Lock attended Lee's Summit High School in Lee's Summit, Missouri.[1] As a junior, he passed for 3,060 yards and 35 touchdowns. As a senior in 2014, he was the Kansas City Star's All-Metro Player of the Year after passing for 2,731 yards and 28 touchdowns.[2] Lock was rated by Rivals as a four-star recruit and was ranked as the sixth-best pro-style quarterback in the 2015 class.[3] He committed to the University of Missouri to play college football.[4] He was considered a two-star basketball prospect as a shooting guard, but he retired from basketball after high school.[5]
College career
Lock began his collegiate career by going 6-for-10 for 138 yards and a touchdown in the 2015 season-opener against Southeast Missouri State while coming off the bench for two series.[6] He took over as Mizzou's starting quarterback over the final eight games of 2015.[7] In a 24–10 win over South Carolina, he became the school's first true freshman to start at quarterback since Corby Jones in 1995,[8] going 21-for-28 for 136 yards and a pair of touchdowns.[9] Against BYU at Arrowhead Stadium, Lock was 19-of-28 for a career-best 244 yards and a touchdown while also setting career highs in both passer rating and passing yards while posting his second-best completion percentage of the season.[10] He finished the season 129-of-263 for 1,332 yards, four passing touchdowns, and eight interceptions to go along with a rushing touchdown.[7]
In Missouri's second game of the 2016 season, Lock completed 24-for-37 for a career-high 450 yards while tying a school record with five touchdowns against Eastern Michigan in Mizzou's home opener.[11][12] He tossed for three more touchdowns on 23-of-38 passing in Missouri's 28–27 loss to Georgia.[13] His passing total of 1,106 yards was more than any Mizzou quarterback in his first three games ever. He played only the first half against Delaware State, but put up huge numbers in the 79–0 win. In the first half alone, he completed 26 of 36 passes for 402 yards while matching the school record with five touchdowns.[14] He closed his season by sparking a second-half 17-point comeback with a 67-yard touchdown pass to Johnathon Johnson against Arkansas.[15] He finished that game going 16-for-26 with 268 yards and a score.[16] Lock finished the 2016 season with 3,399 passing yards, 23 passing touchdowns, and ten interceptions to go along with a rushing touchdown.[17] Lock finished the 2016 regular season ranked second in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in passing yards (3,399)[18]
In the Tigers' 2017 season opener, Lock passed for 521 yards, seven touchdowns, and one interception in a victory over Missouri State.[19] On October 21, against Idaho, he had 467 passing yards, six touchdowns, and one interception to break a five-game losing streak for Missouri.[20] On November 24, on the road against Arkansas, he had 448 yards, five passing touchdowns, and two interceptions.[21] In the 2017 season, Lock led the NCAA (FBS) and set the SEC and Missouri record for passing touchdowns (44) while helping the Tigers reach a bowl game after starting the season 1–5.[22][23][24] He finished the season with 242-of-419 passing (57.8%) for 3,964 yards with 44 touchdowns and 13 interceptions (165.7 rtg.).[25] Lock was selected to the First-team All-SEC.[26]
Lock helped lead Missouri to a 3–0 start with 11 passing touchdowns and one interception in the stretch against UT Martin, Wyoming, and Purdue.[27][28][29] On October 20, against Memphis, he passed for 350 yards and four touchdowns in the win.[30] Missouri closed out the regular season with a four-game winning streak against Florida, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, and Arkansas where Lock had nine passing touchdowns to two interceptions while having three rushing touchdowns. In the 2018 season, Lock had 3,498 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns, and eight interceptions to go along with six rushing touchdowns.[31] He led the SEC in pass attempts and completions in the 2018 season.[32] Lock finished his college football career with a total of 108 (99 passing, 9 rushing) touchdowns.[33]
Lock suffered a thumb injury in the preseason and was placed on injured reserve on September 1, 2019.[39] He was designated for return from injured reserve on November 12, 2019, and resumed practicing with the team.
On November 30, 2019, the Broncos activated Lock off of injured reserve and named him the starter for their game the next day against the Los Angeles Chargers.[40] He threw for 134 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, and he moved the Broncos down the field in the last 15 seconds (via a pass interference penalty on the Chargers' Casey Heyward Jr.) to set up a Brandon McManus 53-yard field goal as time expired, quarterbacking the Broncos to a 23–20 win, his first NFL victory.[41]
During Week 14 against the Houston Texans, a game in which the Texans were favored by nine points, Lock threw three touchdowns in the first half and led another scoring drive to start the second half, giving his team a 38–3 lead. The Broncos eventually won the game 38–24, and Lock finished with 309 passing yards, three touchdowns, and an interception.[42]
Lock started the remainder of the season. In five games, he finished with 1,020 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions.[43] He went 4–1 as a starter in 2019 and in the process, tied with legendary Broncos quarterback John Elway for the most franchise wins by a rookie QB with four, only needing five games to accomplish the feat that Elway did not reach until his 10th game.[44]
In Week 2, he left the game early in the first quarter with a shoulder injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Without Lock the Broncos lost the game 26–21.[46]
In Week 6, Lock returned from his injury against the New England Patriots. He had 189 yards passing and two interceptions, but the Broncos won the game 18–12 thanks to six Brandon McManus field goals.[47] With the win, Lock became the youngest quarterback ever to defeat the Patriots at Gillette Stadium under head coach Bill Belichick, as well as the second quarterback to do so while throwing multiple interceptions (Kurt Warner also accomplished the feat back in 2001).
In Week 8 against the Chargers, he had 248 passing yards, three touchdowns, and one interception in a 31–30 comeback victory.[48] The third touchdown pass was a game-winning one-yard pass to K. J. Hamler with no time remaining.[49]
In Week 9 against the Atlanta Falcons, Lock threw for 313 yards, two touchdown passes, an interception and rushed for 47 yards and another touchdown in the 34–27 loss.[50]
In Week 10 against the Las Vegas Raiders, Lock had the worst passing performance of his career, throwing for 257 yards, one touchdown, and 4 interceptions in a 37–12 loss.[51]
On November 28, 2020, Lock was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list after coming in close contact with Jeff Driskel, who tested positive for the virus.[52] Lock and the other three quarterbacks on the Broncos roster were fined by the team for violating COVID-19 protocols.[53] He was activated on December 1.[54]
In Week 14, against the Carolina Panthers, he had 280 passing yards and four passing touchdowns in a 32–27 victory.[55]
In Week 17 against the Raiders, Lock threw for 339 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 32–31 loss.[56]
Lock finished the 2020 season with 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions, tied for the most interceptions in the NFL with Carson Wentz, despite only playing in 13 games. His completion percentage of 57.3% was the lowest among the 35 quarterbacks with at least 150 passing attempts in 2020.[57][58]
Lock spent the 2021 preseason in a competition with newly acquired quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. On August 25, Bridgewater was named the starter for week 1[59] ahead of Lock, after a close battle in the first and second preseason games.
In Week 4, Lock played against the Baltimore Ravens after Bridgewater suffered a concussion. He completed 12-of-21 (57.1%) passes for a total of 113 yards and an interception, resulting in a 52.3 QB rating in the 23–7 loss.[60][61]
In Week 12, Lock entered the game against the Chargers late in the first half after a leg injury temporarily sidelined Bridgewater. Lock completed 4-of-7 (57.1%) for a total of 26 yards and an interception, resulting in a QB rating of 25.6 in the 28–13 win.[62] Bridgewater reentered and finished the game in the second half.[63]
In Week 15, Lock came in against the Cincinnati Bengals after Bridgewater left the game with a concussion. He completed 6-of-12 passes (50%) for 88 yards and a touchdown, and lost a fumble in the 15–10 loss.[64]
In Week 16, Lock was the starter against the Raiders due to Bridgewater's injury.[65] Lock threw for 153 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in the 17–13 loss.[66]
Lock started for the remainder of the season after Bridgewater was placed on injured reserve.[67] Against the Kansas City Chiefs, Lock completed 12-of-24 passes for 162 yards, rushing for 35 yards and two touchdowns, becoming the first Broncos quarterback to rush for two touchdowns since Tim Tebow in 2011, in the 28–24 loss.[68]
Seattle Seahawks
On March 16, 2022, Lock was traded to the Seattle Seahawks with two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, defensive lineman Shelby Harris, and tight end Noah Fant in exchange for quarterback Russell Wilson.[69] Upon arriving in Seattle, Lock changed his jersey number from #3, which he had worn in Denver and at Missouri, to #2, telling reporters he did so both out of respect for Wilson, who wore #3, and out of a desire to "write my own story."[70]
After Lock competed with Geno Smith for three preseason games, Smith was named the starter.[71] Lock never took the field during his first season in Seattle, as Smith took every snap.[72]
Lock re-signed with the Seahawks on March 20, 2023.[73]
In Week 4, against the New York Giants, Lock came in mid-game for an injured Smith. He led the Seahawks on a 75-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown and was replaced later in the game by Smith.[74]
In Week 11, against rivalLos Angeles Rams on November 19, 2023, at SoFi Stadium, Lock again came in for Smith who had been momentarily sidelined with an elbow injury following a tackle by Rams’ linebacker Ernest Jones and defensive tackle Aaron Donald.[75][76] Lock played poorly, completing 2-of-6 passes, including a critical interception to Rams' cornerback Derion Kendrick, which ultimately lost the game for the Seahawks.[77][78][79]
In Week 14, against the San Francisco 49ers, Lock had his first start since being traded to Seattle, due to Smith suffering a groin injury. He completed 22-of-31 for 269 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions, in a 16–28 loss.[80]
Although Smith was active for the Week 15 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, he had not recovered enough to start, making Lock the starter again.[80] With the Seahawks down 13–17 and 1:52 left in the game, Lock led a 92-yard touchdown drive, concluding with a 29-yard touchdown throw to Jaxon Smith-Njigba with 0:28 left. The Seahawks won 20–17.[81]
Lock finished the season with three touchdowns and three interceptions for a total QBR of 44.9.[82]
New York Giants
On March 14, 2024, Lock signed with the New York Giants on a one-year deal worth $5 million.[83] Once thought to be competing with Daniel Jones for the starting quarterback job, Lock asserted that he was brought in to be a backup.[84]
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