Players who were active for a team but never played for them

[Patrick McDonald]

I am interested to know how many fit this description. A few off the top of my head:
Bob Belden QB Cowboys 1970
Mike Taliaferro QB Patriots 1971
Jeff Winans DL Raiders 1976
Fred Besana QB Bills 1977, Giants 1978
Ken Johnson QB Bills 1977
Dennis Shaw QB Giants 1976 Chiefs 1978

[BD Sullivan]

The fact that five of the six players are quarterbacks is indicative of the "emergency" QB mentality.

[bachslunch]

Tony Boselli OT Texans 2002, most likely. Was selected in the expansion draft, but didn't play for them.

[JWL]

Christian Hackenberg, 2016 Jets

[rhickok1109]

I'm sure there have been many players active for just a game or two without getting on the field.

[TodMaher]

I'm sure there have been many players active for just a game or two without getting on the field.

I count 1233 player-seasons in my database (some players have more than one season; Bob Avellini 1980 CHIB and 1984 NYJ). There are probably more from the "early" years that still are to be unearthed.

[LJP]

I've got a list of over 100 Bears players that fit in that category.

There are probably quite a few more too.

Hard to tell in the early days, as information in programs and newspapers could be out of date.

Complicating things, the roster cutdowns in the 1920s and 1930s didn't usually happen until late September/early October, which was a couple of games in to the season for some teams.

[LJP]

On a similar subject, the Taxi Squad in the late 1960s/early 1970s was an Inactive List.

Are players on the Taxi Squad from this time considered the same as those that are Inactive nowadays? i.e. on the roster. Or is it more like the Practice Squad of today?

[rhickok1109]

On a similar subject, the Taxi Squad in the late 1960s/early 1970s was an Inactive List.

Are players on the Taxi Squad from this time considered the same as those that are Inactive nowadays? i.e. on the roster. Or is it more like the Practice Squad of today?

I'd say it's more like today's practice squad. They aren't on the roster. However, now and then a player from the practice squad is activated for a game or two, and the same was true of the old taxi squad.

[rhickok1109]

BTW, Johnny Blood in 1939 would qualify for the list. As Pittsburgh's coach, he kept himself on the roster as a possible emergency replacement, but he never put himself into a game.