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Jay Barker

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Jay Barker
Personal information
Born:(1972-07-20)July 20, 1972(age 52)
Birmingham, Alabama,U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school:Hewitt-Trussville(Trussville, Alabama)
College:Alabama
Position:Quarterback
NFL draft:1995/ Round: 5 / Pick: 160
Career history
Career highlights and awards

Harry Jerome “Jay” Barker(born July 20, 1972)[1]is an American former professionalfootballplayer who was aquarterbackin theCanadian Football League(CFL). He playedcollege footballfor theAlabama Crimson Tide,earning third-teamAll-Americanhonors in 1994. After his playing career, he became a Birmingham radio personality.

Football career

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Barker attendedHewitt-Trussville High SchoolinTrussville, Alabama,where his football career began. He graduated in 1990.

Barker playedcollege footballat theUniversity of Alabama,under head coachGene Stallings.In the final game of the1992 season,Barker led the Crimson Tide to anational championshipby defeating the #1Miami Hurricanes,34–13, in the1993 Sugar Bowl.In the1994 season,Barker won theJohnny Unitas Golden Arm Awardand finished fifth in the voting for theHeisman Trophy.[2]Barker led theCrimson Tideto a 35–2–1 record as their starting quarterback, which was the NCAA record for most wins for a college quarterback at that time. However, the official NCAA record book reflects a 27–11 mark due to later forfeiture of games during the1993 season.

Barker was drafted in the1995 NFL draftin the fifth round by theGreen Bay Packers,but did not make the team.[3]Subsequently, Barker was on the roster of theNew England Patriotsand theCarolina Panthers,but never played in a regular season game.

In 1998, theToronto Argonautssigned Barker, bringing him to theCanadian Football League.[4]

After three seasons with the Argonauts, Barker left to join theBirmingham Thunderboltsin theXFL.[4]A fan favorite of the Bolts' (generally small) crowds, Barker was the team's second-string quarterback and played several games in the middle of the season before suffering a career-ending concussion late. In contrast to his college career, his time in the XFL saw him oversee the beginning of a seven-game losing streak.

Radio career

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Barker is currently an analyst forESPN Radio,and formerly an on-air personality forWJOXin Birmingham. Both he andAl Del Greco,a formerAuburnplacekicker,hosted theOpening Driveprogram on WJOX, along with Tony Kurre until 2018.

Personal life

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From 1995 to 2007 he was married to Amy DiGiovanna. The couple has four children.[citation needed]

In 2008, Barker married AmericancountrymusicianSara Evans.[5]They lived inMountain Brook, Alabama,a suburb of Birmingham[5]with his four children and Evans' three children.[6]

On January 15, 2022, Barker was arrested on domestic violence charges after he allegedly tried to hit Evans and another individual with his car. The report also indicated that Barker and Evans are currently separated.[7][8]Evans filed for divorce in August 2021 citing "irreconcilable differences and inappropriate marital conduct”.[9] In March 2024 Evans and Barker announced they had reconciled.[10]

References

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  1. ^"Sara Evans' estranged husband arrested after reported domestic assault in Nashville".FOX17.com.January 16, 2022.
  2. ^"1994 - 60th Award".heisman.com. Archived fromthe originalon October 14, 2008.RetrievedDecember 6,2008.
  3. ^"1995 NFL Draft Listing".Pro-Football-Reference.com.RetrievedMarch 31,2023.
  4. ^ab"Barker bolts Argos for XFL".CBC. January 8, 2001.RetrievedDecember 6,2008.
  5. ^ab"Sara Evans has married former Alabama quarterback".International Herald Tribune.Associated Press. June 16, 2008.RetrievedDecember 6,2008.[dead link]
  6. ^CMT.com Staff (January 27, 2003)."Sara Evans Welcomes Daughter".CMT. Archived fromthe originalon January 18, 2015.RetrievedOctober 2,2007.
  7. ^Patrick Reilly (January 16, 2022)."Ex-Alabama QB Jay Barker charged with domestic violence".New York Post.RetrievedJanuary 16,2022.
  8. ^Carol Robinson (January 15, 2022)."Jay Barker, former Alabama quarterback, reportedly tried to hit wife Sara Evans with vehicle".Alabama.com.RetrievedJanuary 16,2022.
  9. ^Jason Steen (January 16, 2022)."Sara Evans Filed for Divorce Prior to Jay Barker's Arrest for Attempting to Run Over Her with a Vehicle".Scoop Nashville.RetrievedJanuary 16,2022.
  10. ^DeSantis, Rachel (March 22, 2024)."Why Sara Evans Is Asking for 'Benefit of the Doubt' After Reconciling with Husband: 'People Are Going to Be Mad'".
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