Jeff Van Raaphorst

Jeffrey Richard Van Raaphorst (born December 7, 1963) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons on the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Van Raaphorst attended Grossmont High School in El Cajon, California, where he played defensive end and tight end before he was converted to a quarterback by his head coach. As a senior, he threw for 2,970 yards. However, he was waived by the team during final cuts in September. Later that month, Van Raaphorst signed with the Atlanta Falcons as a replacement player during the 1987 NFL strike. He played two games for Atlanta in the 1987 season.

Van Raaphorst was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 2006. He now serves as a color commentator for Arizona State football radio broadcasts.

Personal life Van Raaphorst comes from an athletic family. His father, Dick, was a kicker in the NFL. One of his brothers, Mike, was a backup quarterback behind Carson Palmer at USC in 1999, while another brother, Billy, is a college baseball umpire. Lastly, Van Raaphorst's son, Cade, plays professional lacrosse for the Atlas Lacrosse Club of the Professional Lacrosse League.