Backup Quarterbacks

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work marketplace. Empower your business and hire the world's most in demand developers, designers, project managers and more at www dot up work dot com. So Mike White, with a four hundred and five yard performance, the second quarterback since nine to throw for four hundred or more yards in his first career start, and the Jets are gonna win as improbable a game as I think we've ever called.

That was backup quarterback Mike White of the New York Jets two weekends ago, with the game winner over the then a f C leading Cincinnati Bengals. He even caught the two point conversion to go up three. It was truly a backup quarterback performance to remember Mike. So I'm a d d Ki kabwala as always here with my buddy Mike, yam and Mike. Come on now, look at my phone was blowing up. You know, I grew up

in the Northeast. I have plenty of family members that are Jets fans that are all of a sudden going to Mike White. Is he our guy? A performance that I don't think anyone is going to forget and add one particular person. I don't know if you saw this story, someone one one hundred and twenty four thousand dollars bending one thousand on Mike White to lead the league in passing in week number eight. The odds to one just insane?

Was it his dad? Uh? You know what, I actually don't know if it was his dad, but certainly wouldn't surprise me the confidence that a family member would have in Mike White to lead the charge. It really was a spectacular performance and Mike. That takes us to this week's episode of NFL Explained, where we're talking about what else but backup quarterbacks. Week eight one was absolutely the

week of the backup quarterback. Mike White of the Jets, Cooper Rush of the Cowboys, and Gino Smith of the Seahawks all got the starts and lead their teams to victories. And Trevor Simeon and p J. Walker, they came in addy when Jamis Winston and Sam Donald left their games with injuries, and they out wins too. Unfortunately, this past weekend, Week nine not exactly fortuitous for backup quarterbacks, but it was still intriguing. Simeon he lost a close one to

the Falcons. Jordan's love, my god, we've been waiting on this one. He just couldn't get it done against the Chiefs, filling in for Aaron Rodgers. But Jakobe Berset he got the w for the Dolphins against the Texans. It wasn't necessarily a memorable performance though. Then there's my guy, Mike White. He gets to start for the Jets again and it was looking good. But gets injured at the end of that first quarter and his backup, So the backup to

the backup Josh Johnson, he comes in. And it's notable because Johnson has been under contract with Get this, thirteen NFL teams plus stints with three teams in the UFL, the a F and the XFL the Jets. They lost to the Cult, But Johnson, how about this man? He sets a career high with more than three hundred passing yards and three touchdowns. Now the backups lone star. And I say that because he's from Texas and he played

for the Long Horns. See what I did there? That was the Cardinals Cult McCoy who got the surprising star when Kyler Murray couldn't go and he actually took down the Niner. I mean backup quarterback ridiculously important position, wouldn't you say? So? We got us thinking add right, like, what can we actually explain on this podcast about the backup quarterback position, because it does feel relatively obvious. The backup quarterback is the guy that just goes in when

the starting quarterback can't get some run. Right No no, no, no no no, Mike. Backup quarterback might be one of the single most difficult positions on an NFL team. He's not just the most popular guy in town when the starting quarterback is not playing well. Although the backup quarterback is often the most popular guy in town when the starting quarterback is not playing well. Ignorance is bliss. I think it's a good way of saying it. You don't know.

What you don't know is always what's really popular on talk radio. And it doesn't matter where you live or what city some of the fan bases are. Everyone loves the backup until sometimes the backup has to play. But add not always the case, because you're right, this thing is nuanced here. It's the obvious portion of it, which is what I just stated before. Up quarterback you go in when the starting quarterback can't. But take me through this and some of the conversations you've had with some

other backup quarterbacks and why it is such a difficult job. Well, I'm going to start with the story, and I feel terrible for our listeners that I'm constantly pulling Steelers stories, But the truth of the matter is is that the Steelers organization has been one of the most successful organizations in the NFL over the course of the last few decades. And I have spent the last ten years of my life living in Pittsburgh, and so there's a lot of

familiarity there. Let's go back to two thousand fifteen. Mike, I'm covering a game in Pittsburgh. Ben Roethlisberger has been hurt all week, and so his backup, Landry Jones, was prepared to be the starter against the Cleveland Browns. Landry Jones goes in to start against the Cleveland Browns and a few plays in, I don't even know if it was five plays, Mike, he hurts himself. He comes out, and guess who goes in? Ben Roethlisberger, who was the

backup that day for whatever reason. In Roethlisberger goes in. He throws for three touchdowns, three d and seventies something yards. It's a tremendous epic performance. Everyone says, Wow, Ben doesn't need to practice, he doesn't have to do anything. And what he does as soon as he gets out of the stadium is called Charlie Batch. Charlie Batch, who was the veteran quarterback who was his backup for seven years

or so in Pittsburgh. And as Charlie tells, it to me, Ben says to him, I couldn't even text this to you. Kudos to you. How did you possibly do this every single week? And the reason is the backup quarterback doesn't get reps with the first team. The backup quarterback doesn't get reps running the plays that are in the script or in the playbook or on the call sheet for that particular week. The backup quarterback often has to run scout team, which is running plays of the opposing team.

But guess what, Mike, the backup quarter back better be prepared if his number is called at some point on Sunday, which is what we saw with several of these players, and so the preparation piece. Actually, I talked about this with Bruce Gradkowski, who was a starter as a rookie with the Raiders and then spent much of his career, very long NFL career as well, spent a lot of his career as a backup in a variety of different ways,

which we'll get into. Bruce said, it was so much harder to prepare as the backup quarterback than it was to prepare as the starter. Wow, which I think in some ways it's like preparing for this massive test every single week. I mean, we heard Kurt Warner tell us a little bit on a previous episodes the work week for him and the amount of studying that was taking place. The advantage of Kurt had was he knew he was going to be out there, and yet for backup quarterbacks

that's not always the case. I would imagine add the relationship between starter and backup so significant in terms of the preparation, but also this competitiveness. Most guys want to be able to compete and go out there and play, but I think that dynamics sometimes is lost when we talk about those relationships. That situation Mike is so different depending on the circumstances of being the backup. So let's

go back to my friend Bruce Gradkowski. When he was in Cincinnati, he competed with Andy Dalton, so he was there to see who the starter was a few years later, he's in Pittsburgh, and as he put it, he knew there was no competing with Ben Roethlisberger. If Ben Roethlisberger went out one Sunday and threw ten interceptions, it didn't matter. Bruce was not going to be the starter. And so the role is very different. I actually asked Bruce about

that piece of it. Though when you are the quarterback, you are used to being the man, the person in charge you run the show to the majority of backup quarterbacks still sort of feel that they can do it. Is there a competitive piece to that? And what Bruce said is the most important thing is that you recognize in this league your opportunity is going to cut, so you just stay ready. But the worst thing you can be is to be a backstabber. So you obviously have

to help your teammate in whatever way you can. And I'll use Bruce as an example. If you're helping a young guy like Andy Dalton, who's a rookie who's never done it in the league, then maybe Bruce is kind of showing him the way a little bit. Maybe he's showing him how you organize offensive meetings, what you do, and then stepping back and letting Andy run those meetings.

If you're the backup to Ben Roethlisberger, well then you're just when he comes off on the sideline and he wants to talk about, Hey, what was that covered to shell right there? You need to be able to tell him what you saw from the sideline and help diagnose it, and I've had many a starting quarterback tell me that there is nobody that can relate to exactly what is happening on the field except for his backup quarterback. It makes sense, and I think those relationships are so meaningful,

But to your point, they're really different. I think depending on the team and that dynamic. I remember Jake Plumber telling me the story when he was in Denver and Danny Cannell was his backup order back. Not only were they close friends, which according to Jake, is not always how it is. You know, you can spend a lot of time with some people inside, you know, a quarterback room, it doesn't necessarily mean it's all kumbaya once you go

and leave there. But he said it was never like he was worried that Danny was trying to gun for his job. Danny was doing all the things that could help him succeed on the football field, which I think is what you're speaking about. But then there's other dynamics in play. And I'm actually thinking back and I think a lot of people who are sports fans, maybe they watch inside the n b A and they see Kenny Smith out there. I remember Kenny telling me one time

when he was playing for the Rockets. You know, you don't want to leave a game, and all of a sudden your backup comes in and you sit there and you go, well do I want him to do well? He's like, there's like this really weird dynamic in the back of your mind that says like, hey, am I am I gonna go and lose my job? That next

man up sort of mentality. And I think that's what's interesting here at play To your point, some guys embrace that role a d D and other people when it's a quarterback competition, for example, I would imagine that backup is sting there, going when am I going to get my chance, as opposed to the situation Plumber and Danny was in, which is, hey, no, no, this is Jake's job. I'm not trying to compete to try to, you know, basically become that starter. So once again, interesting dynamics inside

that locker room. But that's one of those things that's so heartwarming, right Mike, Like, think about the image of Cooper rush winning going down in the bowels of the stadium and Dak Prescott on basically one leg, hopping and trying to chase him down to hug him and Dak being so excited. Addy, I actually think it's a really good point when it comes to Dac he's confident in that role. Is Zack Wilson confident after what he saw

Mike White? Do? I think that's a bigger question that will get some answers on a little bit down the road. But one really quick thing, Mike, Let's not forget that when it comes to quarterbacks, pedigree and especially draft pedigree

can make a difference. The team is going to have a lot more patience for a first round pick like Jay Cutler who doesn't necessarily have a monster rookie year or a Peyton Manning who didn't have a monster rookie year, than it is for perhaps a sixth round selection, unless that six round selection is Tom Brady getting drafted number

two overall like the Jets took Zack Wilson. That might change that conversation, But the patient's meter not always a long leash when you consider the conversation circling Miami with tah who clearly after the trade deadline is still going to be a member of that Miami Dolphins team. But just something that is looming You're right. Where you're drafted certainly plays a factor. But coming up here, add I think Chase Daniel actually has the best job in the NFL,

arguably in all of sports. Trust me, I'm going to make the case. And the words of my man Diddy, I wish I could really say, is my guy. I'm just a fan. It's all about the Benjamin's that's coming up next. NFL explain America's most reliable network is going ultra with rise in five G Ultra wide band in more and more places, so you can do more without the ten times faster speeds. You can download a movie in mere minutes. What Yes, that's faster than your morning coffee,

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that will build your business. With upwork, you can find top developers, designers, project managers and more who can start today so your business can succeed tomorrow higher at home or in a hundred and eighty countries around the world. To find the right talent for whatever your business needs. Up Work the world's work marketplace. Learn more at www dot up work dot com. Back here on the NFL Explained podcast, Mike m and A d D. Kinka Wallah with you. Let's not forget a d D. You know

we've got the holiday season around the corner. You and I have been going back and forth on this mail bag episode. I know we've gotten some questions on social media. Do encourage some people to continue to fire off some questions that you'd like us to answer at Mike underscore. Yam at a kinka walla and you can always use the hashtag NFL explained, but a d D. I said that I thought Chase Daniel was the guy that had

the best job in all of sports. And this is a guy that hasn't necessarily made a ton of headlines, but as a backup quarterback, I'm going to make the argument for you here. This is a guy that's in his twelfth season and on his sixth team. He's actually been able to win a Super Bowl as a backup to Drew Brees when he is with the Saints. Then he played for the Chiefs, the Eagles, the Bears, the Lions, and now he's backing up Justin Herbert in Los Angeles

and adity. Going back to what we talked about earlier in the show, Herbert's the guy and he knows it. So that relationship, you would imagine it's pretty good because everyone's got a defined role. But really what makes the case for him to be the guy that's got the best job? In my mind? Six teams, only five career starts, so a little less abuse on that body. He's played in sixty nine games, but he's never been a team starter. On day number one, twelve years in the League of

d D and this is where it gets good. Forty million dollars in total earnings. Our research team, they're so fantastic. How about this? A hundred and fifty three thousand dollars per past attempt. That to me is as wild as the numbers get. So for me, when I look at the average salary for backup quarterback at two point two million, I'm kind of wishing I hit the gym a little bit harder and I don't know, maybe give myself an opportunity to be a backup quarterback at Mike. I would

never be satisfied being a backup. I would never be satisfied being number two. And yes, that is a very very impressive career, a testament to his ability to stick around and the fact that people wanted him to stay. I mean, you think about how many coaches try, how many gms try to bring in a young quarterback who would be cheaper, who could be a shiny new toy, who could potentially one day be the next guy, and

yet Chase Daniel keeps beating those guys out. Valued for his ability to digest and read and help share the playbook help support his starting quarterback on game day and during the week, and the value in that. Yes, yes, yes, again give credit where credit is due. But I wouldn't want to be anybody's backup. I'm the one that would want to win the Super Bowl myself. Mike k per Passe attempt. That's I'm gonna say, like, I get it. I know where you're coming from. Three k per Passe attempt,

but you know you do. But you bring up a really good point, Mike, when you talk about the nature and demeanor that is necessary to be a long time backup in the league. And this actually takes me to a story that will go back to Charlie Batch. Frank Reich is the current head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. Frank Rereich was a quarterback in the NFL for a long time. When Charlie Batch was a rookie in the NFL.

Who was his backup? It was Frank Reich. And frank Reich had come from Buffalo where he and Jim Kelly used to game plan together and take that to the coaches. So Frank comes in. He's Charlie's backup, their quarterback coach at the time, in Detroit is Jim Zorne and Frank and Charlie are game planning together, and Charlie told me that he learned how to be a backup quarterback, how to be an unbelievably vital member of the fifty three man roster, even if you ever gone on the field

from Frank Reich. Which leads to another point, right, and that is quarterbacks, backup quarterbacks who win super Bowls. To me, like, that's always kind of the end game. By the way, just one other point that you just made on Frank Reig. He's got an opportunity once again. And look we're seeing it right now in Indianapolis. But you can also win championships as a coach and seeing things differently. So how about this, I'll be the backup quarterback in one k

per past attempt. I'll go into coaching everything that I've learned as a backup. I take it into the coaching profession. Win a Super Bowl that way back towards my way into a championship at DD. I like it, all right, whatever you say, Let's go back to backup quarterbacks who had unbelievably successful stints in their backup roles when called

upon which speaks to their excellence as backups. And since we were talking about Frank Riich and we talked about the Buffalo Bills and the Jim Kelly, how about we go back to the season. And that's when Jim Kelly got hurt in a wild card playoff game against the Houston Oilers. And guess who came in, d D DA dada, Frank Reich. And do you know the whole that Frank Freich faced thirty five to three, And do you know

what quarter Mike the third quarter? And do you know what Frank Reich led his Buffalo Bills to do, score twenty eight unanswered points, they won the game. Frank finished one thirty fods for touchdowns, one of the all time epic, epic backup quarterback performances in the playoffs, which speaks to his preparation, his ability to be a gamer, and the fact that he wasn't, like you, Mike, yam sufficiently satisfied to just be a backup and collect a paycheck. To

be clear, unsaid'd be satisfied. I said I would go and do it for the past attempt on the forty million dollar career earnings. But look, Frank's not the only guy that has been able to accomplish that. There's plenty of other backups recently. And should you go back even a little bit further back in stree as you made reference to Frank right, but Nick Foles is certainly a guy that I think is an obvious one. Speaking of Frank right, Carson Wentz the whole thing, it all comes

full circle. But he took over in week fourteen, and we know what falls was able to do Tom Brady and Drew bled So you go way back in the day winning a Super Bowl and handling business and the rest of sort of history from a Brady front. Yeah, but that's totally different. Come on, Tom Brady took over for Drew Bled so week three of the season, Nick Foles a week four. Yeah, well look, I mean, look, you're the starter day one or you're not. I just mean Brady was the starter. Brady was the starter in

week three. Yes, he went into the game week two, but it was week three that Brady started for the first time. He had a whole season to build a rapport in a chemistry with his teammates to get to those playoffs. Nick Foles doesn't take over until Carson Wentz gets hurt in week fourteen, Nick Foles finishes the season two and one, and then they go on that amazing

Super Bowl run. I mean, and he was the first backup Corps are back to become a Super Bowl m v P since Tom Brady, who I think really wasn't kind of a backup, because if you started starting week three, are you really a backup at that point? I mean, I guess technically, but not really. You are the one to find the silver lining, I guess. And the judgment on Brady, and I'm just saying it's a little bit overstated right here, just like when we talk about Tom

Brady's lack of athleticism. I mean, come on, Tom Brady was drafted to be a major league baseball catcher, and the Montreal Expos were willing to pay him like a second or third round pick and thought he was going to be a Hall of Fame catcher. So I am tired of hearing about how Brady is not an athlete and just a product of his work. The man is an athlete. So similarly, let's not overstate that Tom Brady won the Super Bowl as a backup because that was

his team. To be fair, That's not the narrative I've ever thrown out there in terms of Tom Brady and can you tell I feel strongly about you can tell you can tell you're fired up any other backups in your mind that that certainly resonate for you that have been able to have success in the Super Bowl. Well, you know, Brett Farve was a backup warner. He only started that first Super Bowl year in St. Louis because the starter got hurt in the preseason. Doug Williams is

sort of the craziest story ever. I mean, in seven he started two games, he lost both of those games, and then it was suddenly decided that he would be the starter in the playoffs. And what did he do? Lead the Washington football team to a Super Bowl championship over John Elway and the Broncos. I mean, it sort of begs the question, if he's throw for three dred and forty yards in the Super Bowl and you're the Super Bowl m v P, why weren't you starting all year?

So there's something to be said for that. But there are examples, and Super Bowl is obviously the extreme one, but there are examples. A deity of some quarterbacks who when they get that opportunity to start, are able to capitalize down the road as a starter for another team. One that comes to my mind the Packers obviously with Matt Flynn. Remember he got an opportunity back Aaron Rodgers dealing with Smith Shoes and Flynn comes in. Then he scores a mass a contract from the Seahawks where he

was getting twenty six million guaranteed. So to me, like, there's those examples where guys were able to put that pan out. Maybe you shouldn't give a contract based on one game, you know, I mean, it was a hell of a game fo passing yards, six touchdowns, agreed, But maybe you need a bigger body of work before you

hand out a big fat contract like that. Yeah, but these backups who get that opportunity, like this is what they're living for, right that preparation you get a chance, you exceed the expectation level and you're kind of hoping that you get an opportunity to get it done somewhere us and Mike really officially, there are seven quarterbacks who did not start Week one but ultimately lead their team to the Super Bowl, and one on the final week of the season. We talked about Nick Foles. We talked

and argued a little bit about Tom Brady. There was Trent Dilfer who took over for Tony Banks about a quarter of the way into the season, and then one Super Bowl thirty five for the Ravens. Remember that tremendous defense they had. Of course, there was Doug Williams. Then you and I, as Giants fans, should remember this one. Jeff has Stutler won Super Bowl twenty five and he took over with just five games left in the season for Phil Simms. There was Jim Plunkett, who won Super

Bowl fifteen. He took over the fifth game of the season. Earl Morrell, who took over for Bob Greasy fairly early in the season about five games in, six games in. He won all eleven of those games and started all the way through the a f C Championship game. I do need to say he led the Dolphins to a perfect seventeen and oh season. He didn't actually get the start in the Super Bowl though, so he started a

big chunk of the season. He got them there. He didn't start in that game, but I feel like we can give him an astros sort of credit right there. And then of course, you can't forget about Roger Staubach, right because he won Super Bowl six. He started Week eight and the Cowboys won ten straight games with him at the helm. An elite class. But it shows you, too, Mike, how important it is to spend at least some money

on your backup quarterback. But again, this all goes back to when you think about your preparation as a backup quarterback. You have to fill so many different roles. Right. If you're the backup to a young guy, you're a mentor, you're a coach, you're a teacher. If you're the backup to an older guy, you might be a therapist. In some ways, you know, you're kind of a personal assistant or an assistant to the offensive coordinator with what you

see and what you can possibly share. At all times, you're a guy that has a ton on your plate because you need to make sure you're helping who you need to help, that you're learning that week's offense, that you're running the scout team on many occasions, unless you know your team has a third quarterback, and you have

to be ready even without the physical preparation. I mean, I'll tell you every practice that I'm at the only time that I ever see the backup quarterback really take reps with the ones is in like run game stuff, you know, and handing the ball off is not the same as practicing throwing at your first wide receivers. Now, I'm with you, and I think you've painted a great

picture with some of your conversations with backup quarterbacks. I think we can leave everyone with this idea, and I think it's a great quote and it puts into full context with some backups are dealing with Chris Wanky, who was an NFL backup for a long period of time, I think you put it best. He said, you've been sitting around all day and now you're running with the bulls. You're running for your life, and you have to process all of this information. You know, you haven't even had

physical reps with the first team. This is violent sport. A d D. It could be dangerous for some of those guys out there who maybe aren't necessarily prepared, But a d D. It has been awesome going through some of the nuance that comes with the backup quarterback position. If you've got a favorite backup quarterback, we'd love to hear from you. On social media at Mike Underscore. Yeah, at a Kinka wala use that hashtag, NFL explained and if you have a question just fire it our way.

It could come up. In a later episode of the NFL Explained podcast, A d D. Great job today. Well it was a lot of fun, all right, my cam that is backup Quarterbacks explained. America's most reliable network is going ultra with Verizon five G Ultra wide ban and more and more places with up to ten times faster speeds. You can download a movie in mere minutes. What Yes, Verizon is going ultra so you can to five G

Ultra wide ban available in select areas. Most reliable based on rankings from the Root Metrics US ROOTS Score report dated first half, excluding c ban and not specific to five G networks. Your results may vary. Not an endorsement speed comparison to Medium Verizon four G LTE speeds, downloads vary based on network conditions and five G content optimization. Brought to you by up work, where you can build a team that will build your business. Learn more at upwork dot com.