Only 10% Of NFL Fans Can Match The QB To The Team They Played On
- by Dylan Jacob
- – on
- in Sports
In just a few short weeks, we'll know who the next man destined to take the Cleveland Browns to the promised land is. (Yeah, right.) We'll know if the Jets are serious about taking a quarterback in the first round for the first time since Mark Sanchez back in 2009, which would be the time Gang Green used a first-round pick on an offensive player since...Mark Sanchez back in 2009.
Part of the fun of draft season comes from the fact that all of these questions will temporarily be answered, though we're going to take today to think about some former quarterbacks you should have no problems remembering. You're going to look at legends like Peyton Manning and players who weren't quite legends (Tim Tebow!) and try to match them to the team they played for.
There's four types of questions here: who drafted the player, where did the player finish their career, where did the player spend most of their career, or where did the player play between a stay in _____ and ____? For example, the Los Angeles Rams would be the answer if Case Keenum was on here.
With that said, there's no active NFL players on this list, though there are two players that are off doing other things but aren't likely to return to the NFL anytime soon. Let's see how well you know your quarterbacks!
Where did Peyton Manning begin his career?
Even someone who became an NFL fan when Manning was playing for the Broncos from 2012-15 should have no problems getting this right. After all, Manning's team just retired his number this past season, although his successor, Andrew Luck, was nowhere to be seen last season with that nagging injury. If you don't get this one right, we're going to be a bit concerned about how you fare the rest of this quiz, but maybe you'll be like Peyton and rebound.
Where did Joe Montana finish his career?
Everyone knows that Joe Montana played for the San Francisco 49ers, but another famous quarterback supplemented him after injury and so this Hall of Fame quarterback went somewhere else. Most football fans automatically know this off the top of their heads even if he didn't win a Super Bowl ring in this stop, so we'll see just how loyal and knowledgeable a football fan you are. That's the entire point of this quiz, isn't it? Go ahead and answer this.
Where did Terry Bradshaw spend his whole career?
We're going back quite a bit since Bradshaw's heyday came in the 1970s, but this guy's constant presence on our TV with him on the FOX pregame for so long. It's been a long time since Bradshaw played quarterback, but he'd still be a better option than some of the options teams keep going for...or, you know, they can always at least try to sign Colin Kaepernick, who Bradshaw seems to be a heavy supporter of. Where did Bradshaw spend most of his career?
Where did Kurt Warner play between St. Louis and Arizona?
This is one of the mid-career players who had two notable stops, but also spent a one-year hiatus somewhere else. Warner is one of those quarterbacks, having a brief pit stop after St. Louis and before he joined the Cardinals where he took time to mentor a rising quarterback who soon became a star and potential future Hall of Famer. You should know the team based off this description alone, but try to take a guess if you're still confused.
Where did Dan Fouts play his entire career?
Fouts also falls into the Terry Bradshaw category of playing quite a long time ago, but still being a friendly, memorable face on TV - just with CBS instead of FOX. You should have a pretty good idea of the team in question, but if you don't, we'll make it easier and say it was in the AFC West. Fouts didn't win a Super Bowl with the team in question and is no longer the top quarterback in history, but he still has a legacy there for sure.
Where did Matt Hasselbeck spend most of his career?
It's Hasselbeck, not Hasselback, which still seems to be a common mistake. If Hasselbeck winds up getting the Monday Night Football job, you'll at least have 16 games a year to get his name right. Hasselbeck is also one of the most recent quarterbacks on this list since he ended his playing days in 2015 with the Indianapolis Colts, though we're looking for the team where Hasselbeck spent most of his career. Have you figured out which team it is?
Where did Steve Young play most of his career?
We're going to hope that you can get this one right, especially with how often he's introduced on ESPN as having played for this team. It's because of his time with this team that he went from potentially-underrated backup to Hall of Fame quarterback in no time. Had concussions and injuries not ended his career, we would have gotten more of Young hooking up with Terrell Owens and trying to win one final ring out by the bay. What's the answer?
Where did Jim Kelly play his entire career?
We're sending our thought and prayers (overused line, we know) out to Jim Kelly after recent surgery on his jaw following his cancer coming back. Let's hope that Kelly can enjoy his former team's recent success and hope that they can make it back to the playoffs once again, even if it means playing in what is certainly going to be a competitive division. True NFL fans probably already answered this, so we'll see just which group you fall into.
Where did Randall Cunningham spend most of his career?
You may also know him by his alias, *insert team name QB* from Techmo Bowl. That helped turn Cunninghim into a national brand the way Michael Vick eventually would with Madden. Is that to say Cunningham was a better quarterback than Vick? Actually, they're pretty much on the same wavelength, though I might give Vick the upper hand because of how electric he was in his prime. We're really going to hope that you've figured out the answer by now.
Where did Troy Aikman spend his entire career?
Given that Aikman is introduced on nearly every broadcast he does as having played for this team, you should know what team he played for. If you don't, that will be a bit disappointing, especially given what many call his bias in favor of that team when he calls their games - and since they're in the highly-competitive NFC East, that happens plenty of times. Have you figured out which team this is? Again, we're really going to hope so.
Drew Bledsoe was drafted by and starred with the...
Remember Drew Bledsoe? We certainly hope so for your sake. Many people seem to forget how much of a star Bledsoe was in the 1990s because he wasn't Joe Montana, Steve Young, or Brett Favre - and had he not gotten hurt in 2001, he probably would have been right up there as one of the decade's top quarterbacks with the likes of Peyton Manning. By now, you should ave figured out just who the team in question is, right?
Colin Kaepernick spent all of his NFL career (so far?) with the...
As per usual, we're not going to take a stance on Kaepernick protesting the national anthem, though we will say there does seem to be compelling evidence that he's being blackballed. If this is the last we've seen of Kaepernick in the NFL, he'll have finished a six-year career that saw him make a Super Bowl and come within points of another having played for just one team. You really should get this one right, especially as the controversy continues.
Who drafted Ryan Leaf second overall behind Peyton Manning in 1998?
Ryan Leaf's story has taken plenty of twists and turns over the years, enough to where we highly recommend catching up on everything he's done in recent years to overcome addiction and become a functioning member of society again. Alas, all anyone is going to think about with Leaf was how much of a draft bust he was, which makes sense given his stature as a first-round pick in the NFL behind Peyton Manning. Which team took Leaf second overall in 1998?
Where did Mark Brunell spend most of his career?
Brunell may seem like a surprising addition to this quiz, but people forget how good he was with this team throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. We may just think of him as that sagely veteran on the New York Jets when his career ended, but this guy nearly took his team to the Super Bowl despite lacking star offensive power - and he wasn't really a "game manager," which I still insist isn't a bad thing. What team was it?
Where did Phil Simms spend his entire career?
Simms is yet another quarterback on this list who, despite injuries and even missing a Super Bowl, spent his entire career in the same place. Carson Wentz can only hope to have the same results, I guess. Say what you want about how Simms is in the broadcast booth, though last year proved on The NFL Today that his football mind is still sharp. I think you know which of the following teams is the correct answer here, right? Please?
Where did Tim Tebow win his lone playoff game?
Tebow was one of the two exceptions we had in the intro about all of the players on this list being retired and done with football, but that's because Tebow is instead hitting home runs in the Mets' minor-league system. Given that the Mets started the season 8-1 under new manager Mickey Callaway, those talks of Tebow being up by July when the season is lost might want to be shoved under tthe rug for the time being. What's the answer here?
Where did Jeff Garcia spend most of his career?
Once again, we forget how good Jeff Garcia actually was in the early 2000s in part because Terrell Owens insisted he was into men and in part because his teams never won a Super Bowl with him around. Garcia was certainly a serviceable quarterback at his worst and an extremely underrated one at his best, making the playoffs multiple times with various teams. But what team did Garcia, who seemingly lasted forever but last played in 2009, spend most of his career with?
Where did Brett Favre begin his career?
Obviously, Favre played the bulk of his career with the Green Bay Packers and finished with the Minnesota Vikings - but not before spending a both memorable and forgettable year with the New York Jets - but where did this Hall of Famer start off his career? Maybe it was with the Jets, who could have actually had a long-term quarterback if he stuck around. Or it was one of the other teams listed below. Which team was it actually?
Where did Donovan McNabb finish his career?
McNabb spent nearly all of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, this we know. But what was the team McNabb finished his career with? This is one of the tougher questions on here and if you can get this right, kudos to you. And no, we're not touching on any of the other stuff that McNabb has been involved in since his final snap. Let's just focus on his playing career and the team he finished his Pro Bowl career with.
Where did John Elway spend his entire career?
This has to be one of the easier ones here - and I promise that's not hyperbole. Elway is one of the most iconic quarterbacks of the modern age not named Tom Brady or Peyton Manning and he later took a front office job with that same team, so you should already have answered the question and moved on. We're not even bothering with the trick question of which team drafted Elway (the Colts) because we want you to get this right.
Where did Jim Harbaugh spend most of his career?
We know Harbaugh as the current Michigan Wolverines coach who, at this rate, will wind up succeeding Lane Kiffin at Florida Atlantic University with how hot the former's seat is. But we digress because the #LaneTrain needs to stay in Boca Raton for as long as it can. Harbaugh was once an NFL quarterback and had an extended career, but was first drafted by this team and made a Pro Bowl with them, if you'll believe that. Which team was it?
Which team used a first-round pick on Brady Quinn?
Brady Quinn has turned into an awesome game analyst at FOX and may even rise up the ranks for a full-time job calling games on Sundays if he wants it. Quinn didn't have anything close to that same success with his NFL career, which began in 2007 and ended with a whimper a few short years later. The team that used a first-round on him should be pretty obvious, but let's see if you'll manage to get this one right.
Where did Warren Moon spend most of his career?
Like with Donovan McNabb, we're not touching any of the legal stuff that has happened to Warren Moon since he retired all those years ago. We just want to focus on Moon the football player without lending our own commentary about things that are still being handled by the legal system. You may think this is an easy one - and we'll give you that he played in a team that is now in the AFC South - but I think a good amount of people will get this wrong.
Where did Daunte Culpepper play most of his career?
There's Culpepper, standing tall in a dark room as he is honored into the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame a few years ago. Culpepper stood tall in the pocket plenty of times and also made plays with his feet, but we often forget about how dominant he was because of his final years being less than stellar. I'm one of the people who remembers Culpepper at his finest, especially when he was starring for the team that drafted him.
Where did Chad Pennington end his career?
Pennington is best remembered for spending the duration of his NFL career with the New York Jets when he could stay healthy. (And as a Jets fan, I liked Pennington more than most despite his health issues, so I mean that with affection.) But where did Penninton end his career as he suffered more shoulder injuries? Pennington even pulled an Aaron Boone, tearing an ACL playing basketball. At least Pennington isn't making bad coaching decisions for the team his best moment came with years later...
Where did Rich Gannon end his career?
Gannon is yet another quarterback-turned-TV analyst that makes the list, even if his best years came at the tailpsin of his career. That's why we're asking you to remember where he ended his career because chances are you remember that much more than where he was drafted (Minnesota). Imagine the 1990s if Gannon stays consistent and winds up getting Randy Moss at his top wide receiver? Fun times for sure. Do you think you remember where Gannon ended his lengthy career.
Where did Tony Romo spend his entire career?
Given that Romo last played an NFL game 15 months ago, you getting this wrong raises a lot of questions. I'm going to be optimistic and hope that you get it right, especially if you claim to be a serious NFL fan. We'll give you that he played his entire career in the NFC, if that's any help, and he definitely did not play for the New York Giants. (I doubt their fans would've taken too kindly to him.) What team was it?
Where did Jon Kitna spend most of his career?
Jon Kitna sighting! i remember Cowboys fans being so happy for some reason when they signed the former quarterback-turned-math teacher and high school football coach in the 2013 season's final weeks to serve as a backup. Kitna then donated his entire game salary for that week 17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles to his high school. That's so awesome and a good sign of the type of man that Jon Kitna really was. But where did Kitna spend most of his career?
Where did Trent Green spend most of his career?
Once again, a quarterback-turned-game analyst makes the list and is here to try confusing you into getting this one wrong. I expect this to be one of the harder questions on this list, though I'll again also try to remain optimistic. If you ever played with his team in Madden, you'll remember that Green was a surprisingly good quarterback to use in-game. He wasn't Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, but he could get the job done for sure. What team was it?
Where did Dan Marino spend his entire career?
If you really wind up getting this one wrong, I have no words. And I mean that with the utmost respect. I just think there has to come a time where you know who this is, especially if you grew up watching Marino on CBS like I did. (His final years came when I was just a small child, so you'll have to excuse that and my Jets fandom.) Please tell me that you got this one right when you hit the name.
Where did Matt Flynn spend most of his career?
Flynn makes this quiz solely because the guy made so much money off one six touchdown game and we find that to be awesome. We need more quarterbacks like Flynn who are students of the game and can be competent backups without needing to step in as starters. Not saying any names, but there's some current backup quarterbacks who don't quite fit that criteria - and that's coming from a jets fan. You know which team is the answer here, right?
Where did Jake Plummer finish his career?
Jake the Snake was awesome in those mid 2000s Madden games. We're serious. You put your top receivers in motion and kept Plummer upright and you were going to take out all of your friends with ease. It was really god to see Plummer revive his career after being kind of a draft bust in his first stint, which we can't say because it would somewhat spoil the question. We're trying to be as vague as possible. What team is the answer?
Where did Marc Bulger spend most of his career?
Yet another strong-armed Madden quarterback who we forget about, Bulger actually was a two-time playoff quarterback and is probably one of the most forgettable quarterbacks since 2000 to start a playoff game. It's a list that also includes Kelly Holcomb, Joe Webb, T.J. Yates, and even Tavaris Jackson. That in itself might tip you off to which team Bulger took to the playoffs and spent most of his career with, but we're going to keep being quiet and vague to see if you get it.
Where did Joe Theismann spend most of his career?
You've done a good job so far (we hope) so we're going to give you an easier one as we continue on. Theismann spent his entire NFL career with this team, but also played three years in the CFL for the Toronto Argonauts. But there would be no singing "Blame Canada" when Theismann's career ended prematurely at 36 because of a devastating leg injury on Monday Night Football. That should be enough to make you answer this one correctly, we hope.
What team used a first-round pick on Byron Leftwich?
Leftiwch may be the most surprising name on this list, but he's also someone you should remember in the coming years. Leftwich is becoming a rising star in the NFL coaching ranks and called plays for the Arizona Cardinals at times the past two seasons - and while he's still just their quarterbacks coach, we think a team will give him a call about a head coaching job sooner rather than later. Which of the following teams took him in the first-round?