Countdown to kickoff is back! USC will kick off its 2026 football season on August 29 when the Trojans host San Jose State at the Coliseum. In this series, we will be counting down the days until the season opener by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number.
With three days to go, today we look at USC’s Heisman Trophy quarterback Carson Palmer.
Position: Quarterback
Years played at USC:
1998-2002Career highlights: Despite arriving at USC as a highly-touted recruit, Palmer’s first four seasons with the Trojans were defined by injuries and inconsistency. As a redshirt senior in 2002, however, Palmer finally broke out. Working with head coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Norm Chow, Palmer set USC and Pac-10 passing records, throwing
for 3,942 yards and 33 touchdowns. In addition to leading the Trojans to an 11-2 record and an Orange Bowl victory over Iowa, Palmer became USC’s fifth Heisman Trophy winner, and the first Trojans quarterback to win the award.
Palmer is widely credited with starting a legendary run of USC quarterbacks. Prior to his arrival, the Trojans program was mostly known for its running backs, and had never truly had a star at QB. Following Palmer, however, USC went on run of quarterbacks that included Matt Leinart, John David Booty, Mark Sanchez, Matt Barkley, Cody Kessler, Sam Darnold, and Caleb Williams.
After USC: The Cincinnati Bengals selected Palmer with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft. He would go on to play 15 seasons in the league, spending time with Cincinnati, the Oakland Raiders, and the Arizona Cardinals. In his career, Palmer made three Pro Bowls, and in 2015 with Arizona was named second-team All-Pro after throwing for a career-high 4,671 yards and 35 touchdowns.
In 2021, Palmer was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. In December 2024, he was named the head coach at his alma mater, Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Orange County, and is currently entering his second season leading the program.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC countdown to kickoff: Recalling Trojans quarterback Carson Palmer
