2023 has been a banner year for backup quarterbacks.
We’ve already seen a record 10 rookies step into starting roles, whether permamently by design or temporarily due to disaster. Not coincidentally, we’ve also seen a distinct downtick in scoring. NFL teams averaged 23.0 points per game in 2021. This year, that’s down to 21.8.
That’s left some teams looking for answers behind center. There’s no position more important to a football franchise than quarterback and 2023 has seen a lot of them struggle en route to disappointing campaigns and losing records. Veterans like Jimmy Garoppolo and Ryan Tannehill have already had their starting roles usurped. A few others have been bad enough to teeter on the edge of outright replacement.
Let’s talk about those bad quarterback situations, what went wrong and what could be next.