Jake Locker Becomes a Hall of Famer

The University of Washington's Husky Hall of Fame will induct the former Tennessee Titans quarterback as part of its Class of 2021.

George Walker / The Tennessean

Things could have turned out a lot better than they did for Jake Locker with the Tennessee Titans.

As far as the University of Washington is concerned, though, the former quarterback is one of the best who ever played, regardless of the sport.

Locker is part of the Husky Hall of Fame Class of 2021, the UW’s athletics department announced Thursday. He is one of two Huskies quarterbacks among the inductees who represent six different sports.

Selections for the Husky Hall of Fame were based on nominations from the public and a review by the selection committee.

Locker was a four-year starter at Washington and was the 2007 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. For his career, he passed for 7,639 yards and 53 touchdowns. He also ran 1,939 yards, a program record for a quarterback. His 986 rushing yards as a freshman are the most in a single season by a UW quarterback.

As a senior, he led Washington to its first winning season and bowl berth in eight years (7-6) capped by a victory in the Holiday Bowl.

The Titans selected Locker eighth overall in the 2011 NFL Draft, but he retired after four seasons with just nine victories as an NFL starter and no playoff appearances. A litany of injuries, including two to his left shoulder along with one each to his right foot, knee and hip, limited him to no more than 11 games played in a single season.

He did have a winning record in 2013 (4-3) but played fewer than half the games. Tennessee declined to pick up the fifth-year option on his contract and rather than pursue a free agent deal with another franchise in 2015, he elected to retire.

“I know in my heart that it is the right decision and I look forward to spending more time with my family and pursuing other interests,” he said at the time.

Locker now lives in his hometown of Ferndale, Wash. where he operates a gym with former punter Michael Koenen, another Ferndale product who made it to the NFL.

The Husky Hall of Fame was created in 1979 and has inducted classes every other year until 2020, when COVID-19 issues altered the schedule. This year’s class, which will be formally enshrined Oct. 17 as part of Homecoming activities, will be the first since 2018.