Wait…what about Steve Young?
Maybe Kurt Warner? Though his early career wasnt even successful enough to be a roster player so might not count.
He was an heir in waiting.
Agree w Geno. He’d clearly been demoted. Forgot about Hasselback.
Cousins is interesting. Drafted as a backup and had a long wait.
Hurts didn’t sit that long. Got his shot still in his rookie season. Same with Warner as soon as he made the league.
Darnold and Mitch have just begun their backup phases. Give em a couple of years with the clipboard, then if they make a comeback…
Definitions a little hard. A little easier when a guy transitions to a new team specifically to be the backup.
Hurts, Dak, Warner, Brady and Purdy were all drafted/UDFA on the backup path but got the big seat too quick. Mostly due to injury vs just beating out the competition. Russ is a great example of guy that beat someone out. Seattle spent big bucks on whatshisname after one good game vs the Lions, but Russ was day 1 starter from 3rd(?) round.
I don’t like it but Jimmy G prolly has to qualify? Still getting traded for a 2nd rounder is about the value grade for a “backup”.
How about tyrod Taylor? Drafted as flaccos backup in 2011 and then wound up as buffalos starter for three years pre-allen. Was then starter in Cleveland before getting hurt and being replaced by Baker, and of course chargers before being almost killed by the team doctor.
He seems like he was always heir in waiting, first to Brady, and then when he was traded, it wasn’t to be a career backup.
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As the self-appointed judge , I accept this argument.
As with w everywhere else, Jimmy G doesn’t belong here.
Tommy Maddox? First rounder, washes out, sells insurance, comes back, has one good season, is replaced by Big Rape.
Who knows how much of this is revisionist history to make Belichick look better, but allegedly Belichick wanted to bench Bledsoe before he was hurt. Some book claimed he and Kraft talked about making Brady the starter in the preseason, but Kraft didn’t want to do it. He liked Drew and Bledsoe had just signed a huge contract.
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Rich Gannon was the guy I thought of.
Was a surprise when Gruden hitched his wagon to him as his franchise free agent qb. He’d been a backup and third-stringer with Minnesota, Washington, and KC prior. He started 58 games from 87-98 and then randomly became a MVP in Oakland. He’d never started more than 12 games in a season until his first as a Raider (and 12th overall) where he then started all 16 for the next four years.
Jake Delhomme was another guy. Third stringer that NO let walk (after starting two games in five years), was in NFL Europe like Warner. Started off as the backup to Rodney Peete in Carolina too.
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I don’t think one season is an “established” starter.
Gannon certainly. Don’t know enough about Delhomme but sounds reasonable.
Aaron Brooks in NO fits too imo. Fourth rounder like Dobbs and Gannon.
Started as a third-stringer in GB (behind Favre and Hasellbeck). Traded for a third-rounder to serve as backup to Jeff Blake who then broke his foot late in the season. Starts final five games and goes 3-2. Starts all 16 for the next four years and goes into the fifth as starter too
Had a longer run there then Fitz did with Buffalo. You might say he was always intended to replace Blake, but Blake was only 30 and had just been signed to a four year deal as a free agent. It’d be a bit like if Jacoby Brisset ended up as the entrenched guy in Indy for five years.
Fits less than the other examples bc he found his gig so early in his career. Was still on the career backup path prior tho.
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Hmmm. 4 year run as a .500 starter. Hard to deny though I’d like more success than that. Still he fits since .500 is a good record for non - Brees NO.
Jeez, I guess so.
I just looked at his wiki to see if he had any Pro Bowls and saw he’s in the Saints’ Hall of Fame!
Jim Plunkett was a famous bust, then won a SB.
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In the OP?
How is Goff bottom 5. Two TD in four minutes to win
Criminally under rated.
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