Danny Etling Bio
Daniel Patrick Etling, known professionally as Danny Etling, is an American professional football coach and former quarterback. Born on July 22, 1994, in Terre Haute, Indiana, Etling played college football for the Purdue Boilermakers and the LSU Tigers before being selected by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Over the course of his professional career, he spent time with the Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks, Minnesota Vikings, BC Lions, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Michigan Panthers, and he is a Super Bowl LIII champion with New England.
Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and listed at 220 pounds, Etling carved out a journeyman career that took him across multiple NFL practice squads, a brief stint in the Canadian Football League, and a starting role with the Michigan Panthers of the UFL. In January 2026, he transitioned into coaching when the Washington Commanders hired him as assistant quarterbacks coach on head coach Dan Quinn’s staff.
Early Life and Background
Danny Etling was born and raised in Terre Haute, Indiana, where he attended Terre Haute South Vigo High School. He quarterbacked the school’s football team, known as the Braves, and entered his senior season hoping to rebound from a disappointing junior year in which the team began 3–0 before dropping its final seven games. During his senior campaign, Etling threw for 1,505 yards and 11 touchdowns, establishing himself as a Division I prospect.
Off the field, Etling earned the rank of Eagle Scout, reflecting a discipline and work ethic that carried into his athletic development. As a junior in high school, he committed to Purdue University on April 17, 2012, choosing the Boilermakers over scholarship offers from Colorado and Iowa. When Purdue parted ways with head coach Danny Hope, Etling initially kept his verbal commitment while taking time to evaluate the program under new head coach Darrell Hazell.
After completing the first semester of his senior year, Etling finished his graduation requirements early and enrolled at Purdue for the spring semester, arriving on campus ahead of most of his recruiting class. That early start allowed him to participate in spring practice and begin competing for a starting role before his first official college season.
Path to American Football
Etling arrived at Purdue in 2013 and immediately entered a three-way quarterback competition with Rob Henry and Austin Appleby. After Henry was named the starter, many expected Etling to take a redshirt year, but the Boilermakers opened the season 0–3 and Etling was pressed into action against Northern Illinois while Purdue trailed 27–10. He finished that game with 241 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions, and was named the starter the following week against Nebraska.
Over his two seasons at Purdue, Etling appeared in 13 games, passing for 2,490 yards with 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while compiling a combined team record of 4–20. Looking for a fresh start, he requested and was granted a release from his scholarship on June 11, 2015, and announced his transfer to Louisiana State University eleven days later. NCAA transfer rules forced him to sit out the 2015 season before he took over as LSU’s starting quarterback in 2016.
Danny Etling Career
Early Career (2013–2017)
Etling’s college development began in earnest at Purdue, where he split time as a freshman starter before yielding the role to Austin Appleby in 2014. After a 1–11 finish in his first year and a 3–9 mark in his second, he sought a new opportunity at LSU. Sitting out the 2015 season gave him time to learn the Tigers’ system under head coach Les Miles and later Ed Orgeron.
In 2016 and 2017, Etling started 24 games for the LSU Tigers and passed for 4,586 yards, 27 touchdowns, and seven interceptions with a 144.4 quarterback rating. The Tigers went 7–4 in the 2016 regular season and beat Louisville in the 2016 Citrus Bowl, then followed with a 9–3 regular season in 2017 before losing to Notre Dame in the 2018 Citrus Bowl. His efficient senior campaign helped position him as a late-round NFL prospect.
New England Patriots Era (2018–2019)
The New England Patriots selected Etling in the seventh round, 219th overall, of the 2018 NFL Draft. He saw his most extensive action in the preseason, completing 18 of 32 passes for 157 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in the Patriots’ final exhibition game, and he added 113 rushing yards on seven carries, including an 86-yard touchdown run that remains the longest quarterback rush in Patriots preseason history.
Etling was waived on September 1, 2018, and signed to New England’s practice squad the next day. He won Super Bowl LIII with the Patriots after they defeated the Los Angeles Rams 13–3, and he signed a reserve/future contract on February 5, 2019. During 2019 training camp, the Patriots experimented with him at wide receiver, but he was waived on August 13, 2019, ending his first stint in New England.
Atlanta Falcons Era (2019–2020)
Atlanta claimed Etling off waivers on August 14, 2019, and moved him back to full-time quarterback. He was waived at the end of August and quickly re-signed to the practice squad, then promoted to the active roster on October 26, 2019, when starter Matt Ryan was injured ahead of a Week 8 matchup. He was waived two days later and returned to the practice squad, before signing a reserve/future contract on December 30, 2019.
Etling spent the early part of 2020 on Atlanta’s reserve/COVID-19 list before being activated and ultimately waived again on August 17, 2020. His time in Atlanta showcased his value as a dependable practice-squad quarterback capable of stepping in on short notice.
Seattle Seahawks Eras (2020–2021)
Seattle claimed Etling off waivers on August 18, 2020, and shuttled him between the active roster and practice squad throughout that year. He signed a reserve/futures contract in January 2021 and remained with the organization through the summer before being waived on August 1, 2021. The Seattle Seahawks briefly re-signed him to their practice squad on October 13, 2021, before releasing him two weeks later.
Minnesota Vikings, BC Lions, Denver Broncos, and Jacksonville Jaguars (2021)
Following his release from Seattle, Etling was claimed off waivers by the Minnesota Vikings on August 2, 2021, and spent three weeks with the team before being waived. On September 10, 2021, he joined the practice roster of the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League, his first experience outside the NFL, and was released on October 12. Later that fall, he signed with the Denver Broncos practice squad in November 2021 when backup Drew Lock tested positive for COVID-19, and he was released three days later. He rounded out the year with short stints on the practice squads of the Green Bay Packers and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Green Bay Packers Era (2021–2023)
After his late-2021 practice-squad cameo, Etling signed a reserve/future contract with the Green Bay Packers on January 25, 2022, and spent the bulk of the next two years with the organization. He was waived and re-signed to the practice squad in late August 2022, signed another reserve/future deal in January 2023, and was released on August 6, 2023. His long tenure in Green Bay reflected the Packers’ appreciation of his preparation and reliability as an emergency quarterback.
Michigan Panthers Era (2024–2025)
On December 24, 2023, Etling signed with the Michigan Panthers of the United States Football League, joining the spring league as he sought a path back onto the field. He re-signed with the Panthers on August 26, 2024, continuing his role with the franchise as it carried over into the UFL. The Michigan Panthers gave Etling a more stable opportunity than he had enjoyed at the NFL level, and he remained with the team through 2025.
Notable Events and Milestones
Etling’s most significant career milestone came on February 3, 2019, when he won Super Bowl LIII as a member of the New England Patriots. He also owns the record for the longest quarterback rushing play in Patriots preseason history, an 86-yard touchdown run in 2018. His journeyman path, which included stops in both the NFL and CFL, became a defining feature of his professional story.
Danny Etling Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Danny Etling grew up in Terre Haute, Indiana, where football was a central part of his family and community life. His cousin, Joe Holland, also played football, extending the family’s connection to the sport.
Personal Life
Etling has remained a private figure away from football, and public details about his personal relationships are limited. He is widely regarded by teammates and coaches as a hard-working, low-maintenance presence in the quarterback room.
2025 Season Performance
Etling entered 2025 continuing his role with the Michigan Panthers of the UFL after re-signing with the franchise in August 2024. The Panthers provided him with one of the most stable opportunities of his professional career, allowing him to focus on development and game preparation rather than constant movement between practice squads. His experience across multiple NFL systems made him a steadying presence in the Michigan quarterback room.
Throughout the 2025 season, Etling served as a reliable veteran option for the Panthers, drawing on his time in offenses coordinated by staffs in New England, Green Bay, and Atlanta. His preparation habits, honed across nearly a decade of professional football, translated into a dependable presence in the meeting room and on the practice field.
With the 2025 UFL season complete, Etling’s next chapter shifted off the field. In January 2026, the Washington Commanders hired him as assistant quarterbacks coach on head coach Dan Quinn’s staff, beginning a new phase of his career in the NFL as a coach rather than a player.
