003.
College career
Hanie was the starting quarterback for the Colorado State Rams in 2006 and 2007.
College statistics
Professional career
Chicago Bears
Hanie was signed by the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
as a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...
following the
2008 NFL draft on April 28, 2008. He made the Bears' 53-man roster prior to the start of the
2008 season.
He made his first regular season contribution as a Bear towards the end of their blowout loss to the
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
on October 25, 2009. He completed one of two passes for two yards. He went on to make another appearance against the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
on December 20, 2009, completing two of five passes for eight yards. During that game, he also threw his first career interception on an acrobatic play by
Dominique Foxworth. On October 3, 2010, Bears starter
Jay Cutler
Jay Christopher Cutler (born April 29, 1983) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. A member of the Chicago Bears for most of his career, he is ...
and backup
Todd Collins both suffered injuries in a game against the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
, and Hanie entered the game as the
third quarterback. He went three of four for 36 yards, but the Bears still suffered their first loss of the 2010 season. On October 10, 2010, with Cutler on the bench due to a concussion suffered the previous week, Collins started the game but proved ineffective, throwing four interceptions. Hanie entered the game in the third quarter and went 2-3 for 19 yards. The Bears won the game 23–6, primarily on points scored in the early part of the first quarter, and scored two fourth-quarter field goals on drives led by Hanie.
2010 NFC Championship Game
Hanie entered the
2010 NFC Championship Game as the third-string quarterback in the third quarter after starter
Jay Cutler
Jay Christopher Cutler (born April 29, 1983) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. A member of the Chicago Bears for most of his career, he is ...
left with a second-degree sprain of his MCL and second-string quarterback
Todd Collins left with a shoulder injury. He led the Bears to a touchdown in his first series on the field but was later intercepted by defensive lineman
B. J. Raji, who returned the interception for a touchdown. On the following drive, Hanie led the Bears to a second touchdown in only 81 seconds of game time. He later threw another interception, this time to
Sam Shields, with 37 seconds left in the game. Overall, Hanie completed 13 passes in 20 attempts for 153 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions. The Bears lost to the Packers 21–14.
In the near-comeback, Hanie became the first quarterback since 1983 to throw a postseason touchdown before a regular season touchdown.
2011 season

After a back-and-forth preseason, Hanie won a battle with
Nate Enderle for the second position on the depth chart. Against the San Diego Chargers in week 11, starting quarterback
Jay Cutler
Jay Christopher Cutler (born April 29, 1983) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. A member of the Chicago Bears for most of his career, he is ...
suffered a broken thumb on his throwing hand. The following day, the Bears reported that Cutler would need surgery on the thumb, possibly ending his season. Hanie was named the starter for the Bears until Cutler's return.
On November 27, 2011, Hanie started his first NFL game against the Oakland Raiders. He threw two touchdowns and three interceptions in the 25–20 loss, snapping the Bears' five-game winning streak. In that game, however, with 8 seconds left, looking to spike the ball, Hanie did not spike the ball immediately; instead he stepped backward, as if attempting a pass, and then spiked the ball. Consequently, he was charged with
intentional grounding and was ordered to runoff the time remaining on the clock, preserving a Raiders win. The following week, Hanie threw three interceptions in a 10–3 loss to the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
Established in 1959 ...
. The Bears eventually lost in overtime to the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
13–10. After getting swept against the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...
38–14, Hanie was replaced by
Josh McCown
Joshua Treadwell McCown (born July 4, 1979) is an American professional American football, football coach and former quarterback who is the quarterbacks coach for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college foo ...
for Week 16 against the Packers and
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
in Week 17.
The Bears stated that they would not re-sign Hanie for 2012.
Denver Broncos
Hanie signed with the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
on March 24, 2012. In the 2012 preseason, Hanie and newly acquired quarterback
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the In ...
faced Hanie's former team in the Bears in Week 1 of the preseason. During the game, though Hanie was sacked three times by
Shea McClellin,
Cheta Ozougwu
Chetachi Ozougwu (born January 4, 1988) is an American former professional American football, football linebacker. He played college football at Rice Owls football, Rice and was selected with Mr. Irrelevant, the final pick of the seventh round ...
, and
Nate Collins, Hanie completed 7/14 passes for 79 yards and a 67.3 passer rating, en route to a 31–3 victory.
Baltimore Ravens
Hanie signed a one-year contract with the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
on April 16, 2013, as competition for
Tyrod Taylor for the backup quarterback position.
He was released on August 30, 2013.
Cleveland Browns
Hanie was signed by the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...
on December 3, 2013. However, he was waived on December 10.
Dallas Cowboys
Hanie was signed to a one-year deal by the Dallas Cowboys on April 23, 2014. Hanie was released by the team on August 26, 2014.
NFL career statistics
Regular season
Postseason
Post-football career
Hanie is married to his wife, Andrea. They have three children.
He identifies as a
Christian
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
.
In May 2016, Hanie was a passenger in a fatal crash in
Barrington Hills, Illinois, in which 35-year-old Salvatore DiMucci died. DiMucci was driving a 2015
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to simply as Mercedes and occasionally as Benz, is a German automotive brand that was founded in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a subsidiary of the Mercedes-Benz Group, established in 2019) is based in Stuttgart, ...
that crashed into a tree. Also in the vehicle was another former Chicago Bear,
Joey LaRocque.
As of 2020, Hanie was working as a financial adviser,
working with current and former NFL players.
References
External links
Colorado State Rams bio*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanie, Caleb
1985 births
Living people
People from Forney, Texas
Players of American football from Dallas
American football quarterbacks
Colorado State Rams football players
Chicago Bears players
Denver Broncos players
Baltimore Ravens players
Cleveland Browns players
Dallas Cowboys players