Linemen Dominate 2012 NFL Hall of Fame Selections
By Chris Malumphy
Linemen dominated the 2012 NFL Hall of Fame selections. Defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy, defensive end Chris Doleman, tackle Willie Roaf and center Dermontti Dawson dominated the trenches and earned their path to glory as Hall of Fame enshrinees. Joining them in the Hall of Fame Class of 2012 are running back Curtis Martin and defensive back Jack Butler.
Kennedy, Doleman and Roaf were all premium first round draft picks, taken within the top eight choices of the draft. Dawson was drafted in the second round, Martin in the third, and Butler was undrafted.
Among the final nominees who were not selected for enshrinement were Coach Bill Parcells and Owner Edward DeBartolo, Jr., each of whom made indelible marks upon the league. Parcells should be a certain selection in the future. DeBartolo's legal problems which drove him from the league may forever keep him out of the Hall, although being tabbed a finalist demonstrates how strong his candidacy is.
Among the spurned players, wide receiver Cris Carter and Charles Haley seem to be the most overlooked. Carter retired with the second most receptions and yards for any receiver, trailing only Jerry Rice. Haley was a key contributor on five Super Bowl victors. Others who didn't make the cut were: running back Jerome Bettis, receivers Tim Brown and Andre Reed, guard Dick Stanfel, tackle Will Shields, defensive back Aeneas Williams, and pass rusher deluxe Kevin Greene.
| 2012 Hall of Fame Selections | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Drafted | Round | Pick | Player | Team | Position | College | Contribution |
| Cortez Kennedy | 1990 | 1 | 3 | 3 | Seahawks | DT | Miami (FL) | Seahawks 1990-2000 |
| Chris Doleman | 1985 | 1 | 4 | 4 | Vikings | DE | Pittsburgh | Vikings 1985-1993, 1999; Falcons 1994-1995; 49ers 1996-1998 |
| Willie Roaf | 1993 | 1 | 8 | 8 | Saints | T | Louisiana Tech | Saints 1993-2001; Chiefs 2002-2005 |
| Dermontti Dawson | 1988 | 2 | 17 | 44 | Steelers | C | Kentucky | Steelers 1988-2000 |
| Curtis Martin | 1995 | 3 | 10 | 74 | Patriots | RB | Pittsburgh | Patriots 1995-1997; Jets 1998-2005 |
| Jack Butler | 1956 | 17 | 11 | 204 | Rams | T | Kentucky | Steelers 1951-1959 |
| 2012 Hall of Fame Finalists Who Didn't Make the Cut | ||||||||
| Name | Drafted | Round | Pick | Player | Team | Position | College | Contribution |
| Tim Brown | 1988 | 1 | 6 | 6 | Raiders | WR | Notre Dame | Raiders 1998-2003; Buccaneers 2004 |
| Jerome Bettis | 1993 | 1 | 10 | 10 | Rams | RB | Notre Dame | Rams 1993-1995; Steelers 1996-2005 |
| Dick Stanfel | 1951 | 2 | 5 | 19 | Lions | G | San Francisco | Lions 1952-1955; Redskins 1956-1958 |
| Aeneas Williams | 1991 | 3 | 4 | 59 | Cardinals | DB | Southern | Cardinals 1991-2000; Rams 2001-2004 |
| Will Shields | 1993 | 3 | 18 | 74 | Chiefs | G | Nebraska | Chiefs 1993-2006 |
| Andre Reed | 1985 | 4 | 2 | 86 | Bills | WR | Kutztown (PA) | Bills 1985-1999; Redskins 2000 |
| Cris Carter | 1987s | 4 | | | Eagles | WR | Ohio State | Eagles 1987-1989; Vikings 1990-2001; Dolphins 2002 |
| Bill Parcells | 1964 | 7 | 5 | 89 | Lions | T | Wichita State | Coach Giants 1983-1990; Patriots 1993-1996; Jets 1997-1999; Cowboys 2003-2006 |
| Charles Haley | 1986 | 4 | 14 | 96 | 49ers | DE | James Madison | 49ers 1986-1991, 1999; Cowboys 1992-1996 |
| Kevin Greene | 1985 | 5 | 1 | 113 | Rams | LB | Auburn | Rams 1985-1992; Steelers 1993-1995; Panthers 1996, 1998-1999; 49ers 1997 |
| Edward DeBartolo, Jr. | Owner 49ers 1977-1999 | |||||||
Patriots and Giants Take Different Approaches to Building Super Bowl Squads
By Chris Malumphy
Some people think that New England Patriots' coach Bill Belichick is a salary cap maven who recognizes that most high-priced talent isn't all that it's cut out to be. Others believe that except for an occasional player or two, Belichick thinks most players are fungible. It has also been suggested that Belichick just likes to show that he is smarter than everyone else.
Regardless of what anyone thinks, Belichick has put together a Super Bowl squad with eight undrafted starters, five on offense, including three at skill positions, and three on defense. Starting players come from schools as low profile as Chadron State, Hofstra, and North Texas. Undrafted starters include: wide receiver Wes Welker, center Dan Connolly, guard Brian Waters, running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis and running back Danny Woodhead, defensive tackle Kyle Love, cornerback Kyle Arrington and safety James Ihedigbo.
But Belichick also uses his top draft picks well. Of the 14 drafted starters on offense and defense, half were drafted in the first round. First round picks include: guard Logan Mankins, tackle Nate Solder, defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, defensive end Shaun Ellis (originally picked by the Jets), linebacker Jerod Mayo, cornerback Devin McCourty and safety Eugene Chung.
Four other Patriots starters were drafted by the Patriots in the second round: tackle Matt Light, tight end Rob Gronkowski, wide receiver Deion Branch and linebacker Brandon Spikes. Only three of the starting Patriots were taken after the second round: quarterback Tom Brady (6th round), defensive end Brandon Deaderick (7th round), and linebacker Rob Ninkovich (5th round, originally selected by the Saints). Versatile tight end Aaron Hernandez is not on this list of starters, but he was a fourth round choice.And unlike the Giants, as well as most other NFL teams, the Patriots expended draft picks on both kickers: punter Zoltan Mesko (5th round) and placekicker Stephen Gostkowski (4th round), demonstrating the value Belichick places on the most important special teams positions.
New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese and coach Tom Coughlin have taken a more traditional approach. Only four of the 22 starters for the Giants were undrafted: wide receiver Victor Cruz, tight end Jake Ballard, fullback Henry Hynoski, and linebacker Chase Blackburn.
The Giants will start eight first round draft picks, including a whopping six on defense.
On offense, the Giants will start first rounders quarterback Eli Manning (originally drafted by the Chargers) and wide receiver Hakeem Nicks. From the second round, the Giants send forth the middle of their offensive line in center David Baas (taken by the 49ers) and guard Chris Snee. Tackles Kareem McKenzie (Jets) and David Diehl come from rounds three and five, respectively. Running back Ahmad Bradshaw was a seventh round selection. Two players not listed as starters here, but who may see considerable action, are running back Brandon Jacobs who was taken in the fourth round and wide receiver Marion Manningham who was drafted in round three.
Nearly the entire defensive starting unit is filled with high draft picks including first rounders: defensive tackle William Joseph, defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka, cornerback Aaron Ross and safeties Kenny Phillips and Antrel Rolle (drafted by the Cardinals). Cornerback Corey Webster was taken with the 11th pick in the second round. Defensive end Justin Tuck was drafted in the third round, defensive tackle Cris Canty was drafted by the Cowboys in the fourth round and linebacker Michael Boley was taken by the Falcons in round five. Defensive end Usi Umenyiora, not listed as a starter here, was drafted in the second round.
Unlike the Patriots, both the Giants punter, Steve Weatherford, and placekicker, Lawrence Tynes were undrafted.
Note that four of the eight starting defensive lineman were first round picks while only two of the ten offensive interior linemen were drafted in round one. Of the four wide receivers, the top two (Welker and Cruz) were undrafted; Nicks was a first round pick and Branch is from round two. Of six linebackers, two were drafted in the first round, one in the second, two in the fifth and one was undrafted. The Giants start three first rounders and one second rounder in the defensive backfield. The Patriots counter with two first rounders and two undrafted defensive backs. Thus, five of the eight defensive backs were drafted in round one.
Of course, in the end, everybody looks to the quarterback: Eli Manning, who already has one Super Bowl ring for defeating the Patriots four years age, was the top choice in 2004. Tom Brady, who lost to Manning, has three Super Bowl victories and was one of the great draft steals of all time, lasting until round six, the 199th player overall in 2000.
Interestingly, Wikipedia points out that Giants teammates Usi Umenyiora and Lawrence Tynes are two of the three British-born players to have won Super Bowl rings, the other being Scott McCready who was a member of the Patriots practice squad in 2001.
| 2012 Super Bowl Starters | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patriots' Offense | ||||||||
| Position | Name | Year | Round | Pick | Player | Team | Position | College |
| WR | Wes Welker | 2004 | Texas Tech | |||||
| LT | Matt Light | 2001 | 2 | 17 | 48 | Patriots | T | Purdue |
| LG | Logan Mankins | 2005 | 1 | 32 | 32 | Patriots | G | Fresno State |
| C | Dan Connolly | 2005 | Southeast Missouri State | |||||
| RG | Brian Waters | 1999 | North Texas | |||||
| RT | Nate Solder | 2011 | 1 | 17 | 17 | Patriots | T | Colorado |
| TE | Rob Gronkowski | 2010 | 2 | 10 | 42 | Patriots | TE | Arizona |
| WR | Deion Branch | 2002 | 2 | 33 | 65 | Patriots | WR | Louisville |
| QB | Tom Brady | 2000 | 6 | 33 | 199 | Patriots | QB | Michigan |
| RB | BenJarvus Green-Ellis | 2008 | Mississippi | |||||
| FB | Danny Woodhead | 2008 | Chadron State | |||||
| Patriots' Defense | ||||||||
| Position | Name | Year | Round | Pick | Player | Team | Position | College |
| LE | Brandon Deaderick | 2010 | 7 | 40 | 247 | Patriots | LB | Alabama |
| LT | Kyle Love | 2010 | Mississippi State | |||||
| RT | Vince Wilfork | 2004 | 1 | 21 | 21 | Patriots | DT | Miami (FL) |
| RE | Shaun Ellis | 2000 | 1 | 12 | 12 | Jets | DE | Tennessee |
| SLB | Rob Ninkovich | 2006 | 5 | 2 | 135 | Saints | DE | Purdue |
| MLB | Brandon Spikes | 2010 | 2 | 30 | 62 | Patriots | LB | Florida |
| WLB | Jerod Mayo | 2008 | 1 | 10 | 10 | Patriots | LB | Tennessee |
| LCB | Devin McCourty | 2010 | 1 | 27 | 27 | Patriots | DB | Rutgers |
| RCB | Kyle Arrington | 2008 | Hofstra | |||||
| SS | James Ihedigbo | 2007 | Massachusetts | |||||
| FS | Eugene Chung | 1992 | 1 | 13 | 13 | Patriots | T | Virginia Tech |
| Patriots' Special Teams | ||||||||
| Position | Name | Year | Round | Pick | Player | Team | Position | College |
| P | Zoltan Mesko | 2010 | 5 | 19 | 150 | Patriots | P | Michigan |
| PK | Stephen Gostkowski | 2006 | 4 | 21 | 118 | Patriots | K | Memphis |
| H | Brian Hoyer | 2009 | Michigan State | |||||
| PR | Julian Edelman | 2009 | 7 | 23 | 232 | Patriots | QB | Kent State |
| KR | Danny Woodhead | 2008 | Chadron State | |||||
| LS | Danny Aiken | 2011 | Virginia | |||||
| Gaints' Offense | ||||||||
| Position | Name | Year | Round | Pick | Player | Team | Position | College |
| WR | Victor Cruz | 2010 | Massachusetts | |||||
| LT | David Diehl | 2003 | 5 | 25 | 160 | Giants | G | Illinois |
| LG | Kevin Boothe | 2006 | 6 | 7 | 176 | Raiders | T | Cornell |
| C | David Baas | 2005 | 2 | 1 | 33 | 49ers | C | Michigan |
| RG | Chris Snee | 2004 | 2 | 2 | 34 | Giants | G | Boston College |
| RT | Kareem McKenzie | 2001 | 3 | 17 | 79 | Jets | T | Penn State |
| TE | Jake Ballard | 2010 | Ohio State | |||||
| WR | Hakeem Nicks | 2009 | 1 | 29 | 29 | Giants | WR | North Carolina |
| QB | Eli Manning | 2004 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Chargers | QB | Mississippi |
| RB | Ahmad Bradshaw | 2007 | 7 | 40 | 250 | Giants | RB | Marshall |
| FB | Henry Hynoski | 2011 | Pittsburgh | |||||
| Gaints' Defense | ||||||||
| Position | Name | Year | Round | Pick | Player | Team | Position | College |
| LE | Justin Tuck | 2005 | 3 | 10 | 74 | Giants | DE | Notre Dame |
| LT | William Joseph | 2003 | 1 | 25 | 25 | Giants | DT | Miami (FL) |
| RT | Chris Canty | 2005 | 4 | 31 | 132 | Cowboys | DE | Virginia |
| RE | Jason Pierre-Paul | 2010 | 1 | 15 | 15 | Giants | DE | South Florida |
| SLB | Mathias Kiwanuka | 2006 | 1 | 32 | 32 | Giants | DE | Boston College |
| MLB | Chase Blackburn | 2005 | Akron | |||||
| RLB | Michael Boley | 2005 | 5 | 24 | 160 | Falcons | LB | Southern Mississippi |
| LCB | Corey Webster | 2005 | 2 | 11 | 43 | Giants | DB | Louisiana State |
| RCB | Aaron Ross | 2007 | 1 | 20 | 20 | Giants | DB | Texas |
| SS | Kenny Phillips | 2008 | 1 | 31 | 31 | Giants | DB | Miami (FL) |
| FS | Antrel Rolle | 2005 | 1 | 8 | 8 | Cardinals | DB | Miami (FL) |
| Gaints' Special Teams | ||||||||
| Position | Name | Year | Round | Pick | Player | Team | Position | College |
| P | Steve Weatherford | 2006 | Illinois | |||||
| PK | Lawrence Tynes | 2004 | Troy State | |||||
| H | Steve Weatherford | 2006 | Illinois | |||||
| PR | Will Blackmon | 2006 | 4 | 18 | 115 | Packers | WR | Boston College |
| KR | Devin Thomas | 2008 | 2 | 3 | 34 | Redskins | WR | Michigan State |
| LS | Zak DeOssie | 2007 | 4 | 17 | 116 | Giants | LB | Brown |
Draft Status of 2012 Pro Bowl Selections
By Chris Malumphy
While, five of the six quarterbacks selected for the 2012 Pro Bowl were drafted in the top 32 picks, the running back selected earliest was the 44th selection.
| Draft Status of 2011 Pro Bowl Selections | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Team | Name | Drafted | Round | Pick | Player | Drafted By | Position | College |
| QB | Patriots | Tom Brady | 2000 | 6 | 33 | 199 | Patriots | QB | Michigan |
| Steelers | Ben Roethlisberger | 2004 | 1 | 11 | 11 | Steelers | QB | Miami (OH) | |
| Chargers | Philip Rivers | 2004 | 1 | 4 | 4 | Giants | QB | North Carolina State | |
| Packers | Aaron Rodgers | 2005 | 1 | 24 | 24 | Packers | QB | California | |
| Saints | Drew Brees | 2001 | 2 | 1 | 32 | Chargers | QB | Purdue | |
| Giantss | Eli Manning | 2004 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Chargers | QB | Mississippi | |
| RB | Ravens | Ray Rice | 2008 | 2 | 24 | 55 | Ravens | RB | Rutgers |
| Jaguars | Maurice Jones-Drew | 2006 | 2 | 28 | 60 | Jaguars | RB | UCLA | |
| Texans | Arian Foster | RB | Tennessee | ||||||
| Eagles | LeSean McCoy | 2009 | 2 | 21 | 53 | Eagles | RB | Pittsburgh | |
| Bears | Matt Forte | 2008 | 2 | 13 | 44 | Bears | RB | Tulane | |
| 49ers | Frank Gore | 2005 | 3 | 1 | 65 | 49ers | RB | Miami (FL) | |
| WR | Patriots | Wes Welker | WR | Texas Tech | |||||
| Steelers | Mike Wallace | 2009 | 3 | 20 | 84 | Steelers | WR | Mississippi | |
| Bengals | A.J. Green | 2011 | 1 | 4 | 4 | Bengals | WR | Georgia | |
| Broncos | Brandon Marshall | 2006 | 4 | 22 | 119 | Broncos | WR | Central Florida | |
| Lions | Calvin Johnson | 2007 | 1 | 2 | 2 | Lions | WR | Georgia Tech | |
| Cardinals | Larry Fitzgerald | 2004 | 1 | 3 | 3 | Cardinals | WR | Pittsburgh | |
| Panthers | Steve Smith | 2001 | 3 | 12 | 74 | Panthers | WR | Utah | |
| Packers | Greg Jennings | 2006 | 2 | 20 | 52 | Packers | WR | Western Michigan | |
| TE | Patriots | Rob Gronkowski | 2010 | 2 | 10 | 42 | Patriots | TE | Arizona |
| Chargers | Antonio Gates | TE | Kent State | ||||||
| Saints | Jimmy Graham | 2010 | 3 | 31 | 95 | Saints | TE | Miami (FL) | |
| Falcons | Tony Gonzalez | 1997 | 1 | 13 | 13 | Chiefs | TE | California | |
| T | Browns | Joe Thomas | 2007 | 1 | 3 | 3 | Browns | T | Wisconsin |
| Dolphins | Jake Long | 2008 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Dolphins | T | Michigan | |
| Jets | D'Brickashaw Ferguson | 2006 | 1 | 4 | 4 | Jets | T | Virginia | |
| Eagles | Jason Peters | T | Arkansas | ||||||
| 49ers | Joe Staley | 2007 | 1 | 28 | 28 | 49ers | T | Central Michigan | |
| Saints | Jermon Bushrod | 2007 | 4 | 26 | 125 | Saints | T | Towson | |
| G | Patriots | Logan Mankins | 2005 | 1 | 32 | 32 | Patriots | G | Fresno State |
| Patriots | Brian Waters | G | North Texas | ||||||
| Ravens | Marshall Yanda | 2007 | 3 | 23 | 86 | Ravens | G | Iowa | |
| Saints | Jahri Evans | 2006 | 4 | 11 | 108 | Saints | T | Bloomsburg (PA) | |
| Saints | Carl Nicks | 2008 | 5 | 29 | 164 | Saints | T | Nebraska | |
| Buccaneers | Davin Joseph | 2006 | 1 | 23 | 23 | Buccaneers | G | Oklahoma | |
| C | Steelers | Maurkice Pouncey | 2010 | 1 | 18 | 18 | Steelers | C | Florida |
| Jets | Nick Mangold | 2006 | 1 | 29 | 29 | Jets | C | Ohio State | |
| Panthers | Ryan Kalil | 2007 | 2 | 27 | 59 | Panthers | C | USC | |
| Packers | Scott Wells | 2004 | 7 | 50 | 251 | Packers | C | Tennessee | |
| DE | Colts | Dwight Freeney | 2002 | 1 | 11 | 11 | Colts | DE | Syracuse |
| 49ers | Andre Carter | 2001 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 49ers | DE | California | |
| Broncos | Elvis Dumervil | 2006 | 4 | 29 | 126 | Broncos | DE | Louisville | |
| Chiefs | Jared Allen | 2004 | 4 | 30 | 126 | Chiefs | DE | Idaho State | |
| Texans | Jason Babin | 2004 | 1 | 27 | 27 | Texans | DE | Western Michigan | |
| Giants | Jason Pierre-Paul | 2010 | 1 | 15 | 15 | Giants | DE | South Florida | |
| DT | Ravens | Haloti Ngata | 2006 | 1 | 12 | 12 | Ravens | DT | Oregon |
| Patriots | Richard Seymour | 2001 | 1 | 6 | 6 | Patriots | DT | Georgia | |
| Patriots | Vince Wilfork | 2004 | 1 | 21 | 21 | Patriots | DT | Miami (FL) | |
| Bengals | Justin Smith | 2001 | 1 | 4 | 4 | Bengals | DE | Missouri | |
| Cowboys | Jay Ratliff | 2005 | 7 | 10 | 224 | Cowboys | DE | Auburn | |
| Packers | B.J. Raji | 2009 | 1 | 9 | 9 | Packers | DT | Boston College | |
| OLB | Ravens | Terrell Suggs | 2003 | 1 | 10 | 10 | Ravens | DE | Arizona State |
| Broncos | Von Miller | 2011 | 1 | 2 | 2 | Broncos | LB | Texas A&M | |
| Chiefs | Tamba Hali | 2006 | 1 | 20 | 20 | Chiefs | DE | Penn State | |
| Cowboys | Demarcus Ware | 2005 | 1 | 11 | 11 | Cowboys | DE | Troy | |
| Packers | Clay Matthews | 2009 | 1 | 26 | 26 | Packers | LB | USC | |
| Bears | Lance Briggs | 2003 | 3 | 4 | 68 | Bears | LB | Arizona | |
| ILB | Ravens | Ray Lewis | 1996 | 1 | 26 | 26 | Ravens | LB | Miami (FL) |
| Chiefs | Derrick Johnson | 2005 | 1 | 15 | 15 | Chiefs | LB | Texas | |
| 49ers | Patrick Willis | 2007 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 49ers | LB | Mississippi | |
| Bears | Brian Urlacher | 2000 | 1 | 9 | 9 | Bears | LB | New Mexico | |
| CB | Jets | Darrelle Revis | 2007 | 1 | 14 | 14 | Jets | DB | Pittsburgh |
| Broncos | Champ Bailey | 1999 | 1 | 7 | 7 | Redskins | DB | Georgia | |
| Texans | Johnathan Joseph | 2006 | 1 | 24 | 24 | Bengals | DB | South Carolina | |
| Packers | Charles Woodson | 1998 | 1 | 4 | 4 | Raiders | DB | Michigan | |
| 49ers | Carlos Rogers | 2005 | 1 | 9 | 9 | Redskins | DB | Auburn | |
| Bears | Charles Tillman | 2003 | 2 | 3 | 35 | Bears | DB | Louisiana-Lafayette | |
| FS | Ravens | Ed Reed | 2002 | 1 | 24 | 24 | Ravens | DB | Miami (FL) |
| Chargers | Eric Weddle | 2007 | 2 | 5 | 37 | Chargers | DB | Utah | |
| Seahawks | Earl Thomas | 2010 | 1 | 14 | 14 | Seahawks | DB | Texas | |
| 49ers | Dashon Goldson | 2007 | 4 | 27 | 126 | 49ers | DB | Washington | |
| SS | Steelers | Troy Polamalu | 2003 | 1 | 16 | 16 | Steelers | DB | USC |
| Cardinals | Adrian Wilson | 2001 | 3 | 2 | 64 | Cardinals | DB | North Carolina State | |
| P | Raiders | Shane Lechler | 2000 | 5 | 13 | 142 | Raiders | P | Texas A&M |
| 49ers | Andy Lee | 2004 | 6 | 23 | 188 | 49ers | P | Pittsburgh | |
| K | Raiders | Sebastian Janikowski | 2000 | 1 | 17 | 17 | Raiders | K | Florida State |
| 49ers | David Akers | K | Louisville | ||||||
| KR | Steelers | Antonio Brown | 2010 | 6 | 26 | 195 | Steelers | WR | Central Michigan |
| Cardinals | Patrick Peterson | 2011 | 1 | 5 | 5 | Cardinals | DB | Louisiana State | |
| ST | Patriots | Matt Slater | 2008 | 5 | 18 | 153 | Patriots | WR | UCLA |
| Bears | Corey Graham | 2007 | 5 | 31 | 168 | Bears | DB | New Hampshire | |
Parcells and DeBartolo Among Top Hall of Fame Finalists in 2012
By Chris Malumphy
The pool of 2012 potential Hall of Fame candidates is unlikely to generate much interest among casual or newer NFL fans. While each of the nominees is worthy of both consideration and selection, there are no marquee names to generate excitement although each nominee is recognizable and stands on his own merits. Ironically, perhaps the two biggest names, and perhaps the top two choices, are non-players: Coach Bill Parcells and Owner Edward DeBartolo, Jr.
Parcells won two Super Bowls with the Giants and got into another with the Patriots, but couldn't find the same magic leading the Jets, Cowboys or Dolphins although he took steps that improved each of those franchises. His teams went 172-130-1 (.570). Unless voters take fault with his penchant for moving on to greener pastures, the selection of Parcells should be a no-brainer.
Edward DeBartolo, Jr. may be the most worthy of all and he never set foot on the field during game time. DeBartolo resurrected what had been a flailing franchise and turned it into a dynasty with five Super Bowls under Bill Walsh and George Seifert. Unfortunately, outside activities sullied his reputation and caused him to lose control of the team.
Running backs Jerome Bettis and Curtis Martin were solid players, but neither were ever really considered the best at their position. Bettis finished with 13,662 yards rushing with a 3.9 yard average, topping 1,000 yards eight times. He was selected to 6 pro bowls and two all pro teams and played on a Super Bowl team. Martin was selected to 5 pro bowls, was all pro once, topped 1,000 yards each of his first 10 seasons, finishing with 14,101 yards and a 4.0 average. Martin led the league in rushing during his tenth and penultimate season and played in one Super Bowl.
Wide receivers Cris Carter, Tim Brown and Andre Reed also had their stellar moments but were never really the top dogs either, standing in the shadow of Jerry Rice. Brown went to nine pro bowls, had 1,094 career receptions, led the league in kickoff returns his rookie year and was an excellent punter returner throughout his career. Reed caught 951 passes, went to seven pro bowls and to four consecutive Super Bowls but never brought home the trophy. Carter had 1,101 receptions went to eight pro bowls and was first-team all pro twice.
Tackle Willie Roaf was an 11 time pro bowler and was first team all pro on three occasions. Unfortunately for Roaf, his first nine seasons were spent with the New Orleans Saints who were 57-87 (.396) and had a winning record only once during his tenure. Roaf appeared on the winning side more frequently after joining the Kansas City Chiefs, coached by Dick Vermiel with Trent Green, Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson in their prime. The Chiefs went 38-26 (.594) during his four-year stay.
Will Shields played guard for the Kansas City Chiefs for 14 seasons, playing in every game and starting in all but one his rookie season. He was selected for the pro bowl each of his last twelve years and was first-team all pro twice.
Dick Stanfel played guard for the Lions and Redskins from 1952-1958 and was selected for the pro bowl and first-team all pro five times each. He played in the NFL championship game each of his first three seasons as a pro with the Lions against the Browns, winning the first two.
Center Dermontti Dawson was a 7-time pro bowler who was first-team all pro six times. played for a string of solid but not great Steeler's teams that went to one Super Bowl.
Chris Doleman, Charles Haley and Kevin Greene were deluxe pass rushers. Greene was selected to five pro bowl and two all-pro teams, lead the leagues in sacks twice and finished with 160 during his career. He had double-digit sacks ten seasons. Doleman finished with 150.5 sacks, reached double digits eight times, was selected to the pro bowl eight times and all-pro two times. Haley had 100.5 career sacks, reach double digits six seasons, was selected to five pro bowls and two all-pro teams.
Defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy was first-team all pro three times and was a pro bowl selection eight times during an 11 year career with the Seattle Seahawks.
Defensive back Aneas Williams played 14 seasons for the Cardinals and the Rams and intercepted 55 passes. He was selected to eight pro bowls and three all pro teams.
Jack Butler played defensive back for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1951-1959 and intercepted 52 passes while going to four pro bowls and being selected to three all-pro teams.
Many of the statistics reported above were taken from Pro-Football-Reference.com which is an excellent source.| 2012 Hall of Fame Nominee Finalists | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Drafted | Round | Pick | Player | Team | Position | College | Contribution |
| Cortez Kennedy | 1990 | 1 | 3 | 3 | Seahawks | DT | Miami (FL) | Seahawks 1990-2000 |
| Chris Doleman | 1985 | 1 | 4 | 4 | Vikings | DE | Pittsburgh | Vikings 1985-1993, 1999; Falcons 1994-1995; 49ers 1996-1998 |
| Tim Brown | 1988 | 1 | 6 | 6 | Raiders | WR | Notre Dame | Raiders 1998-2003; Buccaneers 2004 |
| Willie Roaf | 1993 | 1 | 8 | 8 | Saints | T | Louisiana Tech | Saints 1993-2001; Chiefs 2002-2005 |
| Jerome Bettis | 1993 | 1 | 10 | 10 | Rams | RB | Notre Dame | Rams 1993-1995; Steelers 1996-2005 |
| Dick Stanfel | 1951 | 2 | 5 | 19 | Lions | G | San Francisco | Lions 1952-1955; Redskins 1956-1958 |
| Dermontti Dawson | 1988 | 2 | 17 | 44 | Steelers | C | Kentucky | Steelers 1988-2000 |
| Aeneas Williams | 1991 | 3 | 4 | 59 | Cardinals | DB | Southern | Cardinals 1991-2000; Rams 2001-2004 |
| Curtis Martin | 1995 | 3 | 10 | 74 | Patriots | RB | Pittsburgh | Patriots 1995-1997; Jets 1998-2005 |
| Will Shields | 1993 | 3 | 18 | 74 | Chiefs | G | Nebraska | Chiefs 1993-2006 |
| Andre Reed | 1985 | 4 | 2 | 86 | Bills | WR | Kutztown (PA) | Bills 1985-1999; Redskins 2000 |
| Cris Carter | 1987s | 4 | | | Eagles | WR | Ohio State | Eagles 1987-1989; Vikings 1990-2001; Dolphins 2002 |
| Bill Parcells | 1964 | 7 | 5 | 89 | Lions | T | Wichita State | Coach Giants 1983-1990; Patriots 1993-1996; Jets 1997-1999; Cowboys 2003-2006 |
| Charles Haley | 1986 | 4 | 14 | 96 | 49ers | DE | James Madison | 49ers 1986-1991, 1999; Cowboys 1992-1996 |
| Kevin Greene | 1985 | 5 | 1 | 113 | Rams | LB | Auburn | Rams 1985-1992; Steelers 1993-1995; Panthers 1996, 1998-1999; 49ers 1997 |
| Jack Butler | 1956 | 17 | 11 | 204 | Rams | T | Kentucky | Steelers 1951-1959 |
| Edward DeBartolo, Jr. | | | | | | | | Owner 49ers 1977-1999 |
Bleacher Report: NFL Free Agency Preview: Top 10 Quarterbacks
By Chris Malumphy
I usually don't like all the clicking that's required to read an article on Bleacher Report, but they do have a nice analysis of the top 10 free agent quarterbacks. Check it out.
McDaniels Hired by Patriots to Prove His Detractors Are Right
By Chris Malumphy
Make no mistake about it, long term, Josh McDaniels returns to New England to keep their already superlative offense on track. But a key reason his hiring was rushed this week, rather than done further down the road in a more typical time frame, is to help the Patriots stop the Denver Broncos offense this weekend. It is unlikely that McDaniels will get into the swing of things quickly enough to be of much help to Tom Brady's offense this week. His real value this weekend is to the Patriot's defense. No one, other than the current coaches on the Broncos staff who can hardly be expected to become turncoats, knows the now dynamic duo of quarterback Tim Tebow and wide receiver Demaryius Thomas better than the man who put his career on the line when he drafted them. Their 80-yard touchdown connection in the first seconds of overtime in the wildcard round of the 2011 playoffs provides McDaniels with at least some vindication for draft picks that have been ridiculed by many.
McDaniels set the stage for the Broncos' overtime victory against the Steelers when he selected Thomas with the 22nd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and then traded up to grab Tebow just three picks later, in a selection McDaniels' detractors still question even today. It is truly ironic that McDaniels is being called on now by Bill Belichick to help the Patriots beat the Broncos, by providing insight into how to shut the dynamic duo down, and prove that his detractors are correct--at least for one game.
Jeff Fisher in Driver’s Seat as NFL Coaching Carousel Continues
By Chris Malumphy
Despite the fact that the 2011 NFL playoffs have just begun, we are already deep into the coaching carousel season. The Jaguars started the annual turnover process by jettisoning Jack Del Rio with five games to go in the season. Then Dolphins gave the boot to Tony Sparano and the Chiefs showed the door to Todd Haley. Shortly after the season ended, the Rams and Buccaneers sent Steve Spagnuolo and Raheem Morris packing. Surprisingly, despite their disappointing lifetime records, the Chargers will stick with Norv Turner for yet another season and Marvin Lewis saved his job yet again by taking the Bengals to the playoffs. Of the current head coaches, Pat Shurmur and Leslie Frazier have the worst records, although both only have one full season under their belts. [Update: Hue Jackson has been fired by Oakland's newly hired General Manager, Reggie McKenzie.]
It now appears that the Chiefs will give Romeo Crennel a second shot at a full-time coaching gig after he went 2-1 in an interim assignment. [Update: Crennel was subsequently given the Chiefs head coaching job.] Mel Tucker in Jacksonville and Todd Bowles in Miami are both being kept dangling in limbo as the owners of those teams check out other possibilities. [Update: the Jaguars have hired Mke Mularkey.]
Former Titans' coach Jeff Fisher seems to be in an ideal position, seemingly having the choice between leading the Rams or the Dolphins. Several experienced quality coaches who would seem to have years of potential coaching ahead of them are playing it coy and may have priced themselves to far above the current market: Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, and perhaps Tony Dungy fit that description. Cowher and Gruden are being extremely picky, looking for just the right spot, and the right quarterback situation. Dungy may never return to coaching again. All three appear happy in the broadcast booth. Brian Billick, Mike Martz and Eric Mangini would love to get another head coaching job, but no one seems particularly interested. Wade Phillips has done well, but not good enough, whereever he has gone before, but now is seen as a great defensive coordinator and only a mediocre head coach. Phillips (82-61, .573), Mike Sherman (57-39, .594) and Brad Childress (39-35, .527) might have a shot in Tampa Bay, however. Mike Mularkey was only 14-18 his first time around, but has always been thought of as an offensive innovator and could get some consideration. Josh McDaniels is returning to the Patriots to try to resurrect a young career that swiftly headed downhill after starting off 6-0 a few years ago.
To keep it in perspective, here are the lifetime records of those who served as head coaches in 2011 as well as those who recently held head coaching positions.
| Lifetime Records of 2011 NFL Head Coaches | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coach | W | L | T | Pct | Tenure | Team | W | L | T | Pct |
| Jim Harbaugh | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0.813 | 2011 | 49ers | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0.813 |
| Mike Tomlin | 55 | 25 | 0 | 0.688 | 2007 | Steelers | 55 | 25 | 0 | 0.688 |
| John Harbaugh | 44 | 20 | 0 | 0.688 | 2008 | Ravens | 44 | 20 | 0 | 0.688 |
| Mike Smith | 43 | 21 | 0 | 0.672 | 2008 | Falcons | 43 | 21 | 0 | 0.672 |
| Todd Bowles | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.667 | 2011 | Dolphins | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.667 |
| Mike McCarthy | 63 | 33 | 0 | 0.656 | 2006 | Packers | 63 | 33 | 0 | 0.656 |
| Sean Payton | 62 | 34 | 0 | 0.646 | 2006 | Saints | 62 | 34 | 0 | 0.646 |
| Bill Belichick | 175 | 97 | 0 | 0.643 | 2000 | Patriots | 139 | 53 | 0 | 0.724 |
| Andy Reid | 126 | 81 | 1 | 0.608 | 1999 | Eagles | 126 | 81 | 1 | 0.608 |
| Rex Ryan | 28 | 20 | 0 | 0.583 | 2009 | Jets | 28 | 20 | 0 | 0.583 |
| Mike Shanahan | 157 | 119 | 0 | 0.569 | 2010 | Redskins | 11 | 21 | 0 | 0.344 |
| Mike Munchak | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0.563 | 2011 | Titans | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0.563 |
| Lovie Smith | 71 | 57 | 0 | 0.555 | 2004 | Bears | 71 | 57 | 0 | 0.555 |
| Tom Coughlin | 142 | 114 | 0 | 0.555 | 2004 | Giants | 74 | 54 | 0 | 0.578 |
| Jeff Fisher | 142 | 120 | 0 | 0.542 | 2012 | Rams | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| Jim Caldwell | 26 | 22 | 0 | 0.542 | 2009 | Colts | 26 | 22 | 0 | 0.542 |
| Jason Garrett | 13 | 11 | 0 | 0.542 | 2010 | Cowboys | 13 | 11 | 0 | 0.542 |
| John Fox | 81 | 79 | 0 | 0.506 | 2011 | Broncos | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0.500 |
| Ken Whisenhunt | 40 | 40 | 0 | 0.500 | 2007 | Cardinals | 40 | 40 | 0 | 0.500 |
| Hue Jackson | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0.500 | 2011 | Raiders | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0.500 |
| Joe Philbin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 2012 | Dolphins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 |
| Dennis Allen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 2012 | Raiders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 |
| Chuck Pagano | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 2012 | Colts | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 |
| Pete Carroll | 47 | 49 | 0 | 0.490 | 2010 | Seahawks | 14 | 18 | 0 | 0.438 |
| Gary Kubiak | 47 | 49 | 0 | 0.490 | 2006 | Texans | 47 | 49 | 0 | 0.490 |
| Jack Del Rio | 68 | 71 | 0 | 0.489 | 2003 | Jaguars | 68 | 71 | 0 | 0.489 |
| Norv Turner | 107 | 113 | 1 | 0.486 | 2007 | Chargers | 49 | 31 | 0 | 0.613 |
| Marvin Lewis | 69 | 74 | 1 | 0.483 | 2003 | Bengals | 69 | 74 | 1 | 0.483 |
| Tony Sparano | 29 | 32 | 0 | 0.475 | 2008 | Dolphins | 29 | 32 | 0 | 0.475 |
| Chan Gailey | 28 | 36 | 0 | 0.438 | 2010 | Bills | 10 | 22 | 0 | 0.313 |
| Mike Mularkey | 14 | 18 | 0 | 0.438 | 2012 | Jaguars | ||||
| Todd Haley | 19 | 26 | 0 | 0.422 | 2009 | Chiefs | 19 | 26 | 0 | 0.422 |
| Mel Tucker | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0.400 | 2011 | Jaguars | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0.400 |
| Romeo Crennel | 26 | 41 | 0 | 0.388 | 2011 | Chiefs | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.667 |
| Jim Schwartz | 18 | 30 | 0 | 0.375 | 2009 | Lions | 18 | 30 | 0 | 0.375 |
| Ron Rivera | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0.375 | 2011 | Panthers | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0.375 |
| Raheem Morris | 17 | 31 | 0 | 0.354 | 2009 | Buccaneers | 17 | 31 | 0 | 0.354 |
| Leslie Frazier | 6 | 16 | 0 | 0.273 | 2010 | Vikings | 6 | 16 | 0 | 0.273 |
| Pat Shurmur | 4 | 12 | 0 | 0.250 | 2011 | Browns | 4 | 12 | 0 | 0.250 |
| Steve Spagnuolo | 10 | 38 | 0 | 0.208 | 2009 | Rams | 10 | 38 | 0 | 0.208 |
| Total | 1661 | 1423 | 3 | 0.539 | 1205 | 983 | 2 | 0.551 | ||
| Lifetime Records of Recent Former NFL Head Coaches | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coach | W | L | T | Pct |
| Jim Tomsula | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Tony Dungy | 139 | 69 | 0 | 0.668 |
| Todd Bowles | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.667 |
| Mike Martz | 53 | 32 | 0 | 0.624 |
| Bill Cowher | 149 | 90 | 1 | 0.623 |
| Marty Schottenheimer | 200 | 126 | 1 | 0.613 |
| Mike Sherman | 57 | 39 | 0 | 0.594 |
| Mike Holmgren | 161 | 111 | 0 | 0.592 |
| Wade Phillips | 82 | 61 | 0 | 0.573 |
| Bill Parcells | 172 | 130 | 1 | 0.569 |
| Brian Billick | 80 | 64 | 0 | 0.556 |
| Dennis Green | 113 | 94 | 0 | 0.546 |
| Jeff Fisher | 142 | 120 | 0 | 0.542 |
| Jim Caldwell | 26 | 22 | 0 | 0.542 |
| Jon Gruden | 95 | 81 | 0 | 0.540 |
| Dan Reeves | 190 | 165 | 2 | 0.535 |
| Brad Childress | 39 | 35 | 0 | 0.527 |
| Dick Vermeil | 120 | 109 | 0 | 0.524 |
| Jim Fassel | 58 | 53 | 1 | 0.522 |
| Steve Mariucci | 72 | 67 | 0 | 0.518 |
| Hue Jackson | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0.500 |
| Jack Del Rio | 68 | 71 | 0 | 0.489 |
| Jim Mora Jr. | 31 | 33 | 0 | 0.484 |
| Tony Sparano | 29 | 32 | 0 | 0.475 |
| Bill Callahan | 15 | 17 | 0 | 0.469 |
| Nick Saban | 15 | 17 | 0 | 0.469 |
| Mike Singletary | 18 | 22 | 0 | 0.450 |
| Mike Mularkey | 14 | 18 | 0 | 0.438 |
| Jim Haslett | 47 | 61 | 0 | 0.435 |
| Perry Fewell | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0.429 |
| Dick Jauron | 60 | 82 | 0 | 0.423 |
| Todd Haley | 19 | 26 | 0 | 0.422 |
| Herman Edwards | 54 | 74 | 0 | 0.422 |
| Butch Davis | 24 | 34 | 0 | 0.414 |
| Eric Mangini | 33 | 47 | 0 | 0.413 |
| Mel Tucker | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0.400 |
| Josh McDaniels | 11 | 17 | 0 | 0.393 |
| Tom Cable | 17 | 27 | 0 | 0.386 |
| Jim Zorn | 12 | 20 | 0 | 0.375 |
| Raheem Morris | 17 | 31 | 0 | 0.354 |
| Mike Nolan | 18 | 37 | 0 | 0.327 |
| Dick LeBeau | 12 | 33 | 0 | 0.267 |
| Eric Studesville | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0.250 |
| Bobby Petrino | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0.231 |
| Rod Marinelli | 10 | 38 | 0 | 0.208 |
| Steve Spagnuolo | 10 | 38 | 0 | 0.208 |
| Marty Mornhinweg | 5 | 27 | 0 | 0.156 |
| Cam Cameron | 1 | 15 | 0 | 0.063 |
NFL Starting QBs Typically Drafted in 1st Round; But Nearly Half Don’t Play for Their Original Team
By Chris Malumphy
The starting quarterbacks of NFL teams are primarily first round draft picks. Thirty-four quarterbacks threw enough passes in 2011 to qualify for the passing title. I've tossed T.J. Yates into this analysis too since he will be starting in the playoffs for the Houston Texans due to the injury to Matt Schaub. Of those 35 quarterbacks, 19 (54%) were selected in the first round. Four others were taken in the second round, including Drew Brees who was taken with the 32nd selection in the 2001 draft, which is the equivalent of the last pick in the first round in the 32 team NFL draft of today. Of the quarterbacks drafted after the second round, only Matt Schaub (3rd rounder in 2004), Matt Hasselbeck (6th round in 1998) and Tom Brady (6th round in 2000) have had noteworthy success. Tony Romo, who went undrafted, could also be added to that mix. Seventh rounders Matt Cassel and Ryan Fitzpatrick have been too inconsistent to rate more than average.
Interestingly, the Atlanta Falcons have drafted three of the top 35 quarterbacks: Michael Vick, Matt Schaub and Matt Ryan. Considering that they also selected Brett Favre, who was a starter as recently as a year ago, that's not too shabby drafting, although the Falcons have only been able to fully capitalize on the selection of Ryan.It is also insightful to note that 15 of the top 35 quarterbacks do not play for the teams that drafted or originally signed them including: Michael Vick, Carson Palmer, Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, Jay Cutler, Rex Grossman, Drew Brees, Kevin Kolb, Tarvaris Jackson, Matt Schaub, Kyle Orton, Matt Hasselbeck, Matt Cassel, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Matt Moore.
Of the 12 starting quarterbacks for 2011 playoff bound teams, only T.J. Yates and Tom Brady were drafted later than the 3rd pick in the second round.
| When Starting Quarterbacks Were Drafted
(Blue = 2011 Playoff Teams) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Team | Drafted | Round | Pick | Player | Drafted By | College |
| Michael Vick | Eagles | 2001 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Falcons | Virginia Tech |
| Carson Palmer | Raiders | 2003 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Bengals | USC |
| Eli Manning | Giants | 2004 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Chargers | Mississippi |
| Alex Smith | 49ers | 2005 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 49ers | Utah |
| Matthew Stafford | Lions | 2009 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Lions | Georgia |
| Sam Bradford | Rams | 2010 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Rams | Oklahoma |
| Cam Newton | Panthers | 2011 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Panthers | Auburn |
| Matt Ryan | Falcons | 2008 | 1 | 3 | 3 | Falcons | Boston College |
| Philip Rivers | Chargers | 2004 | 1 | 4 | 4 | Giants | North Carolina State |
| Mark Sanchez | Jets | 2009 | 1 | 5 | 5 | Jets | USC |
| Blaine Gabbert | Jaguars | 2011 | 1 | 10 | 10 | Jaguars | Missouri |
| Ben Roethlisberger | Steelers | 2004 | 1 | 11 | 11 | Steelers | Miami (OH) |
| Jay Cutler | Bears | 2006 | 1 | 11 | 11 | Broncos | Vanderbilt |
| Christian Ponder | Vikings | 2011 | 1 | 12 | 12 | Vikings | Florida State |
| Josh Freeman | Buccaneers | 2009 | 1 | 17 | 17 | Buccaneers | Kansas State |
| Joe Flacco | Ravens | 2008 | 1 | 18 | 18 | Ravens | Delaware |
| Rex Grossman | Redskins | 2003 | 1 | 22 | 22 | Bears | Florida |
| Aaron Rodgers | Packers | 2005 | 1 | 24 | 24 | Packers | California |
| Tim Tebow | Broncos | 2010 | 1 | 25 | 25 | Broncos | Florida |
| Drew Brees | Saints | 2001 | 2 | 1 | 32 | Chargers | Purdue |
| Andy Dalton | Bengals | 2011 | 2 | 3 | 35 | Bengals | Texas Christian |
| Kevin Kolb | Cardinals | 2007 | 2 | 4 | 36 | Eagles | Houston |
| Tarvaris Jackson | Seahawks | 2006 | 2 | 32 | 64 | Vikings | Alabama State |
| Colt McCoy | Browns | 2010 | 3 | 21 | 85 | Browns | Texas |
| Matt Schaub | Texans | 2004 | 3 | 27 | 90 | Falcons | Virginia |
| Kyle Orton | Chiefs | 2005 | 4 | 5 | 106 | Bears | Purdue |
| T.J. Yates | Texans | 2011 | 5 | 21 | 152 | Texans | North Carolina |
| John Skelton | Cardinals | 2010 | 5 | 24 | 155 | Cardinals | Fordham |
| Matt Hasselbeck | Titans | 1998 | 6 | 34 | 187 | Packers | Boston College |
| Tom Brady | Patriots | 2000 | 6 | 33 | 199 | Patriots | Michigan |
| Curtis Painter | Colts | 2009 | 6 | 28 | 201 | Colts | Purdue |
| Matt Cassel | Chiefs | 2005 | 7 | 16 | 230 | Patriots | USC |
| Ryan Fitzpatrick | Bills | 2005 | 7 | 36 | 250 | Rams | Harvard |
| Tony Romo | Cowboys | Eastern Illinois | |||||
| Matt Moore | Dolphins | Oregon State | |||||
| 2011 Quarterback Statistics | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Team | Att | C | Pct | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Rating |
| Aaron Rodgers | Packers | 502 | 343 | 68.3 | 4,643 | 9.25 | 45 | 6 | 122.5 |
| Drew Brees | Saints | 657 | 468 | 71.2 | 5,476 | 8.34 | 46 | 14 | 110.6 |
| Tom Brady | Patriots | 611 | 401 | 65.6 | 5,235 | 8.57 | 39 | 12 | 105.6 |
| Tony Romo | Cowboys | 522 | 346 | 66.3 | 4,184 | 8.02 | 31 | 10 | 102.5 |
| Matthew Stafford | Lions | 663 | 421 | 63.5 | 5,038 | 7.60 | 41 | 16 | 97.2 |
| Matt Schaub | Texans | 292 | 178 | 61.0 | 2,479 | 8.49 | 15 | 6 | 96.8 |
| Eli Manning | Giants | 589 | 359 | 61.0 | 4,933 | 8.38 | 29 | 16 | 92.9 |
| Matt Ryan | Falcons | 566 | 347 | 61.3 | 4,177 | 7.38 | 29 | 12 | 92.2 |
| Alex Smith | 49ers | 446 | 274 | 61.4 | 3,150 | 7.06 | 17 | 5 | 90.7 |
| Ben Roethlisberger | Steelers | 513 | 324 | 63.2 | 4,077 | 7.95 | 21 | 14 | 90.1 |
| Philip Rivers | Chargers | 582 | 366 | 62.9 | 4,624 | 7.95 | 27 | 20 | 88.7 |
| Matt Moore | Dolphins | 347 | 210 | 60.5 | 2,497 | 7.20 | 16 | 9 | 87.1 |
| Jay Cutler | Bears | 314 | 182 | 58.0 | 2,319 | 7.39 | 13 | 7 | 85.7 |
| Michael Vick | Eagles | 423 | 253 | 59.8 | 3,303 | 7.81 | 18 | 14 | 84.9 |
| Cam Newton | Panthers | 517 | 310 | 60.0 | 4,051 | 7.84 | 21 | 17 | 84.5 |
| Matt Hasselbeck | Titans | 518 | 319 | 61.6 | 3,571 | 6.89 | 18 | 14 | 82.4 |
| Kevin Kolb | Cardinals | 253 | 146 | 57.7 | 1,955 | 7.73 | 9 | 8 | 81.1 |
| Joe Flacco | Ravens | 542 | 312 | 57.6 | 3,610 | 6.66 | 20 | 12 | 80.9 |
| Carson Palmer | Raiders | 328 | 199 | 60.7 | 2,753 | 8.39 | 13 | 16 | 80.5 |
| Andy Dalton | Bengals | 516 | 300 | 58.1 | 3,398 | 6.59 | 20 | 13 | 80.4 |
| T.J. Yates | Texans | 134 | 82 | 61.2 | 949 | 7.08 | 3 | 3 | 80.2 |
| Tarvaris Jackson | Seahawks | 450 | 271 | 60.2 | 3,091 | 6.87 | 14 | 13 | 79.2 |
| Ryan Fitzpatrick | Bills | 569 | 353 | 62.0 | 3,832 | 6.74 | 24 | 23 | 79.1 |
| Mark Sanchez | Jets | 543 | 308 | 56.7 | 3,474 | 6.40 | 26 | 18 | 78.2 |
| Kyle Orton | Chiefs | 252 | 150 | 59.5 | 1,758 | 6.98 | 9 | 9 | 77.8 |
| Matt Cassel | Chiefs | 269 | 160 | 59.5 | 1,713 | 6.37 | 10 | 9 | 76.6 |
| Josh Freeman | Buccaneers | 551 | 346 | 62.8 | 3,592 | 6.52 | 16 | 22 | 74.6 |
| Colt McCoy | Browns | 463 | 265 | 57.2 | 2,733 | 5.90 | 14 | 11 | 74.6 |
| Tim Tebow | Broncos | 271 | 126 | 46.5 | 1,729 | 6.38 | 12 | 6 | 72.9 |
| Rex Grossman | Redskins | 458 | 265 | 57.9 | 3,151 | 6.88 | 16 | 20 | 72.4 |
| Sam Bradford | Rams | 357 | 191 | 53.5 | 2,164 | 6.06 | 6 | 6 | 70.5 |
| Christian Ponder | Vikings | 291 | 158 | 54.3 | 1,853 | 6.37 | 13 | 13 | 70.1 |
| John Skelton | Cardinals | 275 | 151 | 54.9 | 1,913 | 6.96 | 11 | 14 | 68.9 |
| Curtis Painter | Colts | 243 | 132 | 54.3 | 1,541 | 6.34 | 6 | 9 | 66.6 |
| Blaine Gabbert | Jaguars | 413 | 210 | 50.8 | 2,214 | 5.36 | 12 | 11 | 65.4 |
NFC Sends Forth Top Quarterbacks to 2011 NFL Playoffs
By Chris Malumphy
A quick look at the statistics for the starting quarterbacks of teams entering the 2011 NFL playoffs would lead one to believe that if the final results depend on the passing game, the NFC has a distinct advantage, with only the Patriots' Tom Brady posing much of a challenge to the Packers' Aaron Rodgers, the Saints' Drew Brees, the Lions' Matt Stafford, the Giants' Eli Manning, the Falcons' Matt Ryan. Of course, the AFC and the NFC don't meet until the Super Bowl game, so whoever survives the hunt in the AFC will only have to face one of those stellar NFC quarterbacks to claim the Lombardi Trophy.
| 2011 Starting Quarterbacks for Playoff Bound Teams | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Team | Att | C | Pct | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Rating |
| Aaron Rodgers | Packers | 502 | 343 | 68.3 | 4,643 | 9.25 | 45 | 6 | 122.5 |
| Drew Brees | Saints | 657 | 468 | 71.2 | 5,476 | 8.34 | 46 | 14 | 110.6 |
| Tom Brady | Patriots | 611 | 401 | 65.6 | 5,235 | 8.57 | 39 | 12 | 105.6 |
| Matthew Stafford | Lions | 663 | 421 | 63.5 | 5,038 | 7.60 | 41 | 16 | 97.2 |
| Matt Schaub | Texans | 292 | 178 | 61.0 | 2,479 | 8.49 | 15 | 6 | 96.8 |
| Eli Manning | Giants | 589 | 359 | 61.0 | 4,933 | 8.38 | 29 | 16 | 92.9 |
| Matt Ryan | Falcons | 566 | 347 | 61.3 | 4,177 | 7.38 | 29 | 12 | 92.2 |
| Alex Smith | 49ers | 446 | 274 | 61.4 | 3,150 | 7.06 | 17 | 5 | 90.7 |
| Ben Roethlisberger | Steelers | 513 | 324 | 63.2 | 4,077 | 7.95 | 21 | 14 | 90.1 |
| Joe Flacco | Ravens | 542 | 312 | 57.6 | 3,610 | 6.66 | 20 | 12 | 80.9 |
| Andy Dalton | Bengals | 516 | 300 | 58.1 | 3,398 | 6.59 | 20 | 13 | 80.4 |
| T.J. Yates | Texans | 134 | 82 | 61.2 | 949 | 7.08 | 3 | 3 | 80.2 |
| Tim Tebow | Broncos | 271 | 126 | 46.5 | 1,729 | 6.38 | 12 | 6 | 72.9 |
