Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Not the feel good story but wouldn't Greg Cook fit?

Every example from all of you are great ones, indeed (and of course Greg Cook should be included)!

As for ones you all haven't mentioned yet...(not sure if they're all as good, I'll let you all shuffle them in place amongst your own)...

ALL the ones who ever played QB in leather helmets!

Theismann playing with that kicker's facemask; and not letting that broken tooth stop him mid-game in, I believe it was, '82.

Joe Namath's (and Jim McMahon's) entire career!

YA Tittle vs Steelers '64!

Joe Kapp in SBIV!

Donavan McNabb vs the Cards in '02 amongst many other performances only for Philly fans to still not appreciate him to this day!

As for another (but much more appreciated) Eagles QB, Ron Jaworski, getting sacked by LT 5000 times in the '80s!

STEVE YOUNG!

DAVID CARR!

Fergie! Getting totally railed/KO'ed in '85 by....the Bears' D only for he to still be playing in the league 4 years later in the season finale trying to knock my Steelers out of the playoff race! And as FOR my Steelers....

TERRY's game-winning TD throw to Swann in SBX!!!


and MANY, MANY more (apologies to ALL that haven't been mentioned)!!

74_75_78_79_ wrote:Donavan McNabb vs the Cards in '02

This is a good one.

Eli Manning and courageous seems quite strange, but the beating Eli took on the NFC Championship Game 2012 against that 49ers defense was enormous. Eli kept standing and making plays besides that pysicall performance by the Niners.

Montana coming back early from back surgery in the mid80s

Bobby layne and snake stabler playing more than once in a personal fog perhaps?

Most courageous back to back performances go to Doug Flutie in 1999. I remember Peter King summed it up, seeing "Buffalo falling behind Seattle 23-0 and Doug Flutie making a zillion plays to try and bring them back. He needed a zillion and three." Jon Kitna was carving up the Bills defense, which ranked #1 in the NFL that year. Eric Moulds missed the game with a hamstring injury. Flutie was hassled by the Seahawks pass rush all day, and took some hits, which you didn't see very often. (There's a reason he could play until 43.) There was no quit in him, as he just kept competing, and made a few amazing plays that day in the 26-16 loss.

The very next week against Baltimore, the passing struggles continued, as you could see signs of the 2000 Ravens defense. Flutie was intercepted three times, and I was amazed at the MLB who actually caught Flutie from behind. But the Bills defense kept the game close and late in the game, down 10-6, Buffalo faced 4th and 15. Flutie dropped back, scrambled and got the first down. A few plays later, he threw the game winning touchdown pass.

I can remember Jim Kelly and Rob Johnson showing physical courage often. But those two weeks were the most courageous QB performances I can remember.

My vote (for games that I've seen) would be Craig Morton's performance in the 1977 AFC Championship game. Morton spent several days in the hospital the week prior to the AFC Championship game against Oakland suffering from an injured hip (torn muscle) which had to be drained of blood and other fluid. In his autobiography, Tom Jackson described the bruise on Morton's hip as "purple & black/blue & red, covering the whole side of his leg and butt." Teammate Jim Turner said Morton looked like he'd been in a car wreck. Morton didn't practice during the week and prior to kickoff Head Coach Red Miller had to tie his shoes for him. Morton managed to play the entire game and was only sacked once. He completed 10 of 20 passes for 224 yards and 2 td's (1 int.). A third td pass to Jack Dolbin was called back, but television replays showed that Dolbin made a clean catch prior to crossing the Raider goaline. By games end Morton could barely walk on his injured leg and he later collapsed in the Broncos locker room. Years later, Denver Head Trainer Allan Hurst called Morton's performance the most courageous he'd ever seen by a Bronco player.

conace21 wrote: I can remember Jim Kelly and Rob Johnson showing physical courage often. But those two weeks were the most courageous QB performances I can remember.

Rob Johnson wouldn't have had to be so courageous if he had any pocket presence.

Johnson did indeed have lousy pocket presence. He held the ball too long and never had a sense of where the rush was about to come from. But this thread is about courageous performances, and Rob Johnson had plenty of courage. He had three injuries in his first five games in 1998. He started 10 games in 2000, and was injured in five of them, though he returned in two of the games. He suffered at least 4 concussions, probably more, and one gruesome neck injury that I saw live in 2002. Mo Lewis hit him from behind as he was sliding, and his head snapped. Amazingly, he started the next week.

Sorry to get off topic here but I'm still pissed about the Bills starting him over Flutie in the Music City Miracle game. Didn't Johnson do some serious whining to the brass about Flutie being the starter ahead of himself?