Qbs who were the first pick in the draft, backing up other QBs who were the first pick

The Game Room
1

How many times in NFL history has a quarterback been taken as the first pick in the entire NFL draft, then gone on to back up another QB who was the first pick in the draft?

I’ve noticed 2 examples of this, both involving David Carr (the first player taken in 2002). This year, he backs up Alex Smith on the 49ers - Alex was the first player taken in the 2005 draft. In 2008-2009, he backed up Eli Manning on the Giants, and Eli was the first pick in 2004.

I also know Steve Walsh once backed up Troy Aikman, but Walsh was the first player taken in the 1989 supplemental draft (Aikman was the first pick in the 1989 regular draft) - not quite the same.

Jeff George could have done this since he played for so many teams, but I don’t think he qualifies. Am I missing someone else?

2

David Carr also backed up Vinny Testaverde in 2007 with Carolina, coming in to replace him in one game when he left with an injury. (Testaverde was signed as an emergency replacement for Carr, who was injured, but I don’t know if he actually spent any time backing him up.)

Testaverde and Drew Bledsoe just missed each other with the Cowboys - Testaverde in 2004, Bledsoe in 2005-2006.

3

Surely Tim Couch would make the list, had he not been cut or released before even getting a regular season start during his comeback attempts with Green Bay, Chicago, Cincy, Tennessee, Miami, Pittsburgh, Houston, or Jacksonville.

4

That’s even more impressive; possibly no one else has ever done this, but Carr’s done it 3 times! Good trivia.

5

Well, of those teams, the only ones with recent QBs that were drafted first were the Bengals (Palmer) and Houston (Carr, again).

There have only been 27 QBs taken with the first pick of the draft - and 10 of those were in the last 13 years.

It looks like the Boston Yanks may have had 2 QBs taken first on the same roster, as they took Angelo Bertelli in 1944 and Frank Dancewicz in 1946.

6

From his wikipedia page, it looks like the Yanks didn’t manage to sign Bertelli - his first pro season is 1946 with the dons after being drafted in 44.

7

Also from browsing the Wikipedia list: overall #1 pick Bobby Garrett proved unable to play in the pros because he stuttered so badly he couldn’t get plays called.

8

On the Steve Walsh/supplemental draft front, Bernie Kosar, who also backed up Troy Aikman, was taken in the 1985 supplemental draft.

9

Carr did actually back up Testaverde. I’m pretty sure I heard announcers at the time saying Carr backing up Testaverde was the first time this had ever happened. That stuck in my mind because it sucked much of the interest out of the factoid when he came to NY.

10

I didn’t have an answer to the original question, but that one inspired a DIFFERENT question on a similar subject.

***Can you think of a Heisman Trophy winning quarterback who backed up another Heisman-winning quarterback?

There may have been several cases, for all I know, but there are two cases I’m sure of, and one of them is so surprising that it’s clearly etched in my mind.

11

That wouldn’t be too impressive though because Heisman trophy winners quite frequently suck in the NFL, at any position. (Said the bitter Giants fan, whose team drafted Ron Dayne in the first round.)

12

If you suspect that the quarterbacks in question weren’t particularly successful pros, you’re right.

13

While I’m not sure about this, I’d guess that one of them is Andre Ware. Although I’m not sure if he ever actually “backed up” anyone; I always imagine him as being #3 his whole “career”.

14

Andre Ware is correct- but what made the question interesting to me is that he was backing up Doug Flutie for the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL.