Over the history of sports, there has been one constant – evolution. An ever-evolving sporting landscape has affected all types of sports all over the world. It has brought changes to equipment, stadia, training techniques, rules, and regulations and even body shapes of athletes. This is no different for American Football.
The sport and its flagship commodity, the National Football League (NFL), is one of the most followed sports in the world and continues to extend its influence on new markets worldwide. And the evolution witnessed in American Football over time is one reason new audiences embrace the sport. There is always room for improvement, especially on the pitch, and NFL fans are repeatedly witnessing new talents across all positions that are bringing new dimensions of play to the game.
One role in particular is a work of art constantly being perfected by coaches, and individuals who are not scared to play their part in sports evolution. Over time, there have been many contributors who have brought different talents and abilities to one of the most demanding roles in sport, the quarterback.
Pass it!
When the forward pass rule was introduced in 1906, a whole realm of offensive play was unleashed onto the American Football field. The ability to cover greater yardage with one hurl of the football gave much more variety to the way touchdowns could be scored and brought more focus onto the passing of the football itself.
The quarterback has always been the instigator but back towards the beginning of the 20th century, the quarterback was known purely as the primary passer of the football. Benny Friedman, arguably the quarterback Godfather, was one of the original pioneers of the position during the late 1920’s and early 1930’s. Friedman brought passing to a new level and was responsible for bringing the passing game into all downs of play, not just as a desperate last-ditch relinquishment of the football.
From Friedman, the likes of Troy Aikman built on the “computer” that Friedman had in his head with the ball in his hands and developed the level of football intelligence to create new angles, depths, and distances for the football to be thrown. This intelligence opened offensive playbooks even further, to include wide receivers on both flanks, as well as the tight end position that was coined in the 1950’s and more importantly, the ability to go short or long with the ball fired in high or flat.
Chalkboard offense
While individual quarterbacks such as Friedman, Aikman, and Johnny Unitas executed the throws on the field, there were an increasing number of tacticians emerging in the game, none more so than Paul Brown in the 1950’s. Brown is known for revolutionizing the offensive playbook, coming up with intricate plays for Otto Graham, arguably the most successful quarterback in history (81% win rate) to execute. If sports books existed back then like they do now, there would have been plenty backing NFL betting lines featuring the Graham-led Browns. Brown took Cleveland to three NFL championships, with Hall of Famer, Graham, at the helm for the first of those successes in 1950.
Run it!
Since the days of Graham and Johnny Unitas, who developed the poster boy image of quarterbacks and the concept of a “coach on the field” with regards to the offensive plays run, legendary quarterbacks such as Dan Marino, Peyton Manning, and of course, Tom Brady, continued to build on the quarterback blueprint created by the aforementioned protagonists.
However, the role was further revolutionized by artists such as Lamar Jackson who brought another ability to the quarterback role. With quarterbacks already spraying passes left, right, and center to willing receivers and running backs, what more could they do? Why not run with the ball themselves? A talented few quarterbacks like Jackson have added the rushing element to their game, almost acting like a running back with their nifty footwork and turn of speed. The running quarterback essentially adds another player to the offense rank making it even harder for defenses to keep out this new moldof quarterback.
What is next for QBs?
We have seen an array of talents displayed by quarterbacks over the last century, which leaves people wondering what more can be added to the quarterback repertoire. We have seen Miami Dolphin’s Tua Tagovailoa throw touchdowns with both arms. Patrick Mahomes, arguably the quarterback of the moment with three Super Bowl victories in the past five years with the Kansas City Chiefs, has been seen throwing out the back of his hand. Bo Nix (Denver Broncos) even caught a touchdown off a throw from wide receiver Courtland Sutton in a recent match against the Baltimore Ravens. No doubt there will be more innovation seen from quarterbacks in the NFL and college football in the near future. Just keep your eyes on the QBs.
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