Seven QBs bridge history of NFL

DEDHAM — As Tom Brady prepares to enter his 18th NFL season, curiosity peaked the interest of my historical side. If I attempted to bridge the 98-year history of the NFL through a series of quarterbacks, what path would I travel? Who would get us from start to finish? Remarkably, it only took seven quarterbacks to connect nearly a century of competition.

Jimmy Conzelman: 1920-1929 

Conzelman played for five teams over the first ten seasons of the NFL's existence (Decatur, Rock Island, Milwaukee, Detroit and Providence), including a handful as player-coach in Providence.

Though he didn’t play in Providence in 1930, Conzelman continued to coach the Steam Roller that season. He was named to the 1920s All-Decade Team and continued to coach through 1948.

Arnie Herber: 1930-1940, 1944-45

Herber spent 11 seasons with the Green Bay Packers and was a four-time champion. He was named to the 1930s All-Decade team and retired after the 1940 season. When World War II depleted the talent pool available to the NFL, Herber returned to play for the Giants in 1944 and 1945.

Sammy Baugh: 1937-52

“Slingin’ Sammy” played 165 games with the Washington Redskins, throwing for more than 21,000 yards in 16 seasons. He led Washington to a pair of championships in 1937 and 1942 and was named to the 1940s All-Decade team.  He also played defense from 1940-45, leading the NFL in interceptions with 11 in 1943.

George Blanda: 1949-75

It almost feels like you’re cheating when you use Blanda, but his longevity will likely never be matched in NFL history. A quarterback and kicker, Blanda played with four teams over the course of his 26-year playing career. Six different men held the office of President of the United States during Blanda’s time with the Bears, Colts, Oilers and Raiders.

While it’s true Blanda finished his career as a kicker, that doesn’t diminish the fact he still effectively played quarterback through the 1970 season, when he led the Raiders to a string of remarkable wins and a run to the first AFC Championship Game.

In January of 1976, at the age of 48, Blanda retired, with 2,002 career points to his credit.

Ken Stabler: 1970-84

"The Snake" played for three NFL teams over the course of 15 seasons, but is most vividly remembered for his time under center with the Oakland Raiders. Stabler led the Raiders to five AFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl title over the course of 10 seasons with the silver and black.

A member of the 1970s All-Decade Team, Stabler was traded from the Raiders to the Oilers in 1980 for Dan Pastorini and played two seasons in Houston before following head coach Bum Phillips to the Saints in 1982, where he finished his career.

Warren Moon: 1984-2000

Moon finally got his shot in the NFL after playing six remarkable seasons in the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos. During his time in Canada, the Eskimos won five Grey Cup championships.

The Oilers signed Moon in 1984, due largely to the fact his coach from Edmonton (Hugh Campbell) had taken over coaching duties in Houston.

Moon played with four teams over the course of 17 NFL seasons, and was named to the Pro Bowl as a member of the Oilers, Vikings and Seahawks. He finished in Kansas City, quarterbacking the Chiefs for a total of three games over the final two seasons of his career.

Tom Brady: 2000-present

The likelihood of another quarterback duplicating Brady’s achievements is low. Since joining the league in 2000, he has led the Patriots to the Super Bowl seven times, a remarkable 39% of his career, which includes two seasons during which he basically didn’t play (2000, 2008).

A member of the 2000s All-Decade Team, it's likely Brady will be named to the 2010s All-Decade Team as well, given his four Super Bowl appearances and statistical dominance during that time.

No other quarterback has won five Super Bowls. No other quarterback has won four Super Bowl MVP awards. No other quarterback has led his team to a 16-0 regular season. No other quarterback has won more games.  Shall I continue?

Seven Hall-of-Famers, 98 seasons.

Cox Media Group