Mark Rypien
Mark Robert Rypien (born October 2, 1962) is a retired professional football player, a quarterback in the National Football League. He is the first Canadian-born quarterback to start in the NFL and win the Super Bowl MVP award.
Early years
Born in Calgary, Alberta, Rypien moved to the United States in 1965 and was raised in Spokane, Washington. He was a star three-sport athlete at Shadle Park High School, and led the Highlanders to the state title in basketball as a senior in 1981. All three of his varsity numbers (football, basketball, and baseball) were later retired by the school.
He accepted a football scholarship to Washington State University in Pullman, and joined the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. A knee injury in spring drills in 1982 redshirted him for that season and he nearly left football and WSU in November 1983. After a good showing as a late replacement to the roster in the Senior Bowl, he was selected by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round of the 1986 NFL Draft, the 146th overall pick and the eighth quarterback selected.
