Jon Kitna

Jon Kitna Legacy

HEYTC AI

Jon Kitna was a survivor—the undrafted kid from Tacoma who refused to accept his station. He walked on at Central Washington, won an NAIA national championship, and spent 14 seasons proving doubters wrong across four NFL stops. His 2003 Comeback Player of the Year award felt inevitable; reinvention was his superpower. Kitna threw for nearly 30,000 yards with the grit of a backup who knew every snap mattered. But his real legacy isn't measured in passing yards—it's in the classroom and on sidelines, where he became the coach and teacher he'd always planned to be, eventually leading Lakota East High School while mentoring his own quarterback son. That's the Kitna story: a man who played the game on his terms, then left it better than he found it.

Jon Kitna Rating Breakdown

Season

Subpar

Fantasy

Average

Playoffs

Non-Factor

Overall

NPC

5 years with the Bengals

Jon Kitna Career Stats via Wikipedia

29,745 Pass Yards

169 Touchdowns

165 INTs

60.3% Comp %

16.4 HAIR

50-74 Record

Frequently Asked Questions About Jon Kitna

How does Joe Burrow compare to Jon Kitna?

Joe Burrow's got the arm talent and poise to eclipse Kitna's Bengals mark fast—Burrow's already at 16,000+ yards in fewer starts, while Kitna grinded to 10,707 over 53 games with a 74.6 rating. Kitna revived a dead franchise in '01-'03, hitting 4,000 yards twice, but Burrow's in MVP talks; Kitna's the gritty setup man, Burrow's the supernova.

Is Jon Kitna in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Nah, Jon Kitna's not in Canton—no bust waiting for him in the Hall. Guy slung it for 29,745 yards and 169 TDs across 14 seasons, snagged Comeback Player of the Year in '03 after dragging the Bengals to 8-8. Solid journeyman from Central Washington, but the Hall's for the immortals, not the tough-nosed backups who stepped up.

What is Jon Kitna doing now in 2026?

Kitna's off the grid in 2026, no headlines on broadcasting gigs or charity drives popping up. Last we knew, the ex-QB from Tacoma was coaching high school ball in Michigan post-2011 retirement, keeping it low-key after stints with Seahawks, Bengals, Lions, and Cowboys. Probably grilling burgers and reminiscing about that '97 World Bowl MVP with Barcelona Dragons.

How would Jon Kitna perform in today's NFL?

Kitna would feast in today's pass-happy NFL—modern rules nix the mugging of receivers, and his 60.3% completion with 4,000-yard seasons in Cincy ('01-'03) scream solid starter. Quick release, smart reads like his 21-TD '03 year; he'd post 4,500 yards easy behind today's protection, maybe top-15 QB, not elite but way better than his 77.4 career rating suggests.

How does Jon Kitna compare to Ken Anderson?

Ken Anderson owns the Bengals QB throne with a 95.7 career rating and '81 MVP, while Kitna's 77.4 (16.4 with Cincy) was gritty but turnover-prone at 169 TDs to 165 picks overall. Anderson's surgical precision won a title; Kitna revived the corpse in '03 with 4,208 yards, but he's the dependable rental, not the Hall-bound gunslinger.