Mark Brunell enters his fourth season as the Lions' quarterbacks coach in 2024. In 2023, he helped QB Jared Goff lead the NFL in passing first downs (227), rank second in passing yards (4,575) and rank fourth in passing touchdowns (30) en route to the team capturing their first division title since 1993 and advancing to their second-ever NFC Championship Game. Goff became only the third quarterback in franchise history to win multiple playoff games, joining QBs Tobin Rote (1957) and Bobby Layne (1952-53). The 2023 season also saw Brunell guide Goff to the single-season franchise record in completion percentage (67.3%) and finish with the third-most completions (407) and third-highest passer rating (97.9) in a season in team history.
Under Brunell's tutelage over the 2022-23 seasons, Goff strung together two historic NFL streaks. He went 10-straight starts without throwing an interception, tied for the second-longest streak in NFL history, and attempted 383 consecutive passes without throwing an interception, the third-longest streak in NFL history.
In 2022, he helped Goff lead the NFL in touchdown-to-interception ratio (4.14), have the second-lowest interception rate (1.2%), tie for the fifth-most passing touchdowns (29), throw for the sixth-most yards (4,438) and post the seventh-highest passer rating (99.3) en route to a Pro Bowl berth.
Once Brunell concluded his playing career in 2011, he served as the high school head coach and program director at the Episcopal School of Jacksonville (2013-20), was the Team Relations Director of the NFL Legends Community and worked as a sports analyst at ESPN from 2014-16.
After being selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round (118th overall) of the 1993 NFL Draft out of Washington, Brunell embarked on a 19-year NFL career (1993-2011) with the Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Washington, New Orleans Saints and New York Jets. He appeared in 193 career games (151 starts) and completed 2,761-of-4,640 passes (59.5%) for 32,072 yards, 184 touchdowns and 108 interceptions for an 84.0 passer rating. He also added 513 rushing attempts for 2,421 yards (4.7 avg.) and 15 touchdowns.
He made three Pro Bowls in his career, led the NFL with 4,367 passing yards in 1996 and left the Jaguars organization as the franchise leader in career passing attempts (3,616), completions (2,184), yards (25,698) and touchdowns (144). As a starter, he led Jacksonville to two AFC Central division titles and four playoff appearances, and guided Washington to the NFC East crown in 2005. He was the fourth player to be enshrined to the "Pride of the Jaguars," Jacksonville's ring of honor.
Brunell served as a backup quarterback and the team's holder on field goals and extra points with the Saints in 2009, helping New Orleans win Super Bowl XLIV, the first championship in franchise history.
He played five seasons at the University of Washington (1988-92) and was part of the 1991 National Championship team. Brunell also appeared in three Rose Bowls, was the MVP of the 1991 Rose Bowl and was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 2015.
A native of Santa Maria, Calif., Brunell is married to his wife, Stacy, and has four children, Caitlin, Jacob, Joseph and Luke. Brunell and Stacy currently reside in Jacksonville, Fla.
