Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Looking at the 1981 New England Patriots, I was surprised to see that QB Tom Owen started the last game and threw a touchdown pass that season. His 10-year career is interesting. As a 13th-round Draft choice in 1974 with the San Francisco 49ers, Owen started half the 49ers games in his rookie year. In 1975 he only started one game for SF, then he was traded to New England for JIm Plunkett. And in his six years with the Patriots he felt to third-stringer and only starts that final game. In 1982 he went to the Washington Redskins, where he won the Super Bowl as a backup, yet he didn't saw action in the season. Then in 1983 he went to the New York Giants, where again he didn't saw any action in the season. I know there have been other quarterbacks with similar careers, but I don't recall another who had more stats (1327 yards, 10 touchdown passes) in his rookie year than in the other 9 seasons combined (973 yards, 4 touchdown passes).

Other similar QB I just remember is Chris Weinke, who was the starter in most of his rookie year in Carolina's 1-15 season, then he became a backup for seven years with the Panthers and the San Francisco 49ers.

Another one that might fall into the same boat is Todd Collins. Drafted to be the heir apparent to Jim Kelly in 1995. Became the Bills starter most of the year in 1997, the year after Kelly retired, went to Kansas City for half of a decade and barely set foot on the field as a backup (sometimes 3rd stringer?). Then made his way to Washington and won a few clutch games late in the year and got them to the playoffs in 2007. I think I remember hearing at the time he set the record for longest time elapsed between two starts as a starting QB.

ChrisBabcock wrote:Another one that might fall into the same boat is Todd Collins. Drafted to be the heir apparent to Jim Kelly in 1995. Became the Bills starter most of the year in 1997, the year after Kelly retired, went to Kansas City for half of a decade and barely set foot on the field as a backup (sometimes 3rd stringer?). Then made his way to Washington and won a few clutch games late in the year and got them to the playoffs in 2007. I think I remember hearing at the time he set the record for longest time elapsed between two starts as a starting QB.

I believe that's correct. He started for the Bills in 1997, and emerged in Washington in 2007. He broke the record of Doug Flutie, who succeeded him in Buffalo in 1998. Flutie had not played or started in the NFL sine 1989.

John Reaves might qualify. He started the 2nd half of the 1972 season his rookie year, then was never a full-time starter again. Was a backup for the Eagles, Bengals & Oilers. Last regular NFL season was 1981, went to USFL (where he was pretty successful), then re-surfaced with the replacement Bucs in 1987.