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Mike Fanelli looks back at every rookie NFL quarterback since the start of the 21st century. Which rookie quarterbacks had an outstanding rookie season and made the top 10?
The NFL is king because football is the best sport in the history of the planet Earth. Therefore, quarterback is the toughest and most critical position in sports. Teams with an elite quarterback have a significantly better chance of winning the Super Bowl than those with average quarterback production.
More importantly, finding that superstar quarterback as a rookie is like winning the lottery for fan bases. However, it’s far from a guarantee. Some of the best quarterbacks in NFL history had awful rookie seasons, including Peyton Manning. Meanwhile, others didn’t see the field as rookies like Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady.
However, it’s impressive when quarterbacks have outstanding rookie years. Therefore, let’s look at the top 10 rookie quarterbacks seasons of the 21st century.
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10) Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans (2017)
Many had high hopes for Watson as a rookie despite being the third quarterback drafted that year behind Mitchell Trubisky and Patrick Mahomes. The former Clemson star had 1,699 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions as a rookie. He also had an impact on the ground.
The rookie finished the season with 269 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately, Watson only played in seven contests because of a torn ACL he suffered in practice. While the veteran has become one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL, Watson was a superstar as a rookie, including his first career start.
The last time Deshaun Watson faced the Bengals...
2017. On his birthday. First career start.
And he did this 👇 pic.twitter.com/HFOfANO1q5
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) December 25, 2020
9) Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns (2018)
Since they returned to the NFL in 1999, the Browns have been one of the worst teams in the league, starting a billion quarterbacks. However, Mayfield has been the one good quarterback the franchise has had since returning to the league. The former Oklahoma star was productive as a rookie, posting a 6-7 record as the starting quarterback.
More importantly, Mayfield broke the rookie record for passing touchdowns in a season with 27. While that record has been broken since Mayfield’s rookie year, the former No. 1 overall pick had 3,725 passing yards that season. Unfortunately, the Browns gave up on him before the end of his rookie contract.
8) Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks (2012)
No one expected Wilson to start as a rookie. He was a third-round NFL Draft pick and got little media attention during the pre-draft process, with everyone focused on the two elite quarterback prospects. However, the former Wisconsin star went on to have the best career of any quarterback in the draft class.
Seattle signed Matt Flynn to a significant contract in free agency in 2012. Yet, Wilson won the starting job during the preseason and never looked back. The Seahawks’ elite defense helped the rookie quarterback. However, Wilson had a solid statistical season, totaling 3,118 passing yards and 26 touchdowns.
7) Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts (2012)
Unfortunately, Luck’s career was cut short by injuries and the Colts’ dysfunctional nonsense. However, the former No. 1 overall pick was outstanding as a rookie. Indianapolis had the top pick because of Peyton Manning missing the year with a neck injury. Luck started as a rookie with the team, moving on from the future Hall of Famer after 14 seasons with the franchise.
The former Stanford star led the Colts to the playoffs as a rookie after the team had a 2-14 record in 2011. Luck finished with an 11-5 record during the regular season, totaling 4,373 passing yards and 23 touchdowns. He led them to multiple impressive wins that year.
REGGIE! REGGIE! 😤
Rookie Andrew Luck and the Colts comeback to defeat the Green Bay Packers in 2012!#ThrowbackSunday | @colts pic.twitter.com/0jsqcTb6SV
— Indy SportsOne (@IndySportsOne) May 3, 2020
6) Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins (2012)
While Andrew Luck was the first overall pick and Russell Wilson has had the best career of any quarterback in the draft class, Griffin was a superstar as a rookie. The former Baylor star won the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.
The dual-threat quarterback led the Redskins to the playoffs for the first time since 2007. Unfortunately, Griffin suffered a torn ACL in the Wild Card matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, altering the rest of his career. However, he had an excellent year, setting the rookie record for rushing yards by a quarterback (815).
5) C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans (2023)
Stroud didn’t have massive numbers as a rookie, completing 63.9% of his pass attempts for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns in 15 games. However, he was fantastic despite joining a Texans team that has been the laughingstock of the NFL for the past few years. The former Ohio State star had a 1% interception rate, the lowest in the league.
Furthermore, Stroud led the NFL with 273.9 passing yards per game. He was the reason Nico Collins broke out and became a superstar wide receiver. Despite being a rookie, Stroud finished eighth in the MVP voting while leading Houston to the division title.
4) Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers (2011)
After winning the Heisman Trophy in his only season at Auburn, Newton shocked the NFL world as a rookie. He completed 64.9% of his pass attempts for 422 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in his first career start. Furthermore, Newton had an 18-yard rushing score in the loss.
September 11, 2011: Cam Newton’s regular season debut. 24–37 passing for 422 yards, two passing TDs, one rushing TD, and one INT in a 28–21 loss at Arizona. pic.twitter.com/dLNBSjJ8Db
— This Day In Sports Clips (@TDISportsClips) September 11, 2020
Unfortunately, the Panthers didn’t win many games during his rookie season, Newton gave the franchise hope for the future, leading them to a Super Bowl appearance a few years later. He ended his rookie season with an NFL record 14 rushing touchdowns by a quarterback, winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award despite having a 6-10 record.
3) Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers (2004)
While Roethlisberger didn’t have massive numbers as a rookie, the future Hall of Famer went 13-0 as the starting quarterback. He finished the year with 2,621 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, leading the Steelers to the conference title game that season.
Despite being the third quarterback drafted that year behind Eli Manning and Philip Rivers, Roethlisberger had arguably the best career of the trio. While he lost to Tom Brady in the AFC Championship as a rookie, the future Hall of Famer made it to the Super Bowl the following year, coming home with the Lombardi Trophy.
2) Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (2020)
Many believe the 2020 quarterback draft class will be the best in NFL history. Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Jordan Love, and Jalen Hurts are franchise-caliber quarterbacks. However, Herbert is arguably the best in the draft class despite being the third selected.
More importantly, he was outstanding as a rookie. Herbert's first career start in Week 2 after Tyrod Taylor suffered a punctured lung during a pre-game medical procedure. Yet, the rookie was excellent against the Kansas City Chiefs, totaling 311 passing yards and a touchdown. Herbert set rookie records for the most passing touchdowns (36) and games with at least three scores (six).
1) Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders (2024)
The 2024 quarterback draft class could give the 2020 class a run for its money. Five of the six first-round quarterbacks played as rookies, all showing significant upside. However, Daniels was far and away the best of the bunch and should win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award despite having his first career passing touchdown go to an offensive lineman.
JAYDEN DANIELS' FIRST CAREER TD PASS IS AN OFFENSIVE LINEMAN TD!
📺: #WASvsCIN on ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/xOuWz3wiPa— NFL (@NFL) September 24, 2024
Daniels has turned around the Commanders franchise. He led them to their first playoff win since 2005 after beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card Round. Furthermore, the superstar rookie was outstanding in Washington’s 14-point win over the Detroit Lions last week. Daniels broke Robert Griffin III’s rookie rushing record by a quarterback (891).
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