Chad Steven Henne (; born July 2, 1985) is an American former football quarterback who played 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Michigan. While there, Henne became only the second freshman starting quarterback in Michigan history, accumulated a total of 32 wins in regular season play, 8,740 offensive yards, and 87 touchdowns, and in his senior season led the Wolverines to a Capital One Bowl victory over Florida. He was subsequently named as the game's MVP after throwing for over 350 yards.
Henne's professional career began when he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Henne spent most of his rookie season on the bench as the back-up to veteran quarterback Chad Pennington. In his second season with the Dolphins, Henne started the majority of the 2009 season after Pennington was unable to play due to an injury. Henne would go on to act as a starter for several seasons for both the Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars, before serving as a backup for the Jaguars. In 2018 he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs serving as a backup as well, winning two Super Bowls with the team.
High school career
Henne moved into the Wilson School District prior to the start of his 3rd grade year in 1994. He played in 43 scholastic games for the Bulldogs (42 starts) over four seasons, earning a record of 33–10. His Wilson football teams won two Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 titles, the first his freshman year (2000) and the second his junior season (2002). Henne's third scholastic year was his most successful, both individually and as a team. His 2002 Wilson Bulldogs squad finished their regular season undefeated with a record of 10–0 and were the 2002 PIAA District 3 AAAA runner-up, falling to Central Dauphin in a thrilling championship game. He amassed 7,071 passing yards in his high school career, which was fourth-most all-time in PIAA history (and first in PIAA District 3) at the conclusion of the Henne's senior season in the fall of 2003, behind John Veach (Mount Carmel Area), Evan Kraky (Lakeland), and Ron Powlus (Berwick). Henne owns three significant Wilson football program records (as of February 2020): career passing yardage (7,071); career passing touchdowns (74), and most touchdown passes in a game (5; tied). He was named to the Pennsylvania All-State Football Team as a senior in 2003, selected to participate in the 47th Annual Big 33 Football Classic in July 2004, was named the Pennsylvania Football Gatorade Player of the Year for 2003–2004, and earned national recognition as a member of the 2003–2004 Parade High School All-American Football Team. In October 2014, Henne was inducted into the Wilson High School Athletic Hall of Fame. In addition to his football accomplishments, Henne was also a member of the Wilson varsity basketball team for three years as well as an outstanding athlete for the Bulldogs track and field team, finishing as the PIAA runner-up in the javelin as a senior after finishing first at the District 3 meet two weeks earlier. Henne aspires to become a coach at his alma mater following his lengthy NFL career.
In 2000, his freshman season at Wilson Senior High School in West Lawn, Pennsylvania, Henne played QB in all 11 of Wilson's games, with 10 starts. He rotated at QB with junior Ian Firestone in the Week 1 storm-delayed win vs Harrisburg but would start the final 10 games for the Bulldogs and play the majority of the positional snaps. Henne led come-from-behind victories against Wilson's first three opponents – Harrisburg, Stroudsburg, and Boyertown – before a setback at Cedar Crest to open League play. Henne's Wilson team would win their next six contests, including a thrilling comeback victory at Reading, before falling in the 2000 District 3 AAAA semifinals to eventual champion Cumberland Valley, 21–7. His freshman season was an overwhelming success, with the team finishing 9–2 and earning a share of the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 title (with Cedar Crest and Reading).
Henne's Wilson football team would struggle during his second campaign as a starter. The Bulldogs ended their season with an overall record of 6–4 and suffered three consecutive losses for the first time since the 1988 season.
At the end of his junior year in 2002, having been offered forty scholarships from various collegiate athletic programs, Henne narrowed his college options down to five schools: Miami, Michigan, Georgia, Tennessee, and Penn State.