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Mark Donald Herrmann (born January 8, 1959) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Herrmann played college football for the Purdue Boilermakers, and was a unanimous All-American in 1980. He was selected in the 1981 NFL draft by the Denver Broncos, and also played for three other NFL teams during his career. Since 2024, Herrmann has served as the color commentator for Purdue football radio broadcasts.
As a basketball player, Herrmann was a star forward. In his senior basketball season, he led Carmel to the 1977 IHSAA state basketball championship, defeating East Chicago Washington High School, 53–52. Herrmann earned the 1977 Arthur L. Trester Medal for Mental Attitude at the IHSAA state basketball tournament.
Herrmann was a top national quarterback recruit coming out of high school. He was recruited to play football by Purdue, Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Alabama among others. Herrmann initially expressed interest in playing for Notre Dame, but committed to Purdue in January 1977.
Young named Herrmann as the starter for the following week against Ohio University, the first freshman quarterback to start for Purdue since Bob DeMoss in 1945. Herrmann picked apart the Ohio defense, finishing the 44–7 win with 23 completions on 36 attempts for 339 yards and a touchdown. The next week, Herrmann faced his first major opponent as a starter in #11-ranked Notre Dame. Herrmann and Purdue led at halftime before Notre Dame backup quarterback Joe Montana came in to lead a rally, winning 31–24. Herrmann finished the game with 351 passing yards and three touchdowns. Later in his freshman season, Herrmann led the Boilermakers to a 34–21 win over Iowa. Herrmann threw five touchdown passes in the game, tying a Purdue school record, and completed 13 total passes for 257 yards. Wide receiver Reggie Arnold caught four of Herrmann's touchdowns, setting a school and Big Ten Conference record.
Despite Purdue finishing the 1977 season with a 5–6 record, Herrmann led the Big Ten in passing with an overall season stat line of 175 completions on 319 attempts for a 54.9% completion rate, 2,453 passing yards, and 18 passing touchdowns. He was named to the 1977 All-Big Ten Second Team and was fifth in NCAA Division I in passing yards.
Herrmann led the Boilermakers to victories over Iowa and Northwestern, where he was pulled early due to large Purdue leads, before tying Wisconsin 24–24. Herrmann threw for seven touchdowns in this three game stretch, including a 75-yard pass to tight end Dave Young (a future teammate on the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts). Herrmann led Purdue to a 9-2-1 record in 1978 and a final ranking of #13 in the AP poll. The Boilermakers earned a trip to the 1978 Peach Bowl, where Herrmann led Purdue to a 41–21 victory over Georgia Tech. Herrmann threw for 166 yards and two touchdowns and was named the game's most valuable player. He ended the 1978 season with 1,904 passing yards and 14 touchdowns.
Herrmann and Purdue eked out a victory over Oregon before suffering an upset loss to Minnesota, 14–31. Herrmann had 40 pass attempts for 235 yards against Minnesota, but threw four interceptions. Herrmann bounced back the next week in a 28–14 win over Illinois, during which he surpassed Mike Phipps to become Purdue's all-time leading passer with 5,452 yards. Two weeks later, Herrmann broke Michigan State's Ed Smith's Big Ten all-time passing record against Northwestern in a 20–16 victory, standing at 5,786 career passing yards after the game. Herrmann and #14 Purdue then upset #10-ranked Michigan, 24–21, in a defensive struggle. Herrmann had a one-yard touchdown run in the game.
In the 1979 Old Oaken Bucket rivalry game against Indiana, Herrmann led Purdue with a career-high 26 pass completions for 269 yards in the 37–21 victory. Herrmann was injured in the fourth quarter, and left the game on a stretcher due to a concussion.
Purdue earned a berth to the 1979 Bluebonnet Bowl against Tennessee. The Boilermakers got out to a 21–0 lead before letting Tennessee come back, 22–21, late in the fourth quarter. Herrmann drove Purdue 80 yards in the last 90 seconds of the game, capped by a 17-yard touchdown pass to Dave Young that sealed the 28–22 victory. Herrmann threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns on the day, and was named the game's most valuable player. Purdue finished the year ranked #10 in the AP poll with a 10–2 record, and Herrmann had a Big Ten-leading 182 pass completions for 2,074 yards and 13 touchdowns. Herrmann was named to the 1979 All-Big Ten Second Team and also finished eighth in the 1979 Heisman Trophy voting.
Herrmann followed up the loss with a commanding victory over Miami (OH), where he threw for 291 yards and two touchdowns. Head coach Jim Young had planned to take Herrmann out of the game at half time due to poor play, but instead allowed him to stay in the game and call plays from the huddle as an "on-field offensive coordinator." The next week against Minnesota, Herrmann continued his on-field playcalling duties in a 21–7 victory. Herrmann threw for 191 yards and two touchdowns before leaving the game with an injury. Herrmann's next game as full-time play caller saw Purdue defeat Illinois, 45–20. Herrmann threw for 371 yards and four touchdowns, setting a Big Ten single-game passing yards record. He was pulled from the game due to the lead, which allowed Illinois' quarterback Dave Wilson to overtake Herrmann's record with 451 passing yards.
On October 25, 1980, Herrmann broke the NCAA career passing yards record in a win over Michigan State. Herrmann led Purdue to a 36–25 comeback victory, and finished the game with 340 passing yards and a career total of 8,087 yards. He became the first collegiate quarterback to throw for more than 8,000 career yards, with the previous record of 7,818 yards held by Washington State's Jack Thompson. Herrmann continued his record setting pace the next week with a 52–31 victory over Northwestern. Herrmann completed 17 of 21 passes for 210 yards and three touchdowns, setting the NCAA record for career completions with 651 total. Purdue faced Iowa on November 8, 1980, where Herrmann set even more school and Big Ten Conference records. Herrmann threw for 439 yards and three touchdowns in only three quarters of play, as Purdue won 58–13. Herrmann's season-worst performance came in the second to last regular season game against #11 Michigan, where he threw four interceptions in a 26–0 loss. Herrmann rebounded the next week in the 1980 Old Oaken Bucket game, where he threw for 323 yards and a touchdown. He broke the 9,000 career passing yards mark in this game, also becoming the first NCAA quarterback to do so.
In the 1980 Liberty Bowl, Herrmann and Purdue beat Missouri, 28–25. Herrmann set a then-Liberty Bowl record with 289 passing yards and four touchdowns. He earned his third straight bowl game most valuable player award, an NCAA first.
Herrmann earned many postseason accolades, including a unanimous All-American selection to the 1980 All-America First Team, 1980 All-Big Ten First Team, the Sammy Baugh Trophy, the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Big Ten Conference most valuable player, and finished fourth in the 1980 Heisman Trophy voting.
As of the 2025 season, Herrmann is ranked fourth all-time in passing yards and fifth all-time in touchdown passes in Purdue football history. His NCAA career passing yards record stood for only one season before it was broken by BYU quarterback Jim McMahon in 1981. Herrmann was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in May 2010.
In the 1982 strike-shortened season, Herrmann made two appearances and started in the final game of the year. In his first professional appearance, Herrmann came on in relief of DeBerg at halftime against the Los Angeles Raiders. Herrmann threw four interceptions in his debut, but had 233 yards and one touchdown. His first professional start came the following week against the Seattle Seahawks where he went 18 for 32 with 188 yards and one interception and a rushing touchdown in an 11–13 loss.
Prior to the 1983 season, Herrmann was traded by the Broncos to the Baltimore Colts, along with offensive lineman Chris Hinton, as part of the exchange for the Colts' newly drafted quarterback, John Elway. Herrmann expressed shock at his inclusion in the trade at the time.
In 1984, the Colts moved to Indianapolis, which saw Herrmann return to his hometown. He again served as a backup behind Pagel and Art Schlichter. Herrmann made three appearances that year, with two starts, and earned his first professional win as a starting quarterback against the Steelers on October 21, 1984. Herrmann left the game early after suffering a thigh injury, and Pagel came in to lead the Colts to a win. Herrmann ended the season with 352 passing yards, one touchdown, and six interceptions.
In 1986, Herrmann again served as Fouts' backup, but appeared in six games with one start. Herrmann was injured in the first game of the season on his lone pass attempt, suffering a sprained knee. His next appearance came in week seven, when Fouts suffered a concussion in the first half against the Chiefs. Herrmann went 18-for-32 in the second half with 181 passing yards and one touchdown. He started the next game against the Eagles, but only passed for 122 yards and one interception before being knocked out of the game with a concussion in the 7–23 loss. Coryell resigned as head coach after the loss to the Eagles, and was replaced by Al Saunders. Herrmann missed time due to the concussion, and did not see the field until a week 12 Thursday night primetime game against the Los Angeles Raiders. Fouts was injured, and Saunders chose to start Tom Flick over Herrmann. Flick was ineffective and Herrmann replaced him at halftime with a 31–10 deficit. Herrmann led the Chargers to overtime, but ultimately ended in a loss. He had 13 completions for 198 yards and a touchdown. Herrmann saw limited game action during the remainder of the season, and finished the year with 627 passing yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions.
Herrmann re-signed with the Chargers for the 1987 season, but the season was shortened by a player's strike. Herrmann made his first appearance of 1987 in a week 11 start against the Seahawks, but was benched in the second half for Fouts despite him being injured. Herrmann replaced Fouts in week 13 against the Houston Oilers, and threw for 142 passing yards and one touchdown in the loss. Herrmann then started the final game of the season against the Broncos, which saw him throw four interceptions in a shutout loss.
In April 1988, the Chargers traded Herrmann back to the Indianapolis Colts for an undisclosed draft pick.
In 1989, Herrmann again backed up Everett and saw very limited time in three games. The Rams went 11-5 and made it to the 1989 NFC Championship Game, where they lost to the eventual Super Bowl XXIV champion San Francisco 49ers.
In 1991, Herrmann's only significant playing time came in a 17–23 loss in week 15 against the New England Patriots. He went 11-for-19 with 137 yards and three interceptions. The Colts finished the year at 1–15.
Herrmann took a try out with the Broncos in the 1992 offseason, but he chose to return to the Colts to battle Tom Tupa for the third quarterback role. Herrmann was named the week one starter after George suffered a thumb injury and Trudeau remained unsigned pending contract negotiations. This was Herrmann's first time serving as an opening week starter in his professional career. Herrmann and the Colts beat the Cleveland Browns 14–3, behind a steady performance from Herrmann and a solid defensive effort. This was Herrmann's first start since 1987 and his first win as a starter since 1985. However, Herrmann was unceremoniously waived less than 24 hours after the victory in a surprise move to make roster space for Trudeau, who was returning to the roster.
Herrmann remarked of his surprise exit, "This whole ordeal has really cut into me...I had so much invested into this season. I had put so much into the past two games. It's taken a lot out of me. If Sunday was it, I'll have the satisfaction of knowing I went out a winner." Despite some interest from other teams, Herrmann did not sign elsewhere and effectively ended his professional career.
Herrmann appeared in just 40 games during his 11-year pro career, completing 334 passes in 561 attempts (59.5%) for a total of 4,015 yards. He threw 16 touchdown passes and was intercepted 36 times.
In 1995, he began color commentary duties for Indianapolis Colts radio broadcasts alongside Bob Lamey, continuing in that role until the 2004 season. In 2024, Herrmann took over radio color commentary for Purdue football broadcasts alongside play-by-play commentator Tim Newton.
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