Hall of Fame
Position: Quarterback
Years: 1998-2002
Place of Birth: Fresno, CA
Date of Birth: Dec. 27, 1979
Jersey Number: 3
Height: 6-6
Weight: 230
High School: Santa Margarita Catholic HS (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA)
The winner of the 2002 Heisman Trophy, Carson Palmer helped usher in a new era of dominance at USC and finished his career as the Pac-10's all-time leading passer. The Rancho Santa Margarita, California, native becomes the 33rd Trojan player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
A consensus First Team All-American in 2002, Palmer was the first USC quarterback to win the Heisman, and he also received the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Pop Warner Award and Sporting News National Player of the Year. The Pac-10 Co-Offensive Player of the Year as a senior, he guided the 2002 USC squad to its first 11-win season since 1979, a share of the conference title and a No. 4 national ranking. The 2002 co-captain and team MVP capped his stellar career earning MVP honors in the Trojans' 2003 Orange Bowl victory.
The USC record holder with 1,569 career pass attempts, Palmer finished his time in Los Angeles as the Trojans' all-time leader in career passing yards and career total offense, and he currently ranks second in both categories. His 11,818 passing yards and 11,621 yards of total offense – both also Pac-10 career records at the time – currently rank sixth and eighth in conference history, respectively. A two-time recipient of the Marv Goux Award for efforts in the annual USC-UCLA rivalry game, Palmer ranks second all-time in single-season passing at USC with 309 completions for 3,942 yards in 2002. A teammate of College Football Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu at USC, Palmer is a member of the school's Athletic Hall of Fame, and his No. 3 jersey has been retired by the program.
The first overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, Palmer played 15 seasons with the Bengals (2003-10), Oakland Raiders (2011-12) and Arizona Cardinals (2013-17). A three-time Pro Bowler, he was named the 2005 AFC Player of the Year after leading the Bengals to their first winning season and playoff appearance in 15 years. A member of the Arizona Cardinals Ring of Honor, Palmer ranked 12th all-time in both passing yards and passing touchdowns when he retired from the NFL.
Off the field, he established the Carson Palmer Foundation to assist abused and abandoned children. Palmer has provided aid and support to organizations like the Boys and Girls Club, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Phoenix Children's Hospital. He and his wife recently pledged to make a challenge gift of $300,000 for Compassion International's "Fill the Stadium" initiative, which seeks to provide essential food, medical care and support for children and their families during the Coronavirus pandemic.
