MKRob Sports

Former Saints quarterback Mark Brunell, who was paid nearly $52 million during his past 10 years in the National Football League, plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this morning.

Brunell, a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback who played for the Jaguars from 1995 to 2003 and won a Super Bowl last season as a backup quarterback with the New Orleans Saints, faces multiple lawsuits over failed real estate and business loans from a partnership called Champion LLC that included former Jaguars Joel Smeenge and Todd Fordham.

One of the disputes involves a real estate project in Jacksonville Beach, involving a $2.2 million loan made by CNL Bank in 2005. CNL began foreclosure proceedings on the property in May 2009, accusing the partners of defaulting on the loan.

Brunell, a Ponte Vedra Beach resident, also invested in several other businesses including real estate projects in Traverse City and Grand Rapids, Mich. Those real estate investments failed, and Michigan-based Select Bank won a $1.1 million judgment against Brunell and his partners.

He was also among the highest-paid Jaguars players. Brunell received signing bonuses of a combined $14.3 million in 2000 and 2001, and he was paid an $8.6 million signing bonus when traded to the Washington Redskins in 2004.

Brunell spent the past two seasons with the Saints and was the holder on the 40-yard field goal kicked by Garrett Hartley in overtime against the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC championship game that sent New Orleans to its first Super Bowl. The Saints then beat the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV, 31-17. Brunell became a free agent after the season and has not signed with another team.