Matthew Stafford a Survivor of Expectations- Gosselin

Matthew Stafford a Survivor of Expectations

So few QBs drafted first overall reach Super Bowl heights

RICK GOSSELIN

[www.si.com]

There are two team rewards at the end of each NFL season.

One goes to the best team – a Lombardi Trophy. The other goes to the worst team – the first overall pick of the NFL draft.

Franchise quarterbacks win Super Bowls and the best quarterback in college football is often perceived as a ticket to that championship. Which is why that first overall pick of the NFL draft is so important. When you land that selection, you’re hoping a John Elway, Troy Aikman or Peyton Manning is waiting there for you.

Twenty-six teams have harbored that hope and expectation. That’s how many quarterbacks have been selected first overall since the advent of the NFL's common draft in 1967. But so few have delivered on that promise.

Only seven of those 26 quarterbacks have won a Super Bowl championship, including Matthew Stafford last weekend. But only three of the seven delivered that Lombardi Trophy to the team that drafted him – Terry Bradshaw (Pittsburgh), Troy Aikman (Dallas) and Peyton Manning (Indianapolis). They combined for nine Lombardi Trophies.

Stafford was drafted by the Detroit Lions but won his Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams. Eli Manning was drafted by the San Diego Chargers but won his two Super Bowls with the New York Giants. John Elway was drafted by the Baltimore Colts but won his two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos. Jim Plunkett was drafted by the New England Patriots but won his two Super Bowls with the Raiders.

Four other quarterbacks drafted first overall took teams to Super Bowls – Joe Burrow with the Cincinnati Bengals last weekend, Jared Goff with the Los Angeles Rams, Cam Newton with the Carolina Panthers and Drew Bledsoe with the New England Patriots. Five others took teams to conference championship games: Andrew Luck, Carson Palmer, Alex Smith, Vinny Testaverde and Michael Vick.

Seventeen quarterbacks drafted first overall went to Pro Bowls: Aikman, Steve Bartkowski, Bledsoe, Bradshaw, Elway, Goff, Luck, Eli and Peyton Manning, Kyler Murray, Newton, Palmer, Smith, Stafford, Testaverde, Vick and Jameis Winston.

Only three of the 26 quarterbacks drafted first overall won NFL passing crowns – Bartkowski, Manning and Smith. Only four won NFL MVP awards -- Bradshaw, Elway, Manning and Newton – and only four now have busts in Canton: Aikman, Bradshaw, Elway and Manning.

Testaverde played the longest – 21 seasons – and was one of only four of those first overall quarterbacks to start as many as 200 games, joining Elway and the two Mannings. Peyton Manning started the most games (265) and went to the most Pro Bowls (14). He also won the most MVP awards (four) and passing titles (three). And he won his two Super Bowls for two different franchises, the Colts and Broncos.

But for every Peyton Manning there has been a Jamarcus Russell, who started only 25 career games and lasted just three seasons. For every John Elway there has been a Tim Couch, who started only 59 career games and lasted just five seasons. Sam Bradford, David Carr, Jeff George…not all quarterbacks drafted first overall are home-run picks.

There is no logical profile for a franchise quarterback. You can win championships with a second-round draft pick (Brett Favre), a third (Joe Montana), a fourth (Joe Theismann), a sixth (Tom Brady), a ninth (Johnny Unitas), a 16th (Roger Staubach) and a 17th (Bart Starr). But none carry the expectation – or burden -- of that first overall selection.

Sometimes they hit, sometimes they miss. Many go to bad teams where their bodies and careers both take a beating -- Bartkowski, Bradford, Carr, Couch and Plunkett, specifically. But Stafford was a survivor of those beatings with the Lions. It may have taken him 13 years to win a championship and he had to leave Detroit to do it. But it was worth his wait.