RealClearSports.com ranks the top 10 seasons by a backup quarterback.
#3 Tom Brady, 2001 New England Patriots
Patriots 2001 Record Without Brady as Starter: 0-2
Patriots 2001 Record With Brady as Starter: 14-3
By now everyone’s heard the story: split time with Drew Henson while at Michigan, selected by the Patriots with the 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft, took over for Drew Bledsoe in Week 2 of the 2001 campaign, went 11-3 the rest of the regular season, pulled off the biggest upset in Super Bowl history, was named the MVP in that game and now, seven years later, he has three rings, a league MVP award and is dating a supermodel.
#1 Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams
Rams Before Warner: 4-12 in 1998
Rams 1999 Record With Warner as Starter: 16-3
In 1998, Kurt Warner was signed by the Rams and was sent to NFL Europe. In 1999 he was brought in as the backup to Trent Green. But when Green was injured in the third preseason game, Warner had to step in. No one gave the Rams a shot with a 28-year-old quarterback who had never taken a snap in the NFL. But Warner and the Rams surprised everyone with their “Greatest Show On Turf”. It took Warner no time to get acclimated to the system. He became the first quarterback to throw for 3 touchdowns in each of his first three NFL games. Warner won the NFL MVP that year as he threw for 4,353 yards and 41 touchdowns. In Super Bowl XXXIV Warner threw for a Super Bowl record 414 yards as the Rams beat the Titans, 23-16, and Warner was named the MVP.
The reason the site did this piece was because of Matt Cassel, who currently has the Pats at 6-3.
