Born March 19, 1970, in Goshen, Indiana, Richard Franklin Mirer grew up the son of Ken Mirer, head coach at Goshen High School. At age eight, Rick competed in the National Punt, Pass and Kick Competition, foreshadowing his future as a quarterback. In his senior year at Goshen High School, Mirer posted 3,973 passing yards and thirty touchdowns—the second-most in national prep history—eclipsing Jeff George's Indiana state passing records. He won the Academy of Achievement Award as the nation's top high school football player in 1989 and the Atlanta Touchdown Club's Bobby Dodd Award as the best high school quarterback in America.
Mirer attended the University of Notre Dame from 1989 to 1992, compiling a 29-7-1 record as starter including three bowl victories. Initially serving as backup to Tony Rice, Mirer took over the offense in 1990 and led Notre Dame to the Orange Bowl. In 1991, he set the single-season touchdown record with eighteen scores and was named co-MVP alongside Jerome Bettis after leading the Fighting Irish past Florida in the 1992 Sugar Bowl. He capped his college career by guiding Notre Dame to victory in the 1993 Cotton Bowl Classic. Mirer left Notre Dame first in career touchdowns with forty-one and second all-time in total offense, completions, and passing yards. Entering the 1993 Draft, he was hyped as the next Joe Montana.
The Seattle Seahawks selected Mirer with the second overall pick in the 1993 NFL Draft, signing him to a five-year, $15 million contract. Strengths included his mobility, strong arm, and composure under pressure developed through Notre Dame's demanding program. His rookie season under head coach Tom Flores proved remarkable as he set NFL rookie records for attempts, completions, and passing yards, becoming only the third rookie quarterback since 1970 to start all of his team's games. He finished fifth in the AFC with 274 completions and 2,833 yards, earning UPI Rookie of the Year honors while finishing second for Offensive Rookie of the Year behind teammate Bettis. Andrew Luck broke his rookie records in 2012.
Unable to replicate his rookie success, Mirer was traded to the Chicago Bears in 1997 and subsequently played for the Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders, and Detroit Lions before retiring in 2004. He finished with a 24-44 record as a starter, 11,969 passing yards, and a 63.5 passer rating. Mirer was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
