Top 10 Rookie Quarterbacks

[KYPack]

Favre's first year was hardly aweful. 9-7, 15td's and 13 ints, 3000+ yards.

He wasn't great, but he wasn't horrible either. Unless your going back to atlanta where he "didn't play".

I always consider the rookie season to be the first year you are teh starter.

No no, 1234.

That's what makes this list unique.

Accomplishments in their very first year with the team. There are a lot of guys who had great second years, but very few who were stellar in that year 1.

For instance, Brett threw 4 balls his rookie year. He's not "on the list".

[cpk1994]

Favre's first year was hardly aweful. 9-7, 15td's and 13 ints, 3000+ yards.

He wasn't great, but he wasn't horrible either. Unless your going back to atlanta where he "didn't play".

I always consider the rookie season to be the first year you are the starter.

But by NFL rule, its your very first season in the league as a player and this is the context the list uses. So by the standard of the list, Favre was a non factor his rookie season.

[Patler]

If you are just looking at their rookie year performances, guys deserving consideration include Rick Mirer and Bob Griese. Griese made the pro-bowl as a rookie and immediately improved the Dolphins. Mirer turned around the Seattle offense his rookie year. Mirer was named rookie of the year by some organizations and set a number of rookie records. He flopped after that, but a great rookie performance.

[KYPack]

If you are just looking at their rookie year performances, guys deserving consideration include Rick Mirer and Bob Griese. Griese made the pro-bowl as a rookie and immediately improved the Dolphins. Mirer turned around the Seattle offense his rookie year. Mirer was named rookie of the year by some organizations and set a number of rookie records. He flopped after that, but a great rookie performance.

Both had solid rookie years. Mirer started all 16 games, a big achievement.

Neither Griese or Mirer topped Flacco's numbers. Mirer had 12 TD's - 17 ints.

Griese had 15 TD's - 18 ints.

You could swap Griese and Flacco on most lists. They had very similar rookie campaigns. Flacco had 14 TD's and 12 picks. Both Griese and Flacco had another thing in common. Both were on teams that had no QB going into the year. At years end, both guys were the team leader and were gonna be the QB there for a long time.

Mirer? Even when he had the job, you never felt he was the man and knew what he was doing.

[Patler]

If you are just looking at their rookie year performances, guys deserving consideration include Rick Mirer and Bob Griese. Griese made the pro-bowl as a rookie and immediately improved the Dolphins. Mirer turned around the Seattle offense his rookie year. Mirer was named rookie of the year by some organizations and set a number of rookie records. He flopped after that, but a great rookie performance.

Both had solid rookie years. Mirer started all 16 games, a big achievement.

Neither Griese or Mirer topped Flacco's numbers. Mirer had 12 TD's - 17 ints.

Griese had 15 TD's - 18 ints.

You could swap Griese and Flacco on most lists. They had very similar rookie campaigns. Flacco had 14 TD's and 12 picks. Both Griese and Flacco had another thing in common. Both were on teams that had no QB going into the year. At years end, both guys were the team leader and were gonna be the QB there for a long time.

Mirer? Even when he had the job, you never felt he was the man and knew what he was doing.

I'm not suggesting either was better than anyone else in particular, just that their rookie seasons deserve consideration for the "best ever" lists.

Hard to compare Griese to current day QBs statistically. He only played a 14 game schedule, the NFL was a far different place both offensively and defensively, and he was with a team in its second year of expansion. As I recall, when the Dolphins were formed, their expansion draft was limited to players at the bottoms of the AFL teams rosters only, so he didn't have a whole lot to work with.

My recollection of Mirer's rookie season is much different than yours apparently was. I followed Mirer closely from his time at ND. Saw most every game he played at ND, if not every one. I thought his rookie season was outstanding (for a rookie), and I thought the Seahawks were set at QB. They certainly relied on him that year, nearly 500 attempts. He was a huge part of their offense in 1993. Heck, he was their 3rd leading rusher. Seattle went from the NFL's worst offense (and one of the worst ever, scoring just 13 TDs in 16 games) to a middle of the league offense with Mirer the next year. They doubled their scoring on offense from the previous year, with Mirer being the big difference, their running game had Warren the year before.

[KYPack]

You made me look, ya bastard!

Well, yeah, he started 16 games and got progressively worse as his career progressed. With Mirer, I seem to remember all the stupid picks the boy tossed and never had a solid feel for him as a QB. As rookie years go, his year does bear mention.

Bob Griese, I always have good memories for that guy. Once he got rolling, I was always struck by the similarities between Bob Greise and Bart Starr. Quiet guys who were tough and determined. Both had a tremendous feel and understanding of the running game. Clutch guys who lead their teams without a lot of holler.

[Patler]

You made me look, ya bastard!

Bob Griese, I always have good memories for that guy. Once he got rolling, I was always struck by the similarities between Bob Greise and Bart Starr. Quiet guys who were tough and determined. Both had a tremendous feel and understanding of the running game. Clutch guys who lead their teams without a lot of holler.

I agree, a lot of similarities between Starr and Griese. I really liked Griese at Purdue. In his draft year there were thoughts that he could possibly be available for the Packers who picked #9, but the Dolphins took him at #4. There were thoughts by some that the Packers were quite interested in him as a successor to Starr, who was gong into his 12th season in 1967. Not a lot of players played into their late '30s in those years.

[Patler]

You made me look, ya bastard!

Well, yeah, he started 16 games and got progressively worse as his career progressed. With Mirer, I seem to remember all the stupid picks the boy tossed and never had a solid feel for him as a QB. As rookie years go, his year does bear mention.

I think the reason Mirer had so many chances with so many teams after Seattle gave up on him after 4 seasons was because he was so good as a rookie. Many teams felt they were the ones who could bring out from him what he had shown as a rookie. The Bears gave him a big contract for the time, and team after team after team gave him chances after that, including a brief stint in GB. He lasted 10 years in the NFL.

[KYPack]

You made me look, ya bastard!

Well, yeah, he started 16 games and got progressively worse as his career progressed. With Mirer, I seem to remember all the stupid picks the boy tossed and never had a solid feel for him as a QB. As rookie years go, his year does bear mention.

I think the reason Mirer had so many chances with so many teams after Seattle gave up on him after 4 seasons was because he was so good as a rookie. Many teams felt they were the ones who could bring out from him what he had shown as a rookie. The Bears gave him a big contract for the time, and team after team after team gave him chances after that, including a brief stint in GB. He lasted 10 years in the NFL.

Did he make the regular season roster with us?
Or was that the season Oakland picked him up?

I knew he tried out for us, & I thought he was on the roster for a bit, but it didn't appear on his NFL record.

[Cheesehead Craig]

You made me look, ya bastard!

Well, yeah, he started 16 games and got progressively worse as his career progressed. With Mirer, I seem to remember all the stupid picks the boy tossed and never had a solid feel for him as a QB. As rookie years go, his year does bear mention.

I think the reason Mirer had so many chances with so many teams after Seattle gave up on him after 4 seasons was because he was so good as a rookie. Many teams felt they were the ones who could bring out from him what he had shown as a rookie. The Bears gave him a big contract for the time, and team after team after team gave him chances after that, including a brief stint in GB. He lasted 10 years in the NFL.

This almost sounds like how Vince Young's career is heading.

[Patler]

You made me look, ya bastard!

Well, yeah, he started 16 games and got progressively worse as his career progressed. With Mirer, I seem to remember all the stupid picks the boy tossed and never had a solid feel for him as a QB. As rookie years go, his year does bear mention.

I think the reason Mirer had so many chances with so many teams after Seattle gave up on him after 4 seasons was because he was so good as a rookie. Many teams felt they were the ones who could bring out from him what he had shown as a rookie. The Bears gave him a big contract for the time, and team after team after team gave him chances after that, including a brief stint in GB. He lasted 10 years in the NFL.

Did he make the regular season roster with us?
Or was that the season Oakland picked him up?

I knew he tried out for us, & I thought he was on the roster for a bit, but it didn't appear on his NFL record.

I think he was the 3rrd QB for all of 1998, but never got into a game, so technically never was on a game day roster for the Packers.

[Guiness]

Marinovich had to be an injury replacement. I don't remember him ever having a string of good starts much less a string of starts.

Todd started the Raiders play-off game in '91 against the Chiefs. He got his only regular season start against 'em the previous week and played well. He stunk in the play-off game and was out of the NFL in a couple years.

On April 3, 2009 he was arrested in Newport Beach after he failed to appear in court for a progress review for his 2007 arrest. He's a drug addict bum as we speak.

Ah, the Robo-QB. Never ate a Big Mac.

He showed up in the CFL, then spent some time as a guitarist in a rock band. (no, I don't have any of their recording!)

[Fritz]

I'd be interested in QB's who were "one shot wonders" - guys that had great rookie seasons, then disappeared. In fact it'd be even more fun if they disappeared not because they got hurt, but because they stunk.

Any one know any names for that list?

[KYPack]

I'd be interested in QB's who were "one shot wonders" - guys that had great rookie seasons, then disappeared. In fact it'd be even more fun if they disappeared not because they got hurt, but because they stunk.

Any one know any names for that list?

Here's some

-Clint Longley - Miracle comeback for Cowboys, then obscurity)
-Marinovich
-Shaun King -Starts the play-off game for Bucs, but never develops
-Mirer
-Greg Cook Found a video of Cook. Check it out and you will see what I mean. http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d807434bc

This guy was incredible. One of the best roll-out QB's ever. Bill Walsh was adament that Cook could have well been the greatest of all-time.

There are a few more, feel free to post 'em!

[Patler]

How about a one game wonder? Don Horn was a first round draft pick intended to be Starr's replacement, but played only a handful of games for the Packers when Starr was injured. Horn was traded to Denver and started a few for them before they gave up on him too.

However, for one game in 1969 Don Horn was the best GB had ever had. 22/31 for 410 yards and 5 TDs. Only Lynn Dickey has passed for more yards in a single game, getting 418 yards 11 years after Horn. Horn's 5 TDs in that game tied Cecil Isabell, and was later tied by Dickey twice and Favre 3 times.

I remember that game well. After it, everyone felt sure the Packers were set at QB whenever Starr would retire. I'm not sure what happened to Horn, if it was injuries or what, he seemed to have so much potential in the brief glimpses we had of him, then the huge game. Nothing after that.