Re: Early to mid 50s QBs not named Otto Graham
Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2018 10:36 pm
George Shaw was an interesting guy. Picked first in the draft, and had a good rookie year considering how tough a league it was to break into at the time. Then he got hurt, and along came Unitas.
I don't think he was ever really right after he hurt his knee. He hurt it a few more times after that. Shaw was a great athlete; led the Oregon Ducks to the College World Series in baseball. Set a college record for interceptions in a season that stood for decades.
Given his level of play, Shaw should have played well in the AFL at least. Shaw was clearly better than someone like Cotton Davidson in his NFL days. But when he finally went over to the AFL, he wasn't any better there. It had to have been the knee and an associated lack of confidence. Read more in the upcoming book on the 1958 Colts!
I don't think he was ever really right after he hurt his knee. He hurt it a few more times after that. Shaw was a great athlete; led the Oregon Ducks to the College World Series in baseball. Set a college record for interceptions in a season that stood for decades.
Given his level of play, Shaw should have played well in the AFL at least. Shaw was clearly better than someone like Cotton Davidson in his NFL days. But when he finally went over to the AFL, he wasn't any better there. It had to have been the knee and an associated lack of confidence. Read more in the upcoming book on the 1958 Colts!