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Just an FYI: I know he was listed at 5'10" but I have met the man on more than one occasion, and I think that he's more like 5'9" (and that may even be generous.) He is not a big guy at all.I don't buy this. His first NFL season he joined the Bears in October 1986. Coming in midseason, he was behind McMahon, Tomczak, and Fuller and started 1 game. That does not seem unreasonable. It's been well-documented that Ditka didn't want Flutie in the same way Glanville didn't want Favre and made a fool out himself in front of the local media about the Favre pick. Considering Glanville is considered a humorous part of NFL history, and if he weren't a great TE, Ditka would only be known for riding Buddy Ryan's coattails and trading away his draft for Ricky Williams. So yes, I believe that Ditka buried Flutie on the bench. Plus, the Bears won a SB in '85 so of course Flutie would be buried on the depth chart. This team was a defense/running game team that needed a game manager who knew the offense. Obviously Mike Tomczak and Fuller certainly had better careers than FlutieHe was traded to New England in October 1987. He started 1 game during the strike, which no doubt did not help him with his NFL teammates when the strike ended. And again, he arrived during the season, so it is not unreasonable that he was behind Grogan and Eason when the strike was over. Once again, Raymond Berry didn't like him either. If you're going to rate the first two years of a QBs career you might as well have put so-so starters over guys like Bradshaw, Elway, Favre, McNabb, Brees, Moon, and that's just the top of the list.
Then in 1988 he started 9 games and played in 11. The real problem IMO is that his QB rating that season was 63.3... that is really awful. Then he started 3 games in 1989 and played in 5... and posted a 46.6 QB rating. I don't think anyone should really be surprised that he was out of the NFL in 1990, and I certainly wouldn't interpret that as him not being taken seriously or given a chance. In '89 he had a total of two attempts in two of those games he "played," lost one of his three starts to a very good Bills team, beat a playoff caliber Houston team, and lost to the Falcons by one point. In '88 he also had a 4 TD game against the Bears and led the team to a 7-4 record as a starter. His stats were bad, but considering he didn't have nearly the attempts most young QBs get in their first three two years I'm not buying your argument, either.
Brees is two inches taller and 30 lbs. heavier than Flutie (using PFR data). I agree that NFL people can get caught up in certain measurables, but it is true that a 5'10" QB is at a disadvantage compared to taller QBs. Has there ever been an above average QB in the NFL who was 5'10" or shorter?
Because Michael Vick is a hall of famer?He also has a better passer rating than Rex Grossman. I'm not sure how that's important either though...
There are only like 70 guys with better passer ratings than Flutie and Vick. They're FANTASTIC QBs. Don't question the passer rating. Especially when combined with mobility.FreeBaGeL said:
Wow, watching this now, I had totally forgotten the circumstances surrounding that decision. I thought Johnson was finally healed from an injury, but that was the year prior. In '99, Flutie started all 15 games. He was good, not great, leading the team to a 10-5 record. According to Flutie in this program, Ralph Wilson ordered Wade Phillips to start Johnson in week 16, and then again in the playoff game, to get some return on his investment in the Tin Man.
Yes, this was always the understanding in WNY. To watch again is that much more unbelievable. Bills traded for Johnson based on 1 game & screwed their 99 season on same. No one thought this was Wade's decision & yet he eventually paid the price. And that was last time Bills were in playoffs. And to think Bills coulda had Flutie & drafted Fred Taylor with pick they gave to Jags for Johnson. To rub it in the loser gets a SB ring with TB as a backup.
oh c'monIt's funny how people forget that Johnson had led them down to a field for the go-ahead FG with seconds to play in the playoff game. Had the Music City Miracle not happened, Johnson would have been lauded for this great drive at the end of that game, but since special teams lost them the game, it is forgotten, and Flutie not playing over Johnson is now a bad decision.
Both he and Moon were phenomenal playing north of the border. Was in the CFL for about 8 years and amassed over 41,000 yards and 270 TDs before returning to the NFL. First non-Canadian inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.
