He might only be out for a few weeks, but there's no denying that Aaron Rodger's fractured collarbone was the story of an already-busy week 9. Naturally, there are questions over who Green Bay should turn to in his absence (*cough*VinceYoung*cough*) but replacement quarterbacks are nothing new in the NFL - here's five of the best:
Tom Brady:
Remember this guy? Famously replaced Drew Bledsoe when the latter decided to take off on an ill-fated scramble which ended up - after a hit from Jets linebacker Mo Lewis - with a sheared blood vessel and a stint in hospital. Brady was the next man up and turned out to be pretty (see: three-time Super Bowl champion) good. Interestingly, Bledsoe returned the favour, and replaced his replacement in the AFC championship game where he threw for 102 yards and a touchdown to seal the Patriots place in Super Bowl XXXVI.
Kurt Warner:
The Patriots' opponents in Super Bowl XXXVI were the St. Louis Rams - led by Kurt Warner. After Trent Green went down injured in the pre-season, the Rams turned to Warner - a Green Bay Packers reject, arena football quarterback and grocery store worker. Unexpectedly, Warner's arrival led to the creation of the "greatest show on turf", an NFL MVP performance in 1999, and a Super Bowl ring after beating the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV. He returned to the big game in 2009 with the Arizona Cardinals, becoming only the second quarterback in history to start two Super Bowls.
Steve Young:
The 1990 NFC Championship game is notable for being the end of the Joe Montana era in San Francisco. Although infinitely less obscure than the other guys on this list, longtime backup and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Steve Young stepped in after a ferocious hit from New York Giants defensive end Leonard Marshall knocked Montana out of the game. Young became a perennial all-pro and pro bowl selection, league MVP in 1992 and 1994, and world champion when the 49ers beat the San Diego Chargers 49-26 in Super Bowl XXIX.
Jeff Hostetler:
If you had told anyone - prior to the 1990 NFL season - that the 49ers and Giants would meet in the NFC title game, they'd have all expected to see a duel between Joe Montana and Phil Simms. What they actually got was Steve Young vs. Jeff Hostetler.
Hostetler had sat patiently behind Simms for six seasons before replacing him, winning the Giants' last two regular season games, leading them through the playoffs and winning Super Bowl XXV. The following years led to an open competition between the two quarterbacks, and ended with Hostetler moving to the Raiders, and Simms' retirement.
Tim Tebow:
Unlike the other members of this list, Tim Tebow is less notable for winning a Super Bowl, and more notable for the manner in which he took the reigns of the 2011 Denver Broncos.
Responding to immense fan pressure (including fan-commissioned billboards), Coach John Fox replaced a struggling Kyle Orton at halftime in a game against the San Diego Chargers. With Tebow under centre, the Broncos rallied from 15-0 down - Tebow threw and rushed for touchdowns - before losing in overtime.
What followed would be more of a cultural phenomenon than a football career. Tebow, despite posting the lowest passing completion rating that season, rattled off a number of improbable wins culimating in a playoff victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite not doing anything to prompt it himself, the 'Tebowmania' seen during this season has been reason enough for most NFL teams to avoid him like the plague.
Honorable Mentions:
Doug Williams - Like Steve Young, Williams was a former Buccaneer and USFL quarterback, and took over from Jay Schroeder as the Redskins signal caller. He lost the remaining two games of the season but blazed through the playoffs, and became the first African-American to win a super bowl. No biggie.
Trent Dilfer - replaced Tony Banks (who?) during the Baltimore Ravens 2000 season. Breathed life into the Ravens offense while their defence took care of business. Defeated the Giants in Super Bowl XXXV.
Jake Delhomme - In Super Bowl XXXVI, 1999's Cinderella Story Kurt Warner faced 2001's Cinderella Story Tom Brady and lost. Two years later, the Patriots met the Carolina Panthers and Jake Delhomme *almost* did the same to Brady. Replacing Rodney Peete (who?), Delhomme led the Panthers to an 11-5 record.
Agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comments section or on Twitter: @TomMacFootball
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