Early-career injuries: Quarterback (1 Viewer)

[Eminence]

There are plenty of stories of young QBs who go out and suffer injuries that place them on IR their rookie season and never quite reach expected heights. (Grossman and Leinart come to mind.)

Have there been any Quarterbacks who've suffered serious injuries early-on in their career to go onto be legitimate NFL-starters?

(Keep Stafford in the back of your mind.)

 

[Don Quixote]

Phil Simms comes to mind. He was close to being written off as a bust in NY due to injuries.

 

[CalBear]

Aaron Rodgers.

 

[RhymesMcJuice]

There's not much of a track record, but Stafford does have youth on his side - he's barely 23.

 

[azgroover]

Does Tim Couch count? I can't recall his specific injury history offhand.

 

[RhymesMcJuice]

Does Tim Couch count? I can't recall his specific injury history offhand.

I suppose he does, but Couch had one of the weakest QB arms in the NFL even before he was injured.

 

[Mark Wimer]

There are plenty of stories of young QBs who go out and suffer injuries that place them on IR their rookie season and never quite reach expected heights. (Grossman and Leinart come to mind.)Have there been any Quarterbacks who've suffered serious injuries early-on in their career to go onto be legitimate NFL-starters?(Keep Stafford in the back of your mind.)

Before JaMarcus Russell, the near-unanimous pick for NFL Bust of the Century was Ryan Leaf. Leaf broke a small bone in his throwing-arm wrist early in his career (2000? he missed 99 due to a shoulder problem), and when he tried to play through it the loose bone fragment would pop up between his wrist tendons and cause extensive problems with the throwing motion. It is one of the reasons why he was such a poor passer at the NFL level, IIRC.Regarding guys who came through injury woes as a rookie to become legit NFL starters, Mike Vick was banged up quite a bit early on in his career, but looked pretty impressive during most of 2010.

 

[MTskibum]

I remember people talking about how matt schaubb was glass, 2 16 game seasons and everyone forgets.

 

[ninerfanatic492000]

Steve Young suffered the greatest injury and had the most courageous comeback ever by being drafted by the Yucs and still making a hall of fame career

 

[UnknownCoach]

Chad Pennington.

Drew Brees.

 

[The Man With No Name]

Dan Fouts had a bunch of injuries early in his career before becoming one of the best.

 

[Gottabesweet]

JP Losman

 

[Chase Stuart]

Joe Namath suffered a serious knee injury as a senior at Bama, and had to have knee surgery before ever playing for the Jets. As a rookie he was classified as 4-F in the military draft.

 

[Grahamburn]

Matt Schaub would be the "often injured" player I'd want to compare Stafford to.

Schaub was injured in both of his first seasons as a starting QB for the Texans. He followed those seasons up by starting all 16 games and finishing 4th at the QB position in 2009, and 9th in 2010.

Offensive personnel similarities can be made as well, especially to Schaub's 2009 season. Schaub had an all-world WR in Andre Johnson, a RB that could turn a dump off into a large gain in Steve Slaton, and a solid receiving TE in Owen Daniels. Stafford has Calvin Johnson, Jahvid Best, and Brandon Pettigrew.

Schaub threw for 4,770 yards, 29 TDs, and 15 INTs in 2009.