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Early-Season Spotlight Shining On Backup QBs

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 14, 2007

Vinny Testaverde has seen his pro career come full circle.

In 1987, the Heisman Trophy winner from the University of Miami was selected first overall in the NFL draft by the Buccaneers and new coach Ray Perkins.

When Testaverde signed with his seventh NFL club last week, he served as a 6-foot-5 reminder that quarterback depth is sorely missing in the pro ranks.

Testaverde turns 44 in November and he's only three months younger than Bucs coach Jon Gruden. When the Panthers turned to him, they illustrated their sense of urgency following a season-ending elbow injury to Jake Delhomme and a sore back that is hampering David Carr.

There's a decent chance Testaverde will start for Carolina today at Arizona against Kurt Warner, a mere child at 36. Warner is starting for the injured Matt Leinart.

Everywhere you look, NFL clubs are waiting to exhale, holding their breath while hoping to keep the men under center upright for 16 games.

Already, 56 quarterbacks have taken snaps this year and a flurry of injuries at the game's most critical position has placed backups in an early-season spotlight.

When things go wrong, fans usually clamor for the backup quarterback, a position described by Ravens coach Brian Billick as, 'The greatest job in the world, until you have to play.'

Reaching out to Testaverde could be interpreted as a desperate move for a 3-2 club trying to win the weak NFC South, but Panthers coach John Fox has an answer for the skeptics.

'He's a guy that we were fortunate we were able to sign at this point in the season,' he said of Testaverde, who attempted three passes for the Patriots in 2006.

These are dangerous times for many of the league's elite clubs who are one injury away from disaster.

Jim Sorgi of the Colts, who didn't throw a pass last year, is Peyton Manning's backup. New England, which released Testaverde before the season, is going with untested Matt Cassel behind Tom Brady. After dumping Byron Leftwich, the Jaguars are backing up David Garrard with Quinn Gray, who has all of 36 career pass attempts and has never started an NFL game.

Folk singer Pete Seeger once asked, 'Where Have All the Flowers Gone?' Almost 50 years later, NFL executives are wondering what happened to backup quarterbacks you can rely on.

It wasn't always this way.

Twenty years ago, backup quarterbacks such as Steve Young (49ers), Don Strock (Dolphins), Steve Bono (Steelers), Gary Kubiak (Broncos) and Jim Harbaugh (Bears) provided pro coaches with security that all would not be lost if the starter went down.

In Washington, Doug Williams replaced Jay Schroeder and led the Redskins to an improbable 1987 championship.

Some clubs are relying on rookies to serve as backups, hoping they never have to go to their second option. The Bucs turned to sixth-round pick Bruce Gradkowski last year when Chris Simms suffered a season-ending spleen injury in Week 3.

'When you play with a rookie quarterback in this league, it's over,' Tampa Bay QBs coach Paul Hackett said. 'You try to do the best you can, but it's over.'

Testaverde is no rookie, and it's far from over for the Panthers, who have a bye next week before preparing for AFC South powers Indianapolis and Tennessee.

Testaverde said he was playing with his kids when the SOS call came from Charlotte. He wasn't about to say no, so he quickly packed a bag, hopped on a plane and arrived in time for morning practice to play with Carolina's kids.

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