Original Post, November 19, 6:59 p.m.: Colt Brennan, a former Mater Dei quarterback and short-lived NFL player, was
in a car accident early today and “seriously injured”
according to an AOL Fanhouse report.
Brennan was riding in the passenger seat in his own vehicle, a 1996 Toyota SUV, while his girlfriend was driving near the Kona Coast on the Big Island of Hawaii. The vehicle Brennan was in drifted across the center line of Kaahumanu Highway and struck an oncoming vehicle head-on.
Brennan, his girlfriend and the driver of the other vehicle, a 47-year-old woman, were also transported to a nearby hospital and listed in serious condition.
Brennan's agent, Ryan Tollner, Tweeted early in day about the accident. Later in the day he released the following statement:
“We have been informed that Colt was injured as a passenger in car accident this morning on The Big Island of Hawaii. He was taken to Kona Community Hospital and has since been transported to Honolulu for further medical attention. We do not know the severity of his injuries at this point, but that his condition is serious. We are not aware of the status of anyone else involved in the accident but our thoughts and prayers are with them. No details of the accident have been revealed to us. Colt's family asks that the public is respectful of the hospitals and medical staffs focused on treating the individuals involved in this accident.”
While at Mater Dei High School, Brennan was the back-up to Matt Leinart until Leinart graduated. Following graduation, Brennan attended the University of Colorado, where he experienced some trouble with the law, being convicted of felony burglary and trespassing. He was expelled from the university and then attended Saddleback Community College. After one season at SCC, he transferred to the University of Hawaii, and walked-on to the team. His first season he won the starting spot and over the course of three seasons he set multiple offensive records. Following the 2006 season, he finished sixth in voting for the Heisman Trophy, which is awarded to college football's best player.
In 2008, Brennan was drafted in the sixth round (186th overall) of the NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. After a successful preseason, he had a season-ending injury; he was released before the 2010 season. He was signed by the Oakland Raiders soon after, only to be released a month later.
At the time of the car accident, Brennan was a free agent.