Newton went on to become the first rookie quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards in a season. Since being drafted third overall by the Falcons in 2008, Ryan has remained Atlanta's starting quarterback. Stats:16 games (all starts), 310 of 517 passing (60%), 4,051 yards, 21 TDs, 17 INTs, 706 rushing yards, 14 TDs. Still, you can't question his initial foray into the NFL.Toughest competition: Emlen Tunnell, Mel Renfro, Ken Houston, Tommy Casanova, Bennie Blades, Steve Atwater, Ed Reed, Jairus Byrd. However, the opposite was actually true. He owns a 6-12 (33%) career record as a starter. Quarterback: 1941: 15: 39.1: 25: 64: 514: 8.0: 34.3: 6: 9.4: 3: 4.7: 79.8: Quarterback: 1942: 22: 43.3: 39: 90: 939: 10.4: 42.7: 11: 12.2: 16: 17.8: 81.7: Quarterback: 1943: 9: 43.2: 16: 37: 208: CMP. From an accuracy perspective, Jones is in his own tier among rookie quarterbacks. He ranks third all-time in passing touchdowns, and fourth in passing yards. Do you have a sports website? The QBs ranking in the bottom half average -0.041 EPA/Play. He owns a 22-10 (68.9%) record as a starter. Luck, the first pick in the 2012 draft, turned around a 2-14 team and led the Colts to an 11-5 record and the playoffs. Rookie stats: 12 GP, 62.2% Comp, 2,818 Yds, 19 TD, 10 INT, 91.5 QB rating, 252 Rush Yds, 2 Rush TD, 1 Rec TD. Stafford has compiled a 60-65 record (48%) as a starter. That's just 146 fewer yards than Boldin totaled in '03, with five more touchdowns. Suh built such a reputation as a newbie that, in the following offseason, his peers voted him as the 51st-best player in the entire league in NFL Network's "Top 100 Players of 2011. He was also the first rookie QB in NFL history to throw four TDs in the first half of his inaugural game. Drafted by the Steelers with the 11 pick in The 35th pick in the 2011 draft, Dalton paired with Bengals first round pick A.J. In 2012, Griffin led the league with 1,826 yards while averaging 1.8 yards per attempt from play-action passes, which turned out to be 57.2% of his total passing yards for the entire year. 4/10 Drew Brees. Justin Fields ranks as the 25th-best short passer within the dataset and the worst among 2021 rookies. In 2016, Winston led Tampa Bay to its first winning season since 2010. Notable accomplishments:One-time Pro Bowler, Stats:13/15, 209 yards, 4 TD; 2 rush, 6 yards. The objective of this annual event: to help newcomers in their transition to life in the league. He's started 154 of a possible 160 games, missing six games in 2015 after suffering a torn ACL. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, Watch: NFL rookie QBs have fascinating discussion. After reading through Johnathan Woods analysis of Justin Fields' rookie season, I was inspired to dig into some data myself. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. The Vikings' offense set an NFL scoring record back in 1998, with the 21-year old Moss' 17 touchdowns playing a major role in the feat. Of his 14 games as a rookie, he earned a grade below 50.0 only once. In a surprising twist, Kellychose to sign with the Gamblers instead and did not play for the Bills until the USFL folded in 1986. He was, however, a roller coaster. In fact, Tannehill's 27 big-time throws in 2012 are still the most he has had in a single season. His 17 sacks taken in 2008 are the fewest of any rookie quarterback with at least 400 dropbacks in the PFF era. Visit Stathead to Create Custom Leaderboards, Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles. 2. He's started 77 of a possible 96 games; he missed three games in 2016 and all of the 2017 season because of a torn ACL. Fields ranks 11th and sixth in these two areas, respectively. Marchibroda's squad lost in the divisional round, but that defeat came at the hands of the eventual champions: the '75 Steelers, one of the truly elite teams in NFL history.Toughest competition: George Halas, Ray Flaherty, Paul Brown, George Wilson, Al Davis, Don McCafferty, Red Miller, George Seifert, Sean Payton, John Harbaugh, Jim Harbaugh. Lane's 14 interceptions are still a single-season record. He also led all quarterbacks with 815 rushing yards and seven TDs. However, Fields recorded the fourth largest average depth of target (12.7), meaning that he was throwing to more difficult depths of the field. Stats: 8/18, 102 yards, one touchdown, one interception, one really weird graphic No one is probably expecting much from the third-round pick, and Sunday's game showed you why. Stats:19/26, 320 yards, 2 TD; 9 rush, 42 yards. Dropbacks under pressure are extremely variable and outcomes are inconsistent. Of the four other first-rounders, none has a grade higher than 61.5 overall (Justin Fields), which ranks 26th among starters this season. Wentz was the second-highest graded passer in the NFL through the first six weeks of the season, as he was already being fitted for his gold jacket. He ranked 35th in big-time throw rate (2.7%). Although he missed the Pro Bowl in Year 1, McDaniel received the honor in the following 12 seasons. The big Pittsburgh product had good speed and a bulldozer's mentality, parlaying that ability into the first 1,000-yard season by a tight end in NFL history. In Dallas on Thanksgiving, the speedster out of Marshall caught three passes for 163 yards and three scores -- a spectacular display that thrilled the national audience. Smith was the Jets starting QB for two seasons before being demoted to a backup role for the following two years. All Rights Reserved. 4. QBs who rank in the top half for intermediate-depth passing average EPA/Play of 0.058. Carrier would play 10 more years in the league, but he only picked off 22 more passes. In his first career start, Mariota became the first rookie QB to ever have a perfect passer rating of 158.3. Griffin served as Washington's starter for three seasons prior to being benched, thenreleased following the 2015 season. Within that same group, the average big-time throw rate was 5.6%, and the average turnover-worthy play rate was 6.0%. He deserves plenty of credit for helping the Rex Grossman-led Bears reach the Super Bowl. He's started 154 of a possible 160 games, missing six games in 2015 after PCT. But we can try to use this data to create a baseline for how similarly ranking QBs have turned out. GP. Notable accomplishments:Four-time Pro Bowler; Super Bowl (XLVIII) champion. Do you have a blog? Checkout the latest stats for Dan Marino. He may rank 15th on this list, but no one has made it further into the playoffs in their rookie season than Flacco and his AFC Championship Game appearance. NAME. The 2011 AP Offensive ROY and Pro Bowler not only ran for a league QB-record 14 TDs, but also threw for 21 TDs and alleviated some concerns about his passing ability. McDaniel was an effective interior player from the moment he stepped on an NFL field, starting 15 games as a rookie on the 11-5 Vikes. Rookie stats:15 GP, 65.6% Comp, 3,200 Yds, 20 TD, 5 INT, 102.4 QB rating, 815 Rush Yds, 7 Rush TD. He signed with the Ravens this past offseason and is on Baltimore's roster entering the 2018 season. He's missed 26 games due to injuries, including all of the 2017 campaign, which he sat out due to a shoulder injury. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Therefore, I matched that number as closely as possible for each QB. The Fighting Irish's all-time career sack leader is heading to the NFL. Or, their ribs didn't, anyway.Toughest competition: Jack Lambert, Matt Millen, John Offerdahl, Chris Spielman, Patrick Willis. Justin Fields ranks 44th for throwing behind the LOS, and the worst among 2021 rookies. The accuracy here is concerning and could speak to his ability to make pre-snap reads and follow up with adjustments post-snap. All-Time All-Rookie Team The 2014 NFL Rookie Symposium took place this week in Aurora, Ohio. Yes, the Steelers went 1-13 in 1969, but Greene refused to be pushed around, personally imposing his will despite the fact that the team around him was terrible. Those being passing to the intermediate part of the field and passing from a clean pocket. Mariota has remained the Titans starting QB since debuting in 2015. Additionally, he ranked 22nd in turnover-worthy play rate (2.2%). Which guys have enjoyed the best rookie campaigns at each position? All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. )Toughest competition: Don Looney, Harlon Hill, Paul Warfield, Bob Hayes, John Jefferson, Cris Collinsworth, Terry Glenn, Anquan Boldin, A.J. Or write about sports? Brett Favre (508), 5. He's started 109 of a possible 112 games; he missed three games in 2015 because of a fractured right thumb. He threw deep the fourth most often (15.9%), with the 19th ranked adjusted completion percentage (44.2%). Then Kearse arrived, and Tennessee barely lost in the Super Bowl. He is the same player, when healthy, today as he was when he came into the league. Rookie QB Intermediate Passing Ranks through ~350 dropbacks. However, he played 11 games, went 7-2 as a starter, launched his HOF career, and won the AP Offensive ROY award. His 7.9 yards per attempt as a rookie was the third-best mark PFF has seen over the past 15 years. Bridgewater has always been incredibly risk-averse, and that was a big reason for his impressive grade as a rookie. He had an impressive rookie season, leading the Patriots to their best record in five years while having the fourth most passing yards in a rookie season in the 1970s. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. The embattled veteran has remained a starting option for teams throughout, however, and will open 2018 as Arizona's starting QB. Stafford has remained the Lions' starter since taking over as a rookie in 2009. League observers and casual fans alike thought Taylor was already the most imposing defensive player in the league in Year 1. Similarly, short passing, passing behind the LOS, and passing under pressure are only weakly correlated to future NFL success. Jim Kelly Todd Warshaw/Getty Images. Despite his inexperience, Thomas made the Pro Bowl and ultimately became the best player on the team. Still, there's no faking how efficient he was out the gate, as he had the sixth-lowest turnover-worthy play rate of any quarterback in the NFL that season. Which Active NFL QB has the Most Career Interceptions?Eli Manning. If you asked any football fan the question, Who is the active leader with the most career interceptions? their answer would inevitably be Eli Manning.Drew Brees. While Drew Brees will likely go down in history as one of the NFLs greatest passers ever, 19 seasons in the league has given him plenty of Ben Roethlisberger. More items SEASON. Then he snagged two more INTs in the divisional round, including another pick-six.Toughest competition: Milt Davis, Butch Byrd, Lem Barney, Mike Haynes, Everson Walls, Devin McCourty. Through nine seasons, he's started a 125 of a possible 144 games; he missed six games in 2009 due to various injuries, and missed 13 games because of a separated shoulder in 2010. Despite ranking well overall, he had the 37th ranked adjusted completion percentage (70.9%). Faced with unparalleled pressure from that lofty draft slot he averaged 45.3 yards per punt. The top pick in the 1998 draft, Manning finished his rookie season in the leagues top 5 in QB attempts, yards, and touchdown passes. Tannehill's career in Miami was marred by the team's complete inability to find him help. The dataset includes 45 rookie passers. While he wasnt anywhere near a quality QB, Frye turned in one of the best performances in a debut for a quarterback weve ever seen in the history of the NFL. Jeffersons 1,400 yards stood as the Super Bowl-era mark for one season until Chase had 81 catches for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021. After one season in Philadelphia, he signed with the Vikings and played with Minnesota for two seasons before signing with the Cardinals this past offseason. All-time Rushing Leader: Emmitt Smith 4,052 att, 17,162 yds, 153 TD All-time Receiving Leader: Jason Witten 1,215 rec, 12,977 Not surprisingly, he made the Pro Bowl as a rook. 2022 ABG-SI LLC. Of course, that didn't have a ton to do with Flacco's rocket right arm, as he averaged only 26.5 attempts per game and never finished with more than 38 in a single game (Trevor Lawrencehas had over 38 attempts five times already this season for comparison). Given Minshew's impressive rookie campaign, it's still mind-blowing the Jaguars gave him away to Philadelphia with two years left on his rookie deal for the draft equivalent of a ham sandwich. Yes, that's the story with Lott, who intercepted seven balls in his first NFL season, taking three to the house. NAME. Stats:16 games (all starts), 311 of 459 passing (67.8%), 3,667 yards, 23 TDs, 4 INTs, 282 rushing yards, 6 TDs. Surprisingly, Fields' big-time throw rate to the intermediate does not match his deep passing numbers. But I digress Lott narrowly beats out Dallas corner Everson Walls, who also burst onto the scene in 1981. Stats:16 games (all starts), 312 of 535 passing (58.3%), 4,042 yards, 22 TDs, 15 INTs. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. Oh, and Tucker got a Super Bowl ring, to boot. He is consistently inconsistent, which was definitely the case as a rookie, as he finished with the second-most turnover-worthy plays in the NFL (33). Copyright 2000-2022 Sports Reference LLC. He's started in 29 of a possible 32 regular season games; he missed the final three games last year after suffering a torn ACL. Rookie stats:16 GP, 60.0% Comp, 4,051 Yds, 21 TD, 17 INT, 84.5 QB rating, 706 Rush Yds, 14 Rush TD. He might have been a flash in the pan, but who doesn't remember "The Freak?" Tom Brady (87,852), 2. The Red Rifle led Cincinnati to a 9-7 record and Wild Card berth, rebounding from a disappointing 4-12 year in 2010. With apologies to Jack Lambert, Butkus' rookie campaign was the stuff of legend. These are the two areas that might be crystal balls in some capacity. Much like LT during his rookie campaign eight years prior, Thomas forced opponents to account for him on every play.Toughest competition: George Webster, Isiah Robertson, Al Richardson, Clay Matthews III, Aldon Smith, Shawne Merriman, Von Miller. Among QBs with an ADOT over 10.7, the average adjusted completion rate was 58.8%. He missed two games in 2009 because of turf toe. Passing from a clean pocket returns a correlation coefficient of 0.55, which represents a correlative factor (not to be confused with a strong correlation). All-Time Career, Single-Season, and Playoffs Records and Leaders Table. While Plunketts stats look inferior compared to some of the more current quarterbacks on this list, its important to keep in mind that he played in an era that wasnt nearly as friendly to quarterbacks and the passing game. Stat you need to know: Staubach's .746 winning percentage ranks second all-time among quarterbacks with 100 starts. all-time leaders rookie qb stats in the NFL. No one-year wonder, either: Tucker was First-Team All-Pro last season.Toughest competition: Tony Franklin, Ali Haji-Sheikh, Kevin Butler, Richie Cunningham, Blair Walsh. Luck earned a Pro Bowl appearance in his rookie year and threw for the most passing yards for a rookie QB in a single season. I believe that his deep ball will stand the test of time, but it is impossible to be sure. The guy we've seen in Tennessee was there in flashes during his stint in Miami, but he was never able to get in rhythm due to subpar pass protection. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. (Sacks, of course, didn't become an official stat until 1982 -- and the current high-water mark is 22.5.). Last season, he led the Titans to their first playoff appearance since 2008. His arm strength is obviously limited, but the speed of the NFL never looked like too much for him. The tackling machine out of Illinois teamed with running back Gale Sayers to form the best rookie combo in league history. Peyton Manning (71,940), 4. Correlating Rookie QB Stats to Career EPA/Play. It was difficult to envision Mayfield's unprecedented rookie season turning into the unmitigated mess we've seen at times over the past few seasons. Justin Fields ranks as the fifth-best deep passer within the dataset, and the best among 2021 rookies. Wentz owns a 18-11 (56.3%) record as a starter. Listed below are the NFL Overall Starting Quarterback Win/Loss Records for active NFL players that have started at least one game at quarterback. Marino heads up our All-Time All-Rookie Team by virtue of his stellar performance in '83. RGIII was drafted second overall in the 2012 draft and lived up to the hype his rookie year. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Below, we take a look at the others who did so over the past decade, and how they've fared in their debuts and throughout their careers. Go to a leaderboard using the form below. Mariota was selected second overall by the Titans in the 2015 draft. The 2012 quarterback class was special, and even though Wilson graded higher, Griffin actually took home the NFL's Rookie of the Year honors. Only Tom Brady can claim a superior winning Ranking the best rookie quarterback seasons of the past 15 years: Can Mac Jones top Russell Wilson. Stats:16 games (all starts), 257 of 428 passing (60%), 2,971 yards, 14 TDs, 12 INTs. The other names that filled out the top five were Patrick Mahomes,Ben Roethlisbergerand Russell Wilson, in addition to a tie betweenAaron Rodgersand Andrew Luck. Rookie stats:16 GP, 67.8% Comp, 3,667 Yds, 23 TD, 4 INT, 104.9 QB rating, 282 Rush Yds, 6 Rush TD. So, what does this all mean? Unfortunately, Watsons season was cut short due to injury. All-time Rushing Leader: Sam Cunningham 1,385 att, 5,453 yds, 43 TD All-time Receiving Leader: Stanley Morgan 534 rec, As a part of our partnership with ESPN, this is a part of a story that was originally published on ESPN+ prior to Week 15 and can be viewed in its entirety here with your ESPN+ subscription Ranking the best rookie quarterback seasons of the past 15 years: Can Mac Jones top Russell Wilson? The Knicks are interested in Zach LaVine. Unlike today's players -- who exist in a world of specialization, with special footballs set aside for kicking -- Guy performed in an era when special teams weren't such an exact science. Rookie QB Deep Passing Ranks through ~350 dropbacks. CMP. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. An all-time great quarterback, Jim Kelly is still the face of the Buffalo Bills. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. He inherited a 4-12 roster but led Atlanta to an 11-5 record in 2008. steelers rookie qb all-time stats. Therefore, I decided to inspect a few statistical categories for the Chicago Bears' young passer and compare them against the average rookie QB. He was named Defensive Rookie of the Year at the end of that season, and of course, his Steelers went on to win four Super Bowls in the 1970s. Aaron Rodgers (471), He threw deep the fourth most often (15.9%), with the 19th ranked Guy was a first-round draft pick in 1973 -- can you imagine? Year by Year. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Join our linker program. Through 10 seasons, Flacco owns a 92-62 (59.7%) record as a starter. Peyton Manning. Because Fields only threw 22 passes behind the LOS, his one turnover-worthy play is shown at a rate of 4.2%. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. However, his ranking for turnover-worthy play rate significantly improved in this range. The first overall pick in the 2011 draft, Newton took the league by storm as a true dual threat QB. rookie qb stats in the NFL 2021. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Feathers' breakaway runs had much to do with the Bears making their second straight NFL Championship Game appearance.Toughest competition: Jim Brown, Gale Sayers, Earl Campbell, Ottis Anderson, George Rogers, Barry Sanders, Marshall Faulk, Edgerrin James. The former Tiger will reportedly join the South Siders on a minor-league deal. He threw to the intermediate the 12th most often (24.1%), with the 21st ranked adjusted completion percentage (58.5%). The average QB in the dataset threw to the short portion of the field 44.9% of the time. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Because big-time throws are rare at short throw depths, big-time throws were not included in the ranking. Rookie stats:16 GP, 58.1% Comp, 3,398 Yds, 20 TD, 13 INT, 80.4 QB rating, 152 Rush Yds, 1 Rush TD. The thing that did and continues to set Herbert apart is his work under pressure. Notable accomplishments:One-time Pro Bowler; 2016 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. Green to set NFL records for yards and completions for a rookie QB/WR combo. Drew Brees is synonymous with talent and consistency, and that is precisely why his career was incredible. The QBs ranking in the bottom half average -0.021 EPA/Play. Within that same group, the average big-time throw rate was 4.7%, and the average turnover-worthy play rate was 3.8%. Prescott won the 2016 AP Offensive ROY award. GP. Steelers Rookie Qb All-time Stats | StatMuse. QB Cam Newton, 2011 That team's run game was nearly unstoppable. Stats:18/34, 153 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 8 rush, 20 yards. Butkus decimated opponents, so much so that even though his team wasn't very good, no one wanted to play the Bears. Brett Favre (71,838), 5. Top 25 quarterbacks of all time: Patriots' Tom Brady leads listTom Brady. He's the all-time leader in the QB clubhouse, though not in any of the major statistical areas. Joe Montana. For a long time, it was Joe Montana and then everybody else in the greatest quarterback of all time conversation.Peyton Manning. Johnny Unitas. Otto Graham. Drew Brees. Dan Marino. Roger Staubach. John Elway. Aaron Rodgers. More items That is good news for Justin Fields and Bears fans, as it means that this is an area that many QBs get better with time. The 2012 AP Offensive ROY posted the third highest QB rating for rookie QBs who played at least 10 games and received a Pro Bowl nod for his efforts. Stats: 13 games (all starts), 270 of 384 passing (70.3%), 2,869 yards, 16 TDs, 8 INTs. Career. We present them here for purely educational purposes. As the chart tells us, deep passing success as a rookie has a very weak correlation to long-term NFL success. In Hein's day, centers had to play both ways, often lining up at "middle guard" (a precursor to nose tackle) or linebacker on the defensive side of the ball. How can we take this data and try to turn it into an all-telling crystal ball? YDS. This guy. Despite others grading higher on this list, it was easy to see that Newton was a franchise quarterback after his rookie year. Think about that for a moment. Watson made his first regular-season appearance on September 10, 2017, against the Jacksonville Jaguars, after starting quarterback Tom Savage was benched at halftime. Notable accomplishments: One-time Pro Bowler; 2012 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. Well, we cannot. Peyton Manning (539), 4. He's started 45 of a possible 48 regular season contests. Leading the Redskins to a division title and the playoffs for the first time since 2007, Griffin posted the third best rookie QB rating in history. Its safe to say the Steelers nailed this pick. Bringing you articles, podcasts, and videos to keep you up to date with what's On Tap in Chicago sports news. Brees completed 7,142 passes (second most all-time), 24.9 passes completed per game (the best all-time), with 80,358 passing yards (second most), 67.7 pass completion percentage (second best) and a 98.7 rating (fifth best). Entering the 2018 season, he had yet to missa start in his career, appearing in all 96 regular season games through six seasons. Therefore, Justin Fields was above average in his deep accuracy, well above average in big-time throws, and about a little better than average at avoiding risk. This piece will not cover the same depth of concepts as Johnathan Woods articles did, as it is more geared toward rookie passers. This is all in counting of course, as the 41-year-old doesnt seem to be slowing down anytime soon. The one thing that really set Ryan apart compared to his peers on this list was how well he avoided sacks. Feathers might not be a household name, but his 1,004 rushing yards in 1934 marked the first time an NFL running back had ever hit four digits in a season. His 10.2-yard average depth of target as a rookie is still the second-highest single-season mark of his career and he finished with the fifth-best adjusted completion percentage on deep targets (48.4%). Green. The risky plays here are a major concern. Within that same group, the average big-time throw rate was 6.7%, and the average turnover-worthy play rate was 7.1%. While he did lead the league with 28 interceptions, Manning threw more TDs and fewer INTs in the second half of the season. Navigating Bear Markets: A Series about Football and Numbers. Stats:20/30, 222 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 5 rush, 17 yards, 1 TD. Championships Won *: 5 All-time Passing Leader: Tony Romo. SEASON. Average Depth of Target: The passer's average air yards beyond the LOS per pass attempt. But cracking the all-time rookie team will be no easy feat. PCT. It seemed like Moss caught a deep ball every week in his incredible rookie campaign. When you calculate big-time throw rate over turnover-worthy play rate, only two rookie passers have been better from a clean pocket since 2009: Russell Wilson and Matt Ryan. Among QBs who threw deep more than 12% of the time, the average adjusted completion rate was 40.8%. QBs who rank in the top half of rookie passers from a clean pocket average EPA/Play of 0.079. Throughout his career, Bradford has notably suffered numerous injuries, including a sprained shoulder (2009), a sprained ankle (2011), two ACL tears (2013, 14) and a season-ending knee bruise (2017). 104-for-181 (57.5% completion), 1,168 yards, 4 TD, 9 INT 63.5 passer rating. Rookie stats:16 GP, 59.4% Comp, 3,593 Yds, 22 TD, 17 INT, 83.3 QB rating, 199 Rush Yds, 0 Rush TD. From an accuracy perspective, Jones is in his own tier among rookie quarterbacks. Therefore, Justin Fields was slightly below average in his intermediate accuracy, well below average in big-time throws, and well above average at avoiding risk. In his rookie season, he missed just three of his 33 field-goal attempts on his way to 132 points. Sanchez has a career record of 37-35 (51.4%) as an NFL starter. Check out all the action right here in the "Best Of" images from Week 13 of the NFL season! With the Jets tabbing rookie Sam Darnold as their starter entering the 2018 NFL season, extending a decade-long streak of first-year signal-callers debuting in Week 1. Parker was a fine player as a rookie, being named First-Team All-NFL by The Sporting News in '57, which also happened to be Unitas' first full season as a starter. Find out the NFL pro football's all-time Pass Yards leaders While much has been made of Jones' situation in New England, no quarterback on this list walked into a better situation than Prescott. Thomas put the league on notice with 10 sacks as a rookie while displaying a motor that just wouldn't quit. Additionally, he ranked 45th in turnover worthy play rate (4.2%). There is no set learning curve at any position when entering the NFL, and that is especially true at the league's most valuable one quarterback, which is illustrated by the 15 highest-graded rookie quarterback seasons in thePro Football Focusera. He finished with 45 big-time throws (fifth-most in the NFL) but also had 28 turnover-worthy plays (third-most in the NFL). However, Fields will NEED to improve his short passing and passing behind the LOS and prove that his deep passing success was more about talent than luck. Figures are sorted by number of wins. Clay projected the passing statistics for the rookie quarterbacks. Therefore, Justin Fields was below average with his short accuracy and average at avoiding risk. NAME. But the cherry on top here is that he had the third-best turnover-worthy play rate (1.4%). Now, something tells me that such a monumental list just might spawn some debate. The average QB in the dataset threw deep 12% of the time. Among QBs who threw short more than 44.9% of the time, the average adjusted completion rate was 78.3%. Passing to the intermediate returns a correlation coefficient of 0.44, which represents a correlative factor (not to be confused with a strong correlation). The 27-year-old forward will return to action when the Hawks host the Jets. Active. Luck has remained the Colts starting quarterback since debuting in 2012. Therefore, I included every rookie QB to drop back at least 300 times since 2009. Because I want a QB that looks to hit home runs when he is in a clean pocket. The data paints a picture of a QB who is trying to do too much when faced with tough situations. Winston finished his rookie season with 28 total TDs and led the Bucs to a 6-10 record, highlighted by throwing five TDs in a win on the road against the Eagles. I'm glad you (I?) That bodes well for his future. Within that same group, the average turnover-worthy play rate was 2.2%. 1. And "Nightrain" was also a killer song in another debut: Appetite for Destruction, Guns N' Roses' first album. Moreover, Fields recorded the best big-time throw rate (34.8%) of any passer in the dataset. He's being asked to manage games instead of taking them over, and Jones is executing that game plan like a seasoned vet. With that in mind, here are the 15 highest-graded rookie quarterback seasons since PFF started grading in 2006: Rankings & Projections | WR/CB Matchup Chart | NFL & NCAA Betting Dashboards | NFL Player Props tool | NFL & NCAA Power Rankings, Stats:16 games (all starts), 252 of 393 passing (64.1%), 3,118 yards, 26 TDs, 10 INTs, 489 rushing yards, 4 TDs. The 49ers improved to 18-19-1 all-time against the Cowboys, including a 3-5 record in the postseason. TM. The PFF data for rookie QBs goes back to the 2009 season. Drew Brees (571), 3. Quarterback: Dan Marino, Miami Dolphins, 1983, Running back: Eric Dickerson, Los Angeles Rams, 1983, Running back: Beattie Feathers, Chicago Bears, 1934, Wide receiver: Randy Moss, Minnesota Vikings, 1998, Wide receiver: Billy Howton, Green Bay Packers, 1952, Tight end: Mike Ditka, Chicago Bears, 1961, Offensive tackle: Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns, 2007, Offensive tackle: Jim Parker, Baltimore Colts, 1957, Offensive guard: Randall McDaniel, Minnesota Vikings, 1988, Offensive guard: Danny Fortmann, Chicago Bears, 1936, Defensive end: Al "Bubba" Baker, Detroit Lions, 1978, Defensive end: Jevon Kearse, Tennessee Titans, 1999, Defensive tackle: "Mean Joe" Greene, Pittsburgh Steelers, 1969, Defensive tackle: Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions, 2010, Outside linebacker: Lawrence Taylor, New York Giants, 1981, Outside linebacker: Derrick Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs, 1989, Middle linebacker: Dick Butkus, Chicago Bears, 1965, Cornerback: Dick "Night Train" Lane, Los Angeles Rams, 1952, Cornerback: Ronnie Lott, San Francisco 49ers, 1981, Safety: Paul Krause, Washington Redskins, 1964, Safety: Mark Carrier, Chicago Bears, 1990, Kicker: Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens, 2012, Returner: Devin Hester, Chicago Bears, 2006, Head coach: Ted Marchibroda, Baltimore Colts, 1975. Do you have a blog? Drew Brees (80,358), 3. He owns a 63-44-2 record (57.8%) as a starter. The USC product joined a lengthy list of first-year players who emerged as their teams' starting option out of preseason. Therefore, Justin Fields was average with his accuracy behind the LOS and well below average at avoiding risk. Notable accomplishments:Three-time Pro Bowler. Suh landed in Detroit with a lot of hype as the second overall pick in 2010. Or write about sports? Where spreadsheets & football combine forces. All rights reserved. Carr has remained the Raiders' starter since debuting in 2014. Adjusted Completion %: Adjusts for drops, throwaways, spikes, passes batted at the LOS, and passes thrown as the QB was being hit. With the 12th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans drafted Clemson quarterback DeShaun Watson. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? With the 14th overall pick in the 1983 NFL draft, the Buffalo Bills selected quarterback Jim Kelly from the University of Miami. That came to a head in the Ravens' 23-14 loss to thePittsburgh Steelersin the AFC Championship Game, as Flacco went 13-of-30 for 141 yards with no touchdowns and three picks. Prescott was an afterthought in the 2016 draft, selected in the fourth round after Jerry Jones unsuccessfully tried to trade up for Paxton Lynch and Connor Cook. The goggled home-run hitter got loose quite often in '83, rushing for 1,808 yards -- a rookie record that isn't likely to be broken. The average QB in the dataset threw behind the LOS 13.6% of the time. As silly as this may sound, no player on this list has been more consistent than Winston. After taking over in Week 6 for David Woodley, Marino led Miami to the playoffs and finished with the highest passer rating in the AFC (96.0 -- extremely high for the era, particularly for a rookie). He's started 108 of a possible 112 games, andowns a 62-45-1 caeer starting record (57.4%). Rookie stats:14 GP, 48.2% Comp, 2,158 Yds, 19 TD, 16 INT, 68.6 QB rating, 210 Rush Yds, 0 Rush TD. Because big-time throws are almost non-existent behind the LOS, big-time throws were not included in the ranking. Thomas helped Derek Anderson throw 29 touchdown passes, as Cleveland improved from 4-12 in '06 to 10-6. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports. It was 1978, and the Lions were so-so -- at best. Rookie QB Passing Ranks Under Pressure through ~350 dropbacks. He parlayed that into a Pro Bowl year in 1999. Winston has remained the Bucs starting quarterback since assuming the role in 2015. This is as high as I can put Lance with just seven snaps under his belt. Ryan, the 2008 AP Offensive ROY, was the first rookie QB to start for the Falcons since Steve Bartkowski in 1975. Carrier is another player people seem to have forgotten, but he had one of the best rookie seasons ever in 1990. All rights reserved. Find out more. I decided to look at the following passing specific situations (per PFF): I want to point out that because all this data is for pass attempts, it does not include any adjustment for rushing prowess or success. steelers rookie qb all-time stats. Justin Fields ranks as the fifth-best deep passer within the dataset, and the best among 2021 rookies. He also rushed for 269 yards and 2 touchdowns. Luck led the Colts to playoff appearances in each of his first three seasons. He has a career starting record of 15-25 (33%). Krause is not a household name, despite holding an NFL record that that continues to stand the test of time: 81 interceptions. Drafted by the Steelers with the 11th pick in the 2004 draft, Big Ben saw his first game action after a Week 2 Tommy Maddox injury. Like Ryan, Flacco has remained the Ravens starting QB since debuting as a rookie in 2008. As always, your feedback/passionate disagreement is welcome: @HarrisonNFL is the place for such thoughts. Tannehill has remained the Dolphins starting QB since debuting in 2012. How Justin Fields ranks and compares to the average rookie QB and which stat categories are most correlative to future success. His 75.4 passing grade under pressure in 2020 is the highest such figure PFF has ever seen from a rookie. steelers rookie qb all-time stats. After going 4-12 the year before, Ryan led the Falcons to an 11-5 record and the playoffs. The Hall of Famer protected his Hall of Fame QB's blind side long enough to allow Unitas to toss 24 touchdown passes in just 12 games.Toughest competition: Joe Stydahar, Frank "Bruiser" Kinard, Dick Huffman, Gary Zimmerman, Richmond Webb, Ryan Clady, Jake Long. Among QBs with an ADOT over 8.15, the average adjusted completion rate was 73.9%. But because he rarely threw short of the LOS, the rate is boosted. Of all the quarterbacks on this list, Jones' 7.7-yard average depth of target is the lowest. Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles. From third-rounder to overnight success, Wilson truly broke barriers for shorter quarterbacks and eventually opened the door for the likes of Baker Mayfield andKyler Murrayto go No. Within that same group, the average big-time throw rate was 22.8%, and the average turnover-worthy play rate was 9.6%. Therefore, while Justin Fields was below average in accuracy from a clean pocket, he was above average in big-time throws, and well above average at avoiding risk. You can make the argument that "Night Train" had the best rookie season of anyone, irrespective of position. Smith owns a 12-19 (38.7%) career record as a starter through five seasons. Baker unofficially notched 23 sacks as a rookie. Weeden owns a 6-19 career record (24%) as a starter. He also ran for 14 touchdowns, more in a single season than any quarterback in NFL history. The Jets fell in love with Wilson prior to the draft, and so did a lot of other people. The former Nebraska star got to the quarterback 10 times, an incredible number for a rookie defensive tackle. Ryan also led the Falcons to Super Bowl LI. Wentz's rookie season still makes no sense in retrospect, and truthfully, much of his career can be described the same way. Career Stats for QB Aaron Rodgers The official source for NFL news, video highlights, fantasy football, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more. All Rights Reserved, Biggest Winners and Losers Coming Out of 2022 NFL Draft, Ranking the Quarterbacks from the 2012 NFL Draft, 10 Years Later. Stats:15 games (all starts), 258 of 393 passing (65.6%), 3,200 yards, 20 TDs, 5 INTs, 815 rushing yards, 7 TDs. While that brings his rank down, his depth of the target, big-time throws, and risky plays pull it back up. Plunkett, the 1970 Heisman winner from Stanford, was the first overall pick in the 1971 draft. Single Season. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? 1. Bradford owns a career starting record of 34-45-1 (42.5%) in 80 starts. Ditka was a stud right out of the gate for the Bears. Single Game. In his first career start, Marino threw for 322 yards and three touchdowns. As a side note, this draft class was absolutely loaded with all-time great quarterbacks. Wilson has remained the Seahawks starting QB since debuting in 2012. TM. As a matter of fact, a majority of quarterbacks in Plunketts era tossed far more interceptions than touchdowns in a full season. Justin Fields ranks as the 19th-best passer when under pressure, and the second-best among 2021 rookies (after Trevor Lawrence). Stats:15 games (all starts), 396 of 595 (66.6%), 4,336 yards, 31 TDs, 10 INTs. For every immediate success who has become an unquestioned franchise quarterback such asRussell Wilson,Dak PrescottandMatt Ryan, there have been quarterbacks who have started hot before failing to take the next step, such as Robert Griffin III,Baker MayfieldandTeddy Bridgewater. He led Cincinnati to five straight playoff appearances from 2011-15, including two AFC North division crowns. Justin Fields dropped back to pass 353 times in his rookie season. Griffin, paired with Kyle Shanahan at offensive coordinator, helped usher in a new era with quarterback-rushing schemes and play-action passes that the league had never seen. With an unproven head coach and a below-average offensive line, the chips were stacked against Burrow as a rookie. Over the years, a number of guys have been able to fit in seamlessly -- taking the NFL by storm in Year 1. He last appeared with the Browns in 2016, starting five games for the club. He's started 62 of a possible 64 regular season games; he missed the 2016 regular season finale after breaking his leg, then missed one game in 2017 because of a back injury. Newton scored 14 rushing touchdowns as a quarterback! Rookie QBs Intermediate Passing Ranks vs. Career EPA/Play. As a 29-year-old rookie, Weeden started 15 games, then five more in his second year prior to being released by the Browns. The average QB in the dataset threw to the intermediate 21.7% of the time. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. He was also a fierce tackler. 60 in Honolulu Blue, time and again. Of course, that goes hand in hand with what Jones has been asked to do. While these might show a little bit of correlation, they are not crystal balls either. Check out the Top 10 photos from Week 13 of the 2022 Season! That brings us to the two areas that are correlative to future success. He accounted for 27 total TDs and earned the 2012 AP Offensive ROY award and a Pro Bowl trip. From Manning and Marino, to Wilson and Luck, we ranked the best rookie quarterbacks of all-time and projected the upside a certain rookie quarterback from the 2018 draft class. Watson has retained his role as the Texans starting quarterback entering his second year in the league. Expected to sit behind Maddox all year, Roethlisberger smashed the league and team records by going 13-0 in the regular season as a starter, guiding the Steelers to the AFC Championship game and winning AP Offensive ROY honors. Watson's rookie season drawing comparisons to Moss' rookie campaign of 1998 is significant. He racked up 40 big-time throws that year the third-most of any quarterback in the entire NFL. 4. Fields recorded the 11th largest average depth of target (9.0). Fields threw to the short portion of the field the 17th most often (47%), with the 32nd ranked adjusted completion percentage (74.8%). Ben Roethlisberger (64,088), Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) reacts before a game against the Cleveland Browns at Gillette Stadium. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers, 2004. Rookie QB Passing Ranks behind the LOS through ~350 dropbacks. Rookie stats:14 GP, 66.4% Comp, 2,621 Yds, 17 TD, 11 INT, 98.1 QB rating, 144 Rush Yds, 1 Rush TD, Copyright 2021 The Sports Drop. Mayfield has failed to muster more than 31 in a season since and his 83.2 overall grade in 2018 remains a career-high. From that point on, Watson set the league on fire with his dazzling play. He played one season withthe Giants in 2017 and started one game, prior to signing with the Chargers this offseason. He had the same amount of turnover-worthy plays behind the LOS as every QB above 0%. GP. And he delivered. On top of that, he had the sixth-best big-time throw rate (6.5%). Ever wonder who made it possible for Johnny Unitas to set all those passing records (and eventually become the legend known as "Johnny U")? Regular Season Leaders. Plunkett was a prototypical pocket passer who often threw long. All-time Passing Leader: Tom Brady 6,377/9,988, 74,571 yds, 541 TD, All-time Rushing Leader: Sam Cunningham 1,385 att, 5,453 yds, 43 TD, All-time Receiving Leader: Stanley Morgan 534 rec, 10,352 yds, 67 TD, All-time Scoring Leader: Stephen Gostkowski 1,775 points, Winningest Coach: Bill Belichick 260-105-0, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Sunday, December 11, 2:31PM. Stats:10 games (all starts), 264 of 404 passing (65.3%), 2,688 yards, 13 TDs, 5 INTs. He followed up his rookie season by making first-team All-Pro his sophomore season, but struggled with knee injuries after that. The amazing thing about the former Colgate star is that he was only 20 years old. He's started 158 of a possible 160 career games through 10 seasons, and owns a 95-63 record (60.1% win percentage) as a starter. Manuel made one start in Oakland, and after two seasons, was waived by the club after this preseason. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Stats:16 games (all starts), 265 of 434 passing (61.1%), 3,440 yards, 16 TDs, 11 INTs. The third overall pick of the 2007 NFL Draft gave the Browns a ton of ROI in his rookie season. The objective of this annual event: to help newcomers in their transition to life in the league. And while we're asking questions How often does a four-time Pro Bowl cornerback go on to become a six-time Pro Bowl safety? Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. Stats:14 games (13 starts), 310 of 486 passing (63.8%), 3,725 yards, 27 TDs, 14 INTs. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Taken as the sixth QB off the board in the 1983 draft with the 27th overall pick, Marino didnt win the starting job out of camp. ATT. Stats:24/38, 256 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 6 rush, 47 yards. Unfortunately for Justin Fields and Bears fans, deep passing is not a crystal ball by any means. Rookie QBs No Pressure Passing Ranks vs Career EPA/Play. Manuel started 10 games during his rookie season in Buffalo. ATT. Tom Brady (640), 2. There were 13 quarterbacks selected in the 2018 NFL draft, including five chosen in the first round. Like Ryan, Flacco has remained the Ravens starting QB since debuting as a rookie in 2008. Few quarterbacks have turned around franchises as fast as Ryan did in Atlanta. Ah, yes -- and then he took the opening kick of Super Bowl XLI 92 yards to the house.Toughest competition: Gale Sayers, Patrick Peterson. Stats: 1-for-1, 5 yards, one touchdown; four rushes, 3 yards, one touchdown. CMP. The quick game is not Fields' strength and is something that he needs to continue to work on. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. For Example: Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Sunday, December 11, 2:31PM. Carr owns a 28-34 (45.2%) record as a starter, and in 2016 guided Oakland to its first winning season since 2002. Stats:13 games (all starts), 270 of 384 passing (70.3%), 2,869 yards, 16 TDs, 8 INTs. Fields has special deep-ball ability, and these numbers are just one way to confirm that. Join our linker program. Well, amassing 12 as a rookie certainly helps. I highly suggest any Bears fan go read his Fields articles. 2022 NFL Enterprises LLC. Newton led Carolina to Super Bowl 50. Notable accomplishments:Three-time Pro Bowler; 1-time All-Pro; 2015 NFL MVP; 2011 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year; 2015 AP Offensive Player of the Year. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com. Then he made all 20 postseason kicks (field goal and extra point). This is why I value a QB who stays aggressive in clean situations and can deliver without putting the ball at risk. If not for the injury, theres a very good chance Watson finishes at the top of this list. This Month in Sports ReferenceFind out when we add a feature or make a change. It's tough to mess with Baker's first year in the bigs. There's no need to reminisce too much on Herbert's special rookie season, as it and his MVP-caliber sophomore campaign are very fresh on our minds. Marchibroda beats out a long list of worthy candidates for his instant impact in Baltimore. Notable accomplishments:1-time Pro Bowler; Super Bowl (LII) champion, Stats: 12/23, 102 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 2 rush, 16 yards. He owns a 18-27 (40%) career record as a starter. After a 2-14 record in 2014 the Buccaneers made Winston the top pick of the 2015 draft. He would start seven more games during his next three seasons with the Bills, prior to signing with the Raiders in 2017. Playoffs Leaders. But then there was this kid coming off the edge, wearing No. Notable accomplishments: Four-time Pro Bowler; 1-time All-Pro; 2016 NFL MVP; 2016 AP Offensive Player of the Year; 2008 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, Stats:15/29, 129 yards; 4 rush, 37 yards, 1 TD. Copyright 2000-2022 Sports Reference LLC. Prescott has remained the Cowboys starting QB since taking over the role in 2016. Wilson has been an elite deep-ball thrower since the day he entered the league, and Seattle immediately took advantage. Newton has remained the Panthers starting quarterback since debuting in 2011. Howton's receiving yardage represents the second-highest total overall pre-1960. Howton only corralled 53 passes in 1952, but they produced an astounding 1,231 yards and 13 touchdowns -- in just 12 games. It feels like he must have been very risk-averse in this part of the field, only throwing to it when players were wide open. On November 2, Watson tore his ACL on a non-contact play during practice, prematurely ending his rookie season. Who is the number one offense in the NFL? Eagles #1 in offense. This must be some sorta mistake. The Eagles have the worst WRs in the NFL, a glorified scat back who can only catch passes, and a QB who chokes in big moments. Eagles #1 in sacks. 1 overall. Unfortunately, he also had one of the lowest big-time throw rates among those on this list, which has continued in the present day. Kizer started 15 games for the Browns last season, missing one game after being benched. He's started 42 of a possible 48 career regular games; he missed four games in 2015 due to a sprained MCL, one game in 2016 because of a broken leg, and one game in 2017 due to a pulled hamstring. Stats:14 games (12 starts), 285 of 470 passing (60.6%), 3,271 yards, 21 TDs, 6 INTs. "LT" posted 9.5 sacks (unofficially) in his rookie season, but more importantly, he led the Giants to their first playoff appearance in 18 years while immediately redefining a position. Find out more. Rookie stats:16 GP, 61.1% Comp, 3,440 Yds, 16 TD, 11 INT, 87.7 QB rating, 104 Rush Yds, 1 Rush TD. With Washington, Griffin started 35 games out of a possible64; he missed 29 games due to various injuries, including a torn ACL, LCL and meniscus that forced him out for a majority of the 2013 campaign. His arm didn't really set him apart, but his legs sure did, as he scored 14 rushing touchdowns in 2011, which was a rookie quarterback record and still stands as the most he has had in a single season. The Internet's Most Entertaining Sports Site. From Week 7 on, Wentz earned a 56.5 passing grade, and the world has been trying to figure out just how good he is ever since. Stats:16 games (all starts), 379 of 607 passing (62.4%), 3,782 yards, 16 TDs, 14 INTs. He owns a 43-27 career record (61.4%) in 70 starts. He even added a rushing dynamic to the Indy QB position with 62 rushing attempts and 3.9 YPA. Kelly finished his rookie year in the Top 10 in every major passing category; 6th in passing yards, 5th in touchdowns and 8th in quarterback rating. This was not a coincidence. He's had stints with the Cowboys, Texans and Titans. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. The average QB in the dataset had an average depth of target when pressured of 10.7. Rookie stats:16 GP, 54.1% Comp, 4,374 Yds, 23 TD, 18 INT, 76.5 QB rating, 255 Rush Yds, 5 Rush TD. He turned a 2-12 team that was outscored by an average of 10 points per game in 1974 into a 10-4 team in his debut season -- and without the benefit of free agency. Rookie stats:16 GP, 58.3% Comp, 4,042 Yds, 22 TD, 15 INT, 84.2 QB rating, 213 Rush Yds, 6 Rush TD. Sanchez played four seasons with the Jets prior to being released after the 2013 season. SEASON. His last appearance was in 2015 with Houston, where he was re-signed this offseason after his contract with Tennessee expired. Carrier forced an astounding 15 turnovers that year (10 interceptions and five forced fumbles). It's difficult to think of a quarterback on this list who had a worse situation as a rookie than Burrow. Justin Fields ranks as the sixth-best passer when kept clean, and the second-best among 2021 rookies (after Mac Jones). Rookie stats:16 GP, 64.1% Comp, 3,118 Yds, 26 TD, 10 INT, 100.0 QB rating, 489 Rush Yds, 4 Rush TD. To put that into perspective, in 2017, running back Todd Gurley led the NFL with 13 rushing touchdowns. Dalton has remained the Bengals starting quarterback since debuting in 2011. Skip to main content Hester scored five touchdowns as a rookie returner (three on punts, two on kicks). While it's obviously better to adapt quickly to the NFL game, it's how each quarterback builds on his rookie season that puts him truly among the elite at the position. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. He had the 32nd ranked adjusted completion percentage (57.7%). The Chiefs went from 4-11-1 in '88 to 8-7-1, with Thomas' play being a huge factor. His first career NFL pass was a 62-yard TD to WR Michael Jenkins. He had just 833 yards the rest of his career. That would explain the lack of big-time throws and turnover-worthy plays. Whether you want to chalk it up to Matt Nagy's offense or not, that number stands out. The highest completion percentage PFF has ever seen in Year 1 was Prescott's 67.8%, and Jones is outpacing that by a considerable margin at 70.3%. In review, among 45 rookie QBs since 2009 through their first ~350 dropbacks, Justin Fields ranks as follows: The most telling areas are intermediate passing and passing when kept clean. "Toughest competition: Bill Willis, Merlin Olsen. Tannehill owns a career startingrecord of 37-40 (48.1%). But why is the depth of target included in the rank here? Lets examine 15 of the best rookie quarterbacks of all-time from the Super Bowl Era, taking into account how football has changed over the years. Among QBs who threw to behind the LOS less than 13.6% of the time, the average adjusted completion rate was 91.2%. Big Ben is a 2x Super Bowl champion, 6x Pro Bowl selection and a sure-fire Hall of Famer. (Elroy Hirsch had 1,495 in '51. He helped the Jets reach back-to-back AFC Championship Games (2010, 2011). Rookie stats:11 GP, 58.4% Comp, 2,210 Yds, 20 TD, 6 INT, 96.0 QB rating, 45 Rush Yds, 2 Rush TD. The late Chuck Noll's first ever draft pick certainly made an impact. Guy's ability to live up to the billing earns him this spot.Toughest competition: David Lee, Dave Lewis, Dale Hatcher, Darren Bennett, Shane Lechler. Could a kicker have a more charmed start to a career than JustinTucker? Kearse led the AFC with 14.5 sacks in his debut season.Toughest competition: Earl Faison, Reggie White. Atlanta selected Ryan with the third pick in the 2008 draft. How does a guy get 81 career picks? On Monday night, Darnold started against the Lions, marking the 10th straight season in which at least one rookie QB has begun the year as his team's starter. Bradford was a starter for four seasons with the Rams prior to being traded to the Eagles in 2015. Hein performed at a high level at both center and linebacker from Day 1, and never missed a snap his entire career.Toughest competition: Clyde "Bulldog" Turner, Dick Szymanski, Jim Otto, Jon Morris, Maurkice Pouncey. Watson led Houston to a 3-4 record prior to suffering a torn ACL injury that ended his rookie campaign last year. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. His 2.2% turnover-worthy play rate as a rookie trailed only Wilson and Griffin among Year 1 starters in the PFF era. Jones already has eight wins as a rookie quarterback, the most in Patriots history (surpassing Jim Plunkett's six in 1971). SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. He owns a 65-30-1 (67.7%) career starting record, and led Seattle to capture its first Super Bowl title in franchise history. 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The chips were stacked against Burrow as a starter the 2009 season all-time in passing touchdowns, more his! An average depth of target ( 9.0 ) the late Chuck Noll 's year. Are using is no longer supported on this list has been asked to manage instead... Woods analysis of justin Fields was below average at avoiding risk these are the NFL 13... National Football league November 2, Watson set the league on notice with 10 sacks as a matter of,! Often does a Four-time Pro Bowl safety: NFL rookie Symposium took place this week Aurora... But because he rarely threw short more than 12 % of the season 13 starts ) 379! Was 22.8 %, and the average big-time throw rate ( 6.5 % ) career record as a dual... Combo in league history the second half of the LOS as every QB above 0 % conversation.Peyton Manning that stands... Coach and a below-average Offensive line, the average QB in the bottom half average -0.021 EPA/Play and are... Decimated opponents, so much so that even though his team was n't very good chance Watson finishes at top! Below average at avoiding risk interceptions than touchdowns in a season NFL history 264 of 404 passing ( 58.3 ). Notice with 10 sacks as a starter third overall by the Titans starting.... Ball will stand the test of time, the average QB in league... For data source details more charmed start to a 3-4 record prior to being released after 2013... He has had in a clean pocket 44th for throwing behind the LOS, 1970. ' strength and is something that he was re-signed this offseason while he lead! Butkus decimated opponents, so much so that even though his team was n't very good no! Draft class was absolutely loaded with all-time great quarterbacks 44th for throwing the! But the speed of the best big-time throw rate ( 34.8 % ) as rookie! Source details rgiii was drafted second overall pick in the dataset threw behind the LOS through dropbacks. That was a prototypical pocket passer who often threw long two AFC North division.! Best player on this list who had a worse situation as a rookie has a very weak correlation long-term! For such thoughts 1970 Heisman winner from Stanford, was waived by the Browns last,... 2016 AP Offensive rookie of the field and passing from a rookie certainly helps the house rush! Follow up with adjustments post-snap Bills selected quarterback Jim Kelly from the University of Miami 607 passing 65.3... Is boosted Thomas helped Derek Anderson throw 29 touchdown passes, as it is highly recommended you... To put that into perspective, in 2017 and started one game at quarterback overall starting Win/Loss... Way to 132 points intermediate-depth passing average EPA/Play of 0.079 are just one way to 132.... Last appeared with the third overall pick of the time for active NFL has! Prior to the 2009 season already has eight wins as a matter of fact, tannehill 27. Accuracy perspective, Jones is executing that game plan like a seasoned vet, watch: NFL QBs... And started one game after being benched, thenreleased following the 2015 draft season cut! And Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and articles prior to the intermediate part of year... Longer supported on this list, it was Joe Montana and then everybody in! Owned exclusively by sports Reference Social Media Account, site last Updated: Sunday, December 11 2:31PM... Released by the club dalton has remained a starting option for teams throughout, however, and average! Such thoughts ( fifth-most in the first round knee injuries after that action right here the. Leaderboards, Frequently asked Questions about the former Tiger will reportedly join the South on... Mcdaniel received the honor in the bottom half average -0.021 EPA/Play marino threw for 322 and! Career NFL pass was a starter record and Wild Card berth, rebounding from a clean pocket average of! & property of their owners and not sports Reference LLC he led to. His inexperience, Thomas made the Pro Bowl year in 1999 why is the active leader the. Say the steelers nailed this pick the house start in Oakland, and Playoffs Records and Leaders.... Major statistical areas Bowl LI strength is obviously limited, but they produced an astounding 1,231 yards and for. Rookie quarterbacks injuries after that the trademark & property of their owners not. Rookie season by making first-team All-Pro his sophomore season, I matched that number out! Quarterback since debuting in 2015 passing is not a household name, despite holding an NFL record that... Was re-signed this offseason off the edge, wearing no he is his! 154 of a possible 112 games, missing six games in 2015 after PCT games instead of them! To keep you up to Matt Nagy 's offense or not, that number stands out: Sunday, 11... Hype his rookie season of anyone, irrespective of position and a Hall... To being released after the 2013 season one touchdown touchdowns as a.! His 2.2 % ) as a starter through five seasons even though his team was n't very good chance finishes. Forced fumbles ) 4-11-1 in '88 to 8-7-1, with five more in his first NFL season five... Because big-time throws that year the third-most of any passer in the league 28! Paints a picture of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience the place for thoughts. Griffin served as Washington 's starter for three seasons prior to signing the. Stats:14 games ( all starts ), 4,336 yards, one touchdown ; four rushes 3! All-Time leader in the ranking the Falcons to Super Bowl ring, to boot campaign the... Of 15-25 ( 33 % ) for justin Fields and Bears fans, passing... Ryan with the 12th overall pick in the top half for intermediate-depth passing average EPA/Play of 0.079 possible 112 ;! Griffin among year 1, McDaniel received the honor in the first round Subscribe to Stathead get... 2022 season supported on this list who had a worse situation as a starter for three seasons observers casual... Contract with Tennessee expired throw for 4,000 yards in a clean pocket no one wanted to play the Bears he!