It’s been almost 30 years since Jay Schroeder threw a pass at Palisades High and he has achieved much success in his life since then. Yet he still looks back fondly on his days with the Dolphins and how they shaped his future. Schroeder is perhaps most famous for his 11-year NFL career from 1984-94, which included a Super Bowl victory with the Washington Redskins in 1988. On Super Bowl Sunday, however, the former Palisadian will make his mark in an even more significant way by participating in the third annual “Run for Mobility” to support the Free Wheelchair Mission, an Irvine-based charity. “I’m excited about the opportunity to celebrate Super Bowl Sunday in such a healthy and rewarding way,” Schroeder says. “Once I heard about the great work the Free Wheelchair Mission does, I knew it was a cause I wanted to support. I encourage all runners to fundraise and all of my former neighbors, classmates and fans in Southern California to sign up or sponsor a runner.” In addition to running in the event in Huntington Beach, Schroeder will also be the keynote speaker for the fundraising dinner at the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort on February 2, the eve of Super Bowl XLII. Sure, reaching the Super Bowl is every football player’s dream. Schroeder’s first taste of fame, though, came on Friday nights at Stadium by the Sea, where he set the school single-season record (since broken) for most yards passing (1,257). The two-sport star (he was also a catcher on the baseball team) won the Post Cup Award as Palisades’ outstanding senior athlete in 1979. One Dolphins teammate in particular stands out in Schroeder’s mind–Academy Award-winning actor Forrest Whitaker. “He was our left tackle,” Schroeder remembers. Now 46, Schroeder recalls that when he played for Palisades the Dolphins were primarily a running team under co-coaches Dick North and Merritt Stanfield. “I only threw the ball 10 or 11 times a game,” he says. “I remember we lost to Granada Hills [and John Elway] twice in the playoffs.” Schroeder’s family moved to Pacific Palisades (near the village) in time for Jay to attend sixth-grade at Paul Revere. He played baseball at Palisades High at the same time future major league all-star Darryl Strawberry was at Crenshaw. After two years at UCLA, Schroeder played in the Toronto Blue Jays’ minor league system before being drafted in the third round of the 1984 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins. Schroeder was called into action his freshman year after starting quarterback Joe Theismann suffered a career-ending leg injury. As a starter the following year, Schroeder led Washington to the NFC title game and made the Pro Bowl, throwing for a franchise-record 4,109 yards. He separated his shoulder in the first game of the 1987 season and was replaced by Doug Williams, who led the Redskins to victory over Denver in Super Bowl XXII. “We were hard to beat that year,” Schroeder says. “That was sweet. I got my revenge on Elway.” The next season, Schroeder was traded to the Los Angeles Raiders. He led the Raiders to the AFC Championship game in 1990 and played another two seasons for the silver and black before finishing his career with one-year stints in Cincinnati and Arizona. Schroeder says he was lucky to have had such a lengthy NFL career. “If you can last as long as I did, you’re pretty fortunate,” he admits. “I enjoyed every last minute of it. I have no regrets!” Schroeder visits the Palisades a few times each year (his brother’s wife works at Festa insurance on Sunset) but much of his time in retirement is spent giving back to the community in St. George, Utah, where he moved three and a half years ago from San Diego. He and his wife Debbie have three kids—Brian (22), Christopher (20) and Katelyn (9). Asked what current player he enjoys watching most Schroeder cites New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. “What’s he’s doing this season is amazing,” Schroeder says. “He makes playing quarterback look so easy but believe me, it’s not that easy.” Schroeder is an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Utah and serves as the offensive coordinator for Snow Canyon High. His main focus right now, though, is reaching his goal of raising $5,700–equaling the cost of one wheelchair for each of the 114 touchdown passes Schroeder threw in his NFL career. To support Schroeder’s “Touchdown Team” by making a donation, visit www.RunforMobility.org.
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