Up to now the media has done a great job in hyping a possible SuperBowl with the Arizona Cardinals playing on their home field. Now with Drew Stanton taking the snaps I was wondering what teams (other than the Rams/Kurt Warner story) went on to win the SuperBowl with their backup QB leading the way. After looking into it there were actually a few more than I could recall: 1. 1971 Dallas Cowboys– If ever there was a true QB controversy in the history of the NFL, the '71 Cowboys would take the crown. Time was being split between starting QB Craig Morton and 3rd year proRoger Staubach. After week 7 Dallas was 4-3 and just came off a loss to the Chicago Bears. With 1 TD pass and five INT’s under his belt in his last two starts, HC Tom Landry had seen enough from Morton and made Staubach the starter. Beginning with a win against the St. Louis Cardinals in Wk. 8, the Cowboys would go on to win ten (10) straight games including a win in SuperBowl V. 2.1974 Pittsburgh Steelers– Kind of a stretch but Terry Bradshaw was actually the #3 QB behind Joe Gilliam and Terry Hanratty. That was the strike year where Gilliam crossed the picket line and became the No. 1. The Steelers were 7-2-1 but the play of Gilliam had become horrid. Hanratty got the start as the #2 in week 10 and they won that game. But Hanratty was 2 for 15 in passing and HC Chuck Noll had no alternative but to hand the ball over to Bradshaw for game number 11. The Steelers lost that game but it would be the last time they would lose in 1974 with Bradshaw behind center. 3.1980 Oakland Raiders–Jim Plunkett comes off the bench during game #5 after starting QB Dan Pastorini breaks a leg against the Chiefs. The Raiders were 2-3 at the time but finished the season on a 9-2 run and became SuperBowl XV champs. 4. 1987 Washington Redskins –Starting QB Jay Schoeder was 8-2 as a starter during the regular season, but HC Joe Gibbs announced that backup Doug Williams would be starting the final game of the regular season because of Schroeder’s erratic play. Williams went on to start all games of that year’s postseason. What took place in the 2nd quarter of SuperBowl XXII is still the most incredible offensive show in the annals of the SuperBowl. Williams led the ‘Skins on a 35-point barrage in that quarter and eventually won SuperBowl XXII 42-10 over Elway and the Broncos. (Thanks to @Diesel44 for catching the omission of Williams in my original post.) 5.1990 New York Giants–Jeff Hostetler was drafted by the Giants in 1984 and was the backup to Phil Simms for six (6) seasons. The Giants were 11-3 after fourteen (14) games during the ’90 season when Simms broke a foot. Enter the perennial backup Jeff Hostetler and the Giants never lost a step. 6.1999 St. Louis Rams–Kurt Warner– Is there anyone who doesn’t know the story of starter Trent Green getting injured (ACL) during the preseason and the $5.50/hr. Hy-Vee grocery store stocker leading the Rams to a SuperBowl win? 7.2000 Baltimore Ravens– During the first four (4) weeks of the Ravens 2000 season they failed to score an offensive touchdown with Tony Banks as their starting QB. Head coach Brian Billick had seen enough and started backup QBTrent Dilfer in week 5. The Ravens lost the game and for the fifth consecutive week failed to score an offensive TD. That was the last time the Ravens would lose a game in 2000. 8.2001 New England Patriots–Tom Brady. This video explains it all: One commonality with 5 of the 7 teams listed above and the Arizona Cardinals is a staunch defense. The stage is set for Drew Stanton and the 8-1 Cardinals. Here’s hoping for a 1990-like fairy tale ending.
Bradshaw wasn't really a backup. Noll was mentally toughening him up by making him the number 3 QB...in addition to the strike and it obviously worked.
doug williams was jay schroder's back up in 197 until gibbs pulled shroder out against the vikes and gave the starting job to williams the rest of they year.
Oh shirt, I didn't even realize Williams wasn't on the list. He's the closest to Mark Sanchez as far as career redemption storyline, should he lead the Eagles to the promised land.
Brain fart on my part. That's a big one and I thought I was being careful when digging into it. Doh! I'll add it. If I remember correctly that was the year that the 'Skins were always in the paper (before the internet) about how much everyone hated Jay Schroeder, especially his teammates, but how they were winning in spite of the locker room turmoil. Joe Gibbs was a god.
Completely agree and why I started that entry with "Kind of a stretch but Terry Bradshaw was......". Had to include it because no NFL list is complete without the Steelers being on it.;)
