Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

San Francisco's had to use 3 QBs this year. And they already clinched their division. I can think of several times when playoff teams and even championship teams used a backup QB for a considerable amount of time, even in the championship game or Super Bowl. But 3 QBs? Does anybody remember that happening before? The only times I can think of that it might have happened with SF -- Steve Bono may have had to start a game or two? In college, Nebraska had that year where the third-string QB started a game, and they won the national championship. Racking my brain trying to think of a time when there were three starting QBs because of injuries and the team was doing this well.

Maybe the 79 Rams used three? I mean, this doesn't happen often.

The 88 Browns had 4 QBs and went 10-6 and made the playoffs. Bernie Kosar got hurt in the first game, Gary Danielson came in and predictably shattered like a piece of glass. Mike Pagel stepped in for a few games and then got hurt himself. Don Strock was QB #4 and started a couple games until Kosar got healthy. Kosar played for a bit before getting injured again toward the end of the year, with Strock coming back in. Strock started the playoff game against Houston, but got injured and was replaced by Pagel.

I guess the amazing thing was that the Browns were staring their 4th string QB in the playoffs against probably the most talented team in the AFC, and they almost beat the Oilers (losing 24-23). 3 turnovers and 13 penalties for 118 yards...Jerry Glanville was a terrible postseason coach.

Great memory on that, Bryan! I had forgotten Pagel was on the Browns -- I always think of him with the Colts. Wow, four quarterbacks. Impressive.

Exhibit B on Glanville would be Stagger Lee.

The 1974 Pittsburgh Steelers used three quarterbacks, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Gilliam, and Terry Hanratty during the regular season that culminated in a victory in Super Bowl 9. All three started at some point in the season.

The 1976 Los Angeles Rams started three different quarterbacks and won the NFC West with a 10-3-1 record:

James Harris, Pat Haden and Ron Jaworski

The 1978 Denver Broncos started three different quarterbacks and won the AFC West with a 10-6 record:

Craig Morton, Norris Weese and Craig Penrose

1993 Dallas Cowboys had Aikman, Garrett and Kosar win starts. Kosar, like Mayfield last week played after arriving to the team. I felt really good when Kosar replaced an injured Aikman in the NFC Championship and got the team 10 more points to put away the Niners. That game was Steve Young's chance to rally and come back but Kosar maintained the cushion.

1986 Bears started 4 QBs (Jim McMahon won 6 games, Mike Tomczak won 7 games, Steve Fuller lost the only 2 games Chicago lost all season, and Doug Flutie won the other game). They lost the Divisonal Playoff against Washington with Flutie at iQB.

Of course the ’91 Eagles who went 10-6!

Randall Cunningham
Jim McMahon
Jeff Kemp
Brad Goebel

and Pat Ryan, but he never started in a game

Teo wrote:1986 Bears started 4 QBs (Jim McMahon won 6 games, Mike Tomczak won 7 games, Steve Fuller lost the only 2 games Chicago lost all season, and Doug Flutie won the other game). They lost the Divisonal Playoff against Washington with Flutie at iQB.

In ’88 it was McMahon, Tomczak, and Harbaugh.

1984 Bears, 10-6 - McMahon, Lisch, Fuller, Aveilini, Landry