How Brady Quinn Missed His Opportunity, Only Because He Was Ahead of His Time

“With the 22nd pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns select… Brady Quinn,” and then his career practically ended. The former Notre Dame quarterback had everything going for him coming out of college. A powerful arm, the ability to break tackles, speed, and incredible field vision made Brady Quinn the perfect quarterback for any NFL team in 2007. The only problem was that in 2007, no NFL team needed a quarterback.

If it wasn’t for JaMarcus Russell being the first overall pick in the 2007 draft, maybe Quinn would be an NFL quarterback today. There could be many reasons Quinn isn’t on an NFL roster today. Maybe he wasn’t NFL ready at the time, maybe he was too small, or maybe it’s just because the Browns drafted him.

No team hates to play young quarterbacks more than the Cleveland Browns. Before Brady Quinn, the Browns didn’t start a single rookie quarterback in the 21st century. It seems like Quinn started the trend, but couldn’t stick around long enough to prove he deserved the job. After only starting ONE game in his rookie year, where he only threw the ball eight times, the Browns decided he wasn’t the starting quarterback for them. It wasn’t until 2009 that Quinn start double-digit games and was benched and released after week 10.

When Quinn was released, everyone said it was because he was “too short,” and “he didn’t have the arm strength.” Well, the Browns knew that they were getting a west coast quarterback that was barely pushing 6 foot when they drafted him. Quinn’s average yard per attempt at Notre Dame was only 7.3 yards his senior year, but that didn’t stop him from finishing second in the Heisman race or throwing 37 touchdowns. The Cleveland Browns knew they weren’t drafting the typical quarterback that will throw 40 plus yards and is 6’6”, they were drafting the athletic, hard-nosed 6 foot zero kid that will do whatever is necessary to win.

But maybe Brady Quinn wasn’t as untalented as everyone says or was too small. Maybe he just played during the wrong time. If Quinn were drafted in the 2013, 2014, or even this upcoming draft, then maybe he’d get his shot as a franchise quarterback, even with his size and playing style. Just think, Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater were the two big names coming out of the 2014 draft and both are under 6’3” and average under ten yards per pass. Five years ago these, players wouldn’t even be considered NFL quarterbacks, but now, they’re looked at as possible superstars. Even in this year's draft, there’s Marcus Mariota, who’s projected to be drafted in the top ten. He’s only 6’3” and averaged less than ten yards per pass throughout his entire college career, but he’s projected to be a franchise quarterback for any team that drafts him.

The NFL has changed in favor of Brady Quinn and small athletic quarterbacks. Unfortunately, at 30 years old, Quinn doesn’t look like a top priority to any NFL team. Today, flashy players who live off of athletic ability and tough play are worshiped in the NFL and the “normal” quarterback is perceived as boring. Fans don’t care if a player resembles Peyton Manning, but do care if they run a 4.5 second 40-yard dash. The “normal” quarterback is turning into the athletic player with a strong arm. Even Andrew Luck, the replacement of Peyton Manning, resembles the transformation of the new styled quarterback.

Sadly, for Brady Quinn, he entered the NFL right before the transformation of the quarterback. Although his 3,043 passing yards doesn’t guarantee that Quinn would be a star quarterback, in today’s game he would have a much bigger opportunity to become one. The changing style of the NFL’s game managers is much flashier than it once was. Luckily for future quarterbacks that aren’t the biggest or live off of big throws, opportunities are much more open. However, for longtime Brady Quinn fans, the chance to see the cherished quarterback become a star missed him by only a few years.