The jump from being the big man on campus to rookie quarterback in the National Football League is one of the largest adjustments to make.
The journey does not end after the draft. In fact, it’s only the beginning for the young athlete.
The quarterback position is one of the hardest positions in any sport to master and coming into your first season at the biggest level in the world only makes it harder.
Not everyone can become an overnight legend as some players have in the past.
In recent memory, the one rookie quarterback that comes to mind with an outstanding first game was Carolina Panthers’ Cam Newton. In his first game, he went 24-for-37 throwing for 422 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
On the other hand, former Washington Redskins’ quarterback Robert Griffin III started his NFL career with a 19-for-26, 320-yard performance with two touchdowns.
Keep in mind both of the aforementioned players won the prestigious Heisman Trophy in college.
However, in the case of RGIII his career has been on a steep decline since that opening day performance.
So, we have the case of two starting rookie quarterbacks in their first season and their careers, though they’re not over, almost taking two separate paths.
A lot of teams feel the pressure to start the high draft pick right away in his first season, however, sometimes waiting it out can be more beneficial.
One case that comes to mind is Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers sat three full seasons before starting his first regular season game.
Two seasons later, he captured his first Super Bowl championship.
If that wasn’t proof enough, the infamous New England Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady had a similar situation.
Brady sat under Drew Bledsoe for his first season and was thrown into the mix in the third game of his second season and he eventually led his team to a Super Bowl title that year. He was also named to the Pro Bowl that season as well.
Not everyone can have the story of Rodgers or Brady but it is up to the coaching staff and the team’s current situation to ultimately determine that for the player.
While some teams are skeptical to make some of those big decisions, it takes a great deal courage to be able to look your future star in the face and say “You are not ready yet.”
The latest to make that statement? Los Angeles Rams head coach Jeff Fisher.
And with No. 1 overall draft pick Jared Goff currently sitting and learning from the sideline, his story is still under construction.
