The Redemption of “Washed Up” Quarterbacks 

Mayfield getting out of Cleveland was the best thing to ever happen to him

Nick Foles easily had the best redemption run in recent years

Sam Darnold is proof that Adam Gase has no business being anywhere near any QB, ever.

I'll never forget Tannehill's linsanity run.

That's why development of the QBs is more important than just drafting one and also BUILDING THE RIGHT TEAM AROUND THEM ALSO HELPS! Why is it so hard for teams to understand that?!

Surprised there was no mention of Andy Dalton here. It was one game but Cincy fans must be so happy he looked like his mid-2010s self last week

I’m convinced that Minnesota gave Sam Darnold the cure for seeing ghosts.

More evidence that not every QB can or should be thrown out on the field his rookie year, people forget his first coach for multiple years was Adam Gase

If Zack Wilson gets his redemption somehow, the jets should never ever draft a top qb prospect ever again

McCarthy was never going to start for Vikings this season, they wanted to sit him a year, for Darnold sitting and learning San Francisco’s offense, learning how to put effort into the smallest of details helped him immensely. Vikings offense is very similar to 49ers. So it was a very nice transition. His arm, knowledge of the offense and having Justin Jefferson plus Brian Flores Defense… makes a very nice recipe.

_We might start looking at the 2018 NFL Draft as the Career Resurrection draft when it comes to QBs between Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold._

I feel like part of it is that worst teams get to draft these high talented QBs without any structure thinking it will save the franchise, it kills the development of the player because they can’t get better when they are constantly being brought down by the lack of talent and coaching.

Bakers' SpongeBob game was some of the most enjoyable football I've ever watched. Mostly for Patrick trolling Russell Wilson.

The most important aspect of making a great QB will always be the situation he's in. If a QB is drafted to a bad situation, 99.99% he will be a "bust".

Never thought Id see SAM MOTHER LOVING DARNOLD in the MVP conversation If he wins an MVP before Josh Allen all hell will break lose

I’m so happy for Sam Darnold as a Jets fan and as a football fan in general. I’ve always been high on him since his USC days. It’s incredible to see how he’s been performing and how confident he is now. Same with Geno Smith these last couple seasons along with Justin Fields. These casual football fans say that coaching does not matter at all and after 2020, I would say it matters very much. Same with teambuilding because I look at Patrick Mahomes and I look at Joe Burrow, as well as Jalen hurts and Lamar Jackson. Guess what those guys have in common? An organization that knows how to develop players, sign players, draft players, and good coaching. The Jets have not have neither in the last decade, and as a matter of fact, I feel that the last two starting quarterbacks proceeded in error. Rogers did not have the talent that was needed to make the team better and the players. I remember Sam Darnold in his last season with the Jets and that team was so terrible. Anytime your weapons are Jamison Crowder, Breshard Perriman, Braxton Berrios, and Denzel Mims you’re not winning shit at all. That offensive line was absolutely fucking garbage and it’s a miracle we won any games at all that year. Now compare the 2020 Jets with the Chiefs and even the Colts, it’s like night and day.

I gained mad respect for Jameis after his 30 turnover season when he was very forthcoming about his issues and saying he needed to go to QB school and back up Drew Brees. I think Jameis is a genuine dude that needs a coach to believe in him

Just goes to show you sometimes it’s not the QB who’s the problem it’s the organization and system they was under.

This is why rookies should normally sit on the bench for a few seasons.

As a Browns fan, I am so happy to see Baker thrive elsewhere. Maybe it will finally prove to the Browns front office that he wasn't the problem.

Should make a video on the different franchises who are viewed as “QB purgatory” and how that saying has some real life facts to back it.

JJ McCarthy is so young I think they should be fine with him sitting behind darnold for another year or two if darnold's play stays consistent.

Maybe a blessing in disguise for McCarthy because he will not be rushed into the league and get destroyed. Many of the current top QBs were sitting behind a veteran for a few seasons before they get their starting jobs. It is very rare to have a QB ready to hit the field right away so you can hope that McCarthy can learn a few things behind Darnold.

You’ve gotten the Vikings situation COMPLETELY wrong. Sam was brought in to be the starter, that’s why we paid him 10 million dollars. The plan was always to sit JJ McCarthy and give him a redshirt, JJ looked way better in camp than we thought he would but Sam was always named the starter. With JJ hurt though unfortunate, Sam doesn’t have pressure to perform though he’s doing great.

Great video! Whenever I see these QBs having a comeback moment or reviving their careers, I feel like the media and fans are just too quick to judge. Any QB needs proper time and development, after all.

Best one will ALWAYS be Jim Plunkett. If he had quit after being released by the 49ers, Plunkett would be a top 5 draft bust. Thankfully, he got his chance when the starter Dan Pastorini broke his leg in 1980. Gave him the chance to go out there and prove himself which he did. Won them the Super Bowl as a wildcard and then came off the bench again in 1983 and won his second Super Bowl. The sad thing he is the ONLY QB to NOT be in the hall of fame after winning 2 Super Bowls.

This is why I never think anyone is truly a "bust", they are just playing in the wrong system.

Seems like the same teams over and over ruin QBs, Jaguars, Jets, Browns... who else

After Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco, I thought teams would have learned: you have to get at least some type of team around the QB first, not the other way around. If you do that, even Tim Tebow can have a good season.

Geno at WV was nasty, I’m so glad he’s doing well

I don’t think they were ever “washed up” just seriously underdeveloped, most of these situations these guys were thrown to the wolves to save a team in a horrible situation

Trey Lance comes to mind. Like Willis he didnt have a ton of experience in college, didnt play against a ton of FBS competition, but had lots of of raw talent. If he had a chance to sit and learn the same system for several years, he might turn into something. But Willis is a rare breed. In terms of athleticism and arm strength, hes on the level of a Michael Vick. Also had a 32 wonderlic score. He was just played way too soon, benched way too soon, and played for coaches who had little interest in developing and adapting to him. And that's foolish. If you judge a cheetah based on its ability to swim rather than its ability to do cheetah things, youll be disappointed with the results.

Baker made that browns team relevant.

As an eagles fan I still sometimes go back and watch highlights of that guy Carson Wentz and he could flat out make some impossible plays. Obviously, there were impossible plays he didn't make too which is is reputation but the guy played like he was fearless and like he was far more athletic than he really was. And now he's in Kansas City. One of if not the best coached team in my opinion. I hope this guy gets another chance he was just so much fun to watch.

Justin Jefferson makes his teammates better. He's wide open for Darnold every play, or he's taking 11 guys with him and getting Josh Oliver or Jalen Nailor open.

C’mon dude, Willis has played 2 games. 2 very pedestrian games, at that. That’s not even remotely close to consider him having redemption.

Baker Mayfield is an example of a player who needed a change of scenery

I wanna note, the most common factor for these guys is moving from a mediocre team to a decent team, and then getting the opportunity to re examine their game from the bench leading to them making the most of their opportunities.

Note that these drastic improvements usually happen when players move on from dumpster fire teams like Jets

Nah, nah you said Justin Fields has played 3 years in the NFL?!?!💀 Nah time really stopped after 2020. 😭😭😭

It’s almost like surrounding a QB with a competent team and great coaches helps and allows them to reach their potential

Pickett could also have a revival if they decide to sit Hurts because of poor production

Most Quarterbacks are only as good as the team around them. Steve Young is a great example of this. He took over the reigns at age 30 and became a recurring ProBowler, won a Superbowl, and a couple of MVP awards.

Bears fans still gonna say Fields was the problem and not the factory of sadness that is the Chicago Bears lmao

Been very pleasantly surprised by Malik Willis the past couple of weeks. He's not asked to be a hero but he has simply got it done. I was really happy for him to get to go into Nashville and beat the Titans like that while mayonnaise man continues throwing touchdowns to the other team. Go Pack Go!

Winston could ball out at any moment dude is a livewire and I love it

Babe wake up, KTO posted

It’s almost like letting the young guys sit and learn behind a veteran is beneficial to their career trajectories ,, even Tom and Arod sat behind someone

Brady, Mahomes, and Rodgers all sat at least their rookie seasons. Very few QBs can start straight from college and usually those that do are physically gifted.

Nick Foles had the greatest comeback story everrrr…not cause I’m birds fan 🦅 but anyone of these dudes can make a Cinderella story come true. It happened to Stratford for the Rams

The problem with "washed up" quarterbacks is that they're usually put into a situation where success is highly unlikely. It is foolish for a franchise to draft a young QB in the first round and not have any parts to ensure he has the best path to success. IMO, it's more important to draft an elite LT/Rt or a Center first and a prospect QB in the next year. I think a lot of the success of young QBs comes from the ability to read the game from the sidelines their first year and to maximize their amount of reps in practice. This way they can see the speed of the game and can preserve their health and confidence a bit easier. Patrick Mahomes is the classic case of this in recent memory.

Darnold may not be the next best thing in football, but as a Texans fan he hurt my soul yesterday lol and he’s got those Vikings looking pretty good this year. Kind of excited to see how they keep looking now

This goes to show that coaching plays a massive role in the success of a quarterback

I fucking love the outro man been watching for years and it never gets old! Chills every time

Coaching in the NFL is hit or miss. I think this is a huge contributor to this phenomenon. Also, you can’t forget about maturity. These guys have matured greatly since leaving college.

Sometimes, your last ditch effort is the one that makes a difference...

It’s pretty interesting to see Darnold so far. I remember people getting on him when he was on the Jets for missing time do to Mononucleosis

The problem for some of these Quarterbacks is the teams they initially play for are not as good as they think and don't have the players to help the QB

The Darnold/McCarthy situation could play out just like Flacco with the Browns last year and them deciding to stick with Watson this year. Flacco is way older than Darnold though but if Darnold keeps this up all season I think you give Darnold at least one more year and JJ can develop more especially after being injured in his first full season.

The way Sam Darnold is playing right now, I'll be damned if he loses to Green Bay next week

my glorious king uploaded

What is comes down to is how well a qb fits a team (gameplan, playbook, Offensive coordinator, head coach, receivers, etc). The bills drafted allen and built and designed the team around him. They got diggs, created a new playbook and gameplan, made him the focus. They also gave him time. His first season was OK, second was decent, and third season to now is elite and MVP level.

I love Malik Willis comeback especially as a Liberty Fan. Hated how they threw him in the mud when he was surrounded by trash.

If Pittsburgh gets another good WR and keep fields they gonna be damn good for a while

It's crazy how a lot of these guys just go to teams with an offensive line that is half decent passing and they get better🤔🤔🤔

Every one of these teams has a great HC. Darnold with KOC behind him (and Jefferson to aim for) is a match made in heaven. I like the look of McCarthy but I hope we extend Sam if he keeps this up

As a wvu fan I've never written off geno after seeing how great of an arm he had in college the only way he'd fail in the nfl is if he got behind a terrible o-line/bad coaching staff which he did at the jets but he found his footing in Seattle. Same with Mayfield idk why the browns ever got rid of him

Part of the problem is that they draft these guys then throw them out there right away. A lot of great qbs sat on the bench until they got their shot. Mahomes, Brady, Rodgers, Favre.

🗣️🔥🔥🔥”The kids can come out the basement! KTO Posted!” 🗣️🔥🗣️🔥

You're forgetting one crucial, key common denominator among all these quarterbacks. All these QBs found a coach that actually now supports. The coach has given them running backs with a rushing game that can distract from the passing game. The coach has given them wide receivers and tight ends that can actually catch the balls the QB throws. The coach has given them an offensive line that can protect the QB long enough to make a good pass. The teams that originally drafted these QBs simply threw them into a mess, expected them to work a miracle, and go upset when they couldn't, so they trade or release him. Since so many of these QBs come from the Jets, I can only wonder if Zac Wilson will be the next redemption story.

Jameis is absolutely next up, you’re right.

As a USC fan, it feels so satisfying seeing Darnold finally live up to expectations. This was the Darnold us Trojans fans watched at USC, and everyone laughed at us when we tried to tell them that he has good potential if in the right system.

This video is way too early. Only 3 games in

This year has really made me wonder how many failed QBs just didn't have the right coaches and team fit.

As a Niners fan, it's nice to see Geno Smith and Sam Darnold turn it around. Just wish they wouldn't beat my Niners 😂😭

While he wasn't able to get a win in Tennessee, I was happy to see Ryan Tannehill doing well there after his time in Miami. It wasn't a major game changer to my knowledge but he seemed more comfortable there and I was really rooting for them to win it all when they had their playoff run. Because of that, I've been focusing more on redemption stories like Baker's after leaving Cleveland, and seeing Sam off to a great start. Personally, if any player can't seem to get it together on one team I will always root for them to put it together on another or at least under a different system.

His attitude is what bought him time despite struggling early on. He's still not super polished, still makes questionable decisions, but he handles pressure better than he once did & he's allowed the freedom to utilize his natural gifts.

People absolutely hated a guy like Josh Allen too his first 2 seasons, and even before he entered the league. No one ever thought or wanted him to be good, and even today people still can’t accept the fact that he’s EASILY a top 3 quarterback in the NFL. I personally would take Allen as a player over any QB in the league. I think he is the quarterback who’s most responsible for giving his team the edge over other teams. You can argue Mahomes with me and I wouldn’t be upset, but to see what Allen was given in the league versus Mahomes for coaching, teammates, management, etc. I’d say Allen’s rise to glory is much more impressive. Seriously, look into both those stories. Allen didn’t have a veteran to sit behind, Allen didn’t have no one close to Hill or Kelce for years until he got Diggs, and no one even wanted Allen for their college teams. Much more inspiring underdog story. Ridiculed and hated for no reason, and somehow found a way to be one of the best. Brings a tear to my eye.

Steelers are managing Fields right. They seem like they're keeping it simple and slowly adding in elements to the game so he can find his groove and then expand on his abundant raw talent. If he proves he can avoid those crippling late game mistakes, the Steelers may have stolen a long term QB solution. Genuinely happy to see Darnold perform. No doubt a year in the SF quarterback room was great for him. It's more proof the Jets kill careers. As for Malik Willis, he might just solidify himself as a top notch backup, which is a great job to have. Make a couple million a year, don't take much punishment, keep your team in the playoff hunt if called upon. It's clear no one in Tennessee had a clue how to coach him.

A big part of these QBs succeeding is that they all have good defenses helping them stay in games and not have to be throwing all game long. most of these guys are just great game managers where they are at now

I could see that happening for Jameis and Carson. It would be pretty cool to watch. I love it when players prove everyone wrong, including myself sometimes

I feel like people forget that some QBs are very streaky, and especially when it's at the start of a season, it can cause people to forget how bad they are when they're bad. No doubt people will eventually be reminded when Darnold goes on a 4 game skid where he averages 160 yds a game has 2 total Tds and 6-7 picks. Baker is a different story. He's always been a workhorse and a talented QB. He's not elite by any stretch , but he belongs as a starter in the NFL for sure. Ntm that Cleveland makes just about everyone look bad. Geno seems like a guy who actually figured some stuff out. Sure the Jets weren't great when he was there and he has a way better coach in Seattle, but he definitely worked on his flaws and Is a top 10 QB now.

Sam Darnold will be resigned to a similar deal with maybe like 25-30 mil instead of the 10 mil, and he’ll be the backup to JJ. I can tell you right now with 100% certainty that the only way Sam is our starter in 2025 is if he wins the super bowl with the vikings. You don’t take a guy like JJ in the first round, never give him a chance, and then ship him one year after he got drafted. that would be the worst possible decision

OMG. A QB GOES TO A GOOD ORGANIZATION WITH A COMPETENT ROSTER AND HAS SUCCESS? WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT? I THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE THE NEXT ELWAY, BRADY, AND MANNING WHEN HE WAS DRAFTED

I love that Geno Smith is doing well I always knew he just needed some time.

One thing about Darnold, is that even before McCarthy's injury, KOC named him the starter during training camp

Malik Willis is who’s shocking me the most. He legit didn’t even throw for 100 yards in his titans games Also salute to sam darnold, he was getting called a huge bust and now he’s a mvp candidate

darnold was always the starter here for us. the vikes planned for mccarthy to sit, and learn, and take over the next year; i excepted this from darnold, he has all the arm talent, and sneaky athleticism, he just needed an oline and weapons which we had, SKOL!

I think GM's/owners/coaches when they draft a QB, it should be a an investment, rather than an immediate starter, we sometimes see great QB's with immediately impact, but its really a handful of QB's. Don't rush the process!

We are in the golden age of backups. A lot of these guys are high picks that have talent but no direction and just need the right fit.

This may go down as one of my best predictions I thought to myself before the season "Y'know, I think Darnold will be fine, honestly. He'll have a high level O-line, a high level running back, and a top tier reciever, all things he's never had before"

I kinda want the Bakers Home commercials to come back!!

As some other people have said, I will never understand why bad teams who have subpar coaching and/or a lack of skilled players expect a rookie qb who has never played a single snap in the NFL to magically save the organization.

This is exactly what darnold did on the panthers in 2022 I won’t be surprised if he falls off. I really hope he doesn’t though Vikings are a great team and that defence under Flores is scary

It's so important to have a good offensive line in place with a young QB...

I personally think Baker had one off season. I see him falling back to earth this season for sure. Justin Fields is getting carried by a defense and there is NO WAY the Steelers keep doing well lol. They are literally playing vs the worst teams with the worst situations. Darnold I do think is a solid QB and will be around a long long time. He’s built for it.

He had this video in his pocket🔥🔥

Sam Darnold was not picked up by MN to be a backup, he was always going to be the starter at least through the first half of the season. KOC made that clear through the whole offseason.

One thing this might indicate is that it’s a good idea to give rookie QBs time to ride the bench before you put them out there as a starter- I’m no expert but it worked for Mahomes and Brady.

Another banger 😮‍💨🙏 appreciate all the hard work man !