Ideal career situation for Steve DeBerg

[74_75_78_79_]

I know that I, long ago, started a thread on this very thing but thought I reintroduce it. We all know he just so happened to be on the same teams as Staubach, Montana, Elway, Young, Testeverde, Marino, Chandler.

What team/situation, late-'70s thru '80s, do you think would have been best for him to not only stay on as a starting QB for those years, but the very team itself being a regular-enough contender in that duration?

I'm thinking Jets wouldn't have been bad fit. Safe enough to place DeBerg above Todd & O'Brien, right? Rams not a bad fit either. And how about taking over for...Terry in '83?? Perhaps helping Noll to two or three extra playoff berths!

A very tough QB! Peyton studied the hell out of his play-action game! In '85 (Opening Day in particular), he gave the '46' fits in not just one but both Tampa's games against them that season! Yes, in a parallel career Steve DeBerg...

[7DnBrnc53]

In San Francisco, DeBerg was unfairly criticized. Walsh said something about how he was just good enough to get you beat, but he didn't benefit from the defensive improvements that the 49ers made.

In Denver, I think that he could have done a good job for several years (if Elway doesn't go there) unless Reeves would have failed him like he did Elway (by failing to put enough weapons around him).

Also, Seattle could have been a good situation for him under Chuck Knox. He would have had a 1,000 yard back in Curt Warner, a decent offensive line, and some good receivers around him in Steve Largent and Daryl Turner.

[Gary Najman]

I think that he should have gone straight to Kansas City after leaving San Francisco. Bill Kenney (IMHO a lesser talented QB) had a great season in 1983 (with a great WR corp with Carlos Carson, Henry Marshall and Stephone Paige) and Todd Blackledge (who was drafted that year) was a bust. When DeBerg finally arrived in KC in 1988 it was a vast improvement over Kenney and he led the Chiefs to two staright playoff appearences in 1990 and 1991.

[7DnBrnc53]

I think that he should have gone straight to Kansas City after leaving San Francisco. Bill Kenney (IMHO a lesser talented QB) had a great season in 1983 (with a great WR corp with Carlos Carson, Henry Marshall and Stephone Paige) and Todd Blackledge (who was drafted that year) was a bust. When DeBerg finally arrived in KC in 1988 it was a vast improvement over Kenney and he led the Chiefs to two staright playoff appearences in 1990 and 1991.

DeBerg was traded to Denver, not cut (so he didn't have a choice). However, if he was, that would have been a good idea. If the 1981 and 82 Chiefs had DeBerg at QB instead of Kenney or Fuller, they may make the playoffs one (or both) of those years, and Levy probably doesn't get canned.

[L.C. Greenwood]

In San Francisco, DeBerg was unfairly criticized. Walsh said something about how he was just good enough to get you beat, but he didn't benefit from the defensive improvements that the 49ers made.

In Denver, I think that he could have done a good job for several years (if Elway doesn't go there) unless Reeves would have failed him like he did Elway (by failing to put enough weapons around him).

Also, Seattle could have been a good situation for him under Chuck Knox. He would have had a 1,000 yard back in Curt Warner, a decent offensive line, and some good receivers around him in Steve Largent and Daryl Turner.

Steve DeBerg did have a good career, but I don't know if SF wins a single Super Bowl if he's the Niners starter during the 80s. Joe Montana lifted that offense to a supreme level, was important to the success of players like Jerry Rice, etc. I just don't see DeBerg pulling out the 1981 NFC Title Game, and the second Cincinnati Super Bowl game. Montana pulled out so many regular season games as well, which helped the Niners gain a home field playoff game.

[74_75_78_79_]

In San Francisco, DeBerg was unfairly criticized. Walsh said something about how he was just good enough to get you beat, but he didn't benefit from the defensive improvements that the 49ers made.

In Denver, I think that he could have done a good job for several years (if Elway doesn't go there) unless Reeves would have failed him like he did Elway (by failing to put enough weapons around him).

Also, Seattle could have been a good situation for him under Chuck Knox. He would have had a 1,000 yard back in Curt Warner, a decent offensive line, and some good receivers around him in Steve Largent and Daryl Turner.

Steve DeBerg did have a good career, but I don't know if SF wins a single Super Bowl if he's the Niners starter during the 80s. Joe Montana lifted that offense to a supreme level, was important to the success of players like Jerry Rice, etc. I just don't see DeBerg pulling out the 1981 NFC Title Game, and the second Cincinnati Super Bowl game. Montana pulled out so many regular season games as well, which helped the Niners gain a home field playoff game.

No 'Catch', no two-minute-drill vs Cincy 7 years later...would have to agree. After all, we're talking an arguable GOAT QB so nothing for DeBerg to be ashamed of. Walsh needed a Joe Cool to topple "America's Team" as well as play surgeon-in-the-clutch vs Dick LeBeau in SBXXIII. I do, however, see a DeBerg-led Niner squad topping Marino in '84 (even if SF would have maybe won 2 or 3 less games during regular season) along with SF at least being a regular winning team in the '80s.

I guess that there are some who ask why 1st-round QBs (Elway, Vinny) were drafted in the first place had DeBerg been that good, but I think it was simply a case of bad luck/series of circumstances with him. Plus, as already said, Walsh may have tarnished his rep early in his career with that remark. He was better than most starting QBs throughout his career as a backup. Again with the Steelers...the famous hypothetical "had Steelers drafted Marino" may be asking a bit too much. I always thought, simply, a Phil Simms and yes also a DeBerg taking the snaps would have made them post-Dynasty years in the Noll Era less painful. His toughness would have won the fans over in the 'Burgh.

[7DnBrnc53]

In San Francisco, DeBerg was unfairly criticized. Walsh said something about how he was just good enough to get you beat, but he didn't benefit from the defensive improvements that the 49ers made.

In Denver, I think that he could have done a good job for several years (if Elway doesn't go there) unless Reeves would have failed him like he did Elway (by failing to put enough weapons around him).

Also, Seattle could have been a good situation for him under Chuck Knox. He would have had a 1,000 yard back in Curt Warner, a decent offensive line, and some good receivers around him in Steve Largent and Daryl Turner.

Steve DeBerg did have a good career, but I don't know if SF wins a single Super Bowl if he's the Niners starter during the 80s. Joe Montana lifted that offense to a supreme level, was important to the success of players like Jerry Rice, etc. I just don't see DeBerg pulling out the 1981 NFC Title Game, and the second Cincinnati Super Bowl game. Montana pulled out so many regular season games as well, which helped the Niners gain a home field playoff game.

Well, DeBerg didn't fit the system that Walsh was running, and Montana did. However, the 49er defense improved a lot in Joe's first full year as a starter because of the acquisitions of Lott, Wright, Williamson, Hacksaw, and Fred Dean. When Steve was 49er QB, the defense was lousy. Also, a lot of people forget that Joe had several INT's in that 1981 NFC Title Game before his game winning drive.

[L.C. Greenwood]

In San Francisco, DeBerg was unfairly criticized. Walsh said something about how he was just good enough to get you beat, but he didn't benefit from the defensive improvements that the 49ers made.

In Denver, I think that he could have done a good job for several years (if Elway doesn't go there) unless Reeves would have failed him like he did Elway (by failing to put enough weapons around him).

Also, Seattle could have been a good situation for him under Chuck Knox. He would have had a 1,000 yard back in Curt Warner, a decent offensive line, and some good receivers around him in Steve Largent and Daryl Turner.

Steve DeBerg did have a good career, but I don't know if SF wins a single Super Bowl if he's the Niners starter during the 80s. Joe Montana lifted that offense to a supreme level, was important to the success of players like Jerry Rice, etc. I just don't see DeBerg pulling out the 1981 NFC Title Game, and the second Cincinnati Super Bowl game. Montana pulled out so many regular season games as well, which helped the Niners gain a home field playoff game.

Well, DeBerg didn't fit the system that Walsh was running, and Montana did. However, the 49er defense improved a lot in Joe's first full year as a starter because of the acquisitions of Lott, Wright, Williamson, Hacksaw, and Fred Dean. When Steve was 49er QB, the defense was lousy. Also, a lot of people forget that Joe had several INT's in that 1981 NFC Title Game before his game winning drive.

I think the legendary QBs like Montana are just better equipped to handle adversity and overcome mistakes. For the good QBs, it's more difficult, and we can see the difference in the postseason as well.

Elite QBs like Montana, Bradshaw, etc. often began in difficult circumstances, but were able to progress, and the rest is history. Vinny Testaverde was in a tough spot with Tampa Bay, but even when he played for a better organization, I never felt he could lead a team to a SB. The guy had an incredible physical skill set, but had issues dating back to the University of Miami, which raised a red flag for me.

[JuggernautJ]

Ideal career situation for Steve DeBerg...

Being born 10-15 years earlier?
(And by that I mean to suggest that perhaps DeBerg's skill set would've served him better in the previous era.)

[BD Sullivan]

Ideal career situation for Steve DeBerg...

Being born 10-15 years earlier?
(And by that I mean to suggest that perhaps DeBerg's skill set would've served him better in the previous era.)

Drafted by the Bears, who he can take over after a few years of seasoning and the fading of either Billy Wade or Rudy Bukich?