Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Best Backup QB Ever (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Iron Mike Tomczak
- Start date
chook
Footballguy
And what you wrote is pretty much the exact same that I was going to. Not even close in my mind.
Silly thread. ALMOST Every QB is a backup at some point in his career, usually as a rookie.
A CAREER backup is one who spends enough time in the NFL to consider him as having had a career (more then 3 or 4 years), and was a backup for the overwhelming majority of his career. Players like Young, Brady, and Garcia don't qualify.
Players who spend half their career as a backup, then get a shot, then get a starting gig for a couple of years (like Hostetler) wouldn't qualify. The had QB careers, not backup QB careers.
A player who takes over due to injury, plays most of the season, then goes back to backup status, never to get a "permanent" starting gig, is a career backup.
Using that definaition, it's very difficult to argue with what Earl Morrall did.
A CAREER backup is one who spends enough time in the NFL to consider him as having had a career (more then 3 or 4 years), and was a backup for the overwhelming majority of his career. Players like Young, Brady, and Garcia don't qualify.
Players who spend half their career as a backup, then get a shot, then get a starting gig for a couple of years (like Hostetler) wouldn't qualify. The had QB careers, not backup QB careers.
A player who takes over due to injury, plays most of the season, then goes back to backup status, never to get a "permanent" starting gig, is a career backup.
Using that definaition, it's very difficult to argue with what Earl Morrall did.
BigSteelThrill
Footballguy
I agree.... and thats how Steve Young should always be remembered (unless you're a Viking fan)... the best back up QB ever. 
Last edited by a moderator:
The Carnage
Footballguy
You didn't like the way George would let Ol' Whiskey play the entire game up to the last 2 minutes, then bring in Sonny to run the two minute offense to get the game winning TD or FG? My dad would laugh evertime Sonny came in, saying "Well, I guess we're going to win now."Sonny Jurgenson during the George Allen years when Allen was starting Kilmer over Jurgensonmight also be up for consideration.
pizzatyme
Footballguy
chris1969
Footballguy
That would be me in my first year of midget league football. I was our 5th string QB. Our first 3 QB's left in ambulances early in the season (2 in the first week). Our 4th string guy got hurt for 4 weeks. I was our defensive captain and MLB. I didn't know any of the plays when they put me in. The game plan was hang on to the football and do what you can. We drew plays in the dirt and I went 4-0 as a starter. Of course, we were like the Bears this year. We had a great defense. We only lost 2 games the entire year and we lost 1 of those 2-0, because of a safety. I probably had a 40 for a passer rating, but I did less to lose games than Rex Grossman has for the Bears. I think I averaged about 5 or 6 yards a carry as well. I was slow but I was hard to bring down, kinda the Bettis of QB's. It was my first year of playing football and it is what really got me hooked. It was the "Hey kid, your our starting QB!" thing. I loved playing defense though and never fulfilled my potential as a Hall of fame type QB. If I did, I could have invented a new style of QB! The take the snap and fall forward QB. I could have gotten the Raiders 3 to 4 more wins this year! I can imagine Art Shell explaining the play now! "This is an Old School Trick Play! He takes the snap, and he runs forward until they tackle him! This one play is just a small demonstration of why we are on the cutting edge of football!"
seahawk 17
Footballguy
Dave Kreig 
Nicknamed "Mudbone" by his Seattle teammates [1], Krieg helped the Seahawks win the 1988 AFC West Division and the Chiefs win the 1993 AFC West Division. He was named to 3 Pro Bowls (1984, 1988 and 1989). Despite his "journeyman" status, Krieg should also be regarded as one of the most prolific passers in the game's history, as he ranks among the all-time top 15 in most passing categories.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Krieg
Nicknamed "Mudbone" by his Seattle teammates [1], Krieg helped the Seahawks win the 1988 AFC West Division and the Chiefs win the 1993 AFC West Division. He was named to 3 Pro Bowls (1984, 1988 and 1989). Despite his "journeyman" status, Krieg should also be regarded as one of the most prolific passers in the game's history, as he ranks among the all-time top 15 in most passing categories.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Krieg
cstu
Footballguy
My first thought as well.
Gotta be. REich gets honorable mention, because he was a true backup. He's come off the bench, play great, and quitely go back to the bench. Young was great as a starter, but I don't remember any great moments as a backup. Not that they didn't happen, I just don't remember them. Brady. Was a backup, but in reality never really had to function in the role. Ascended to full time in an injury situation and never looked back. I will always remember Kent Graham as a backup. Not because he was good. But because in an interview, after the Giants drafted him, he was making huge money, Dave Brown was the starter, and they were asking Graham if he was upset about not being the starter. His comments were generally that he didn't care if he started of not. He had the best job in the world. He was making over a million dollars a year, and didn't even have to play. He was supposed to be the QB of the future. I was a Pats fan, my borther a Giants fan. I saw the humor, my brother did not.
Despyzer
Lousy Attention Whore
A lot of posters have named Steve Young (including myself), but no one has given any reasons yet, so I'll take up the case. Young was the backup to Joe Montana from 1987 - 1990 (4 years in the NFL is a substantial time period). During that time, Young threw 26 TDs and only 6 INTs while completing over 60% of his passes for over 2,500 yards in 35 appearances. In those years, San Francisco was 51-12 with two championships.
Here are some highlights:
1988 - 49 yard game-winning TD run vs. Vikings.
1989 - 69% completion percentage, 1001 yds., 8 TDs
Here are some highlights:
1988 - 49 yard game-winning TD run vs. Vikings.
1989 - 69% completion percentage, 1001 yds., 8 TDs
nygiants56
Footballguy
doug williams
kellumsboys
Footballguy
he gets no love because most here cannot remember back that far.but he sure was the first one to come to my mind and gets my vote easily.
kellumsboys
Footballguy
one special Thanksgiving, many years ago, Clint Longley was the best backup QB
