Expert Analysis
12/12/23
5 min read
Can NFL Do Even More To Protect Quarterbacks?
The NFL has a quarterback health problem. Is there anything it can do to fix it or make it better?
Aaron Rodgers. Kirk Cousins. Joe Burrow. Deshaun Watson. Daniel Jones.
Those are just some of the quarterbacks who have been lost because of season-ending injuries.
Nick Mullens. Easton Stick. Drew Lock. Aidan O’Connell.
During the late afternoon window this past Sunday we had Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes going head-to-head in one game while the other four listed above were all in action in the other three contests.
Backup QBs Are Bad for Business
It’s not good. For a lot of reasons.
Not only is it a competitive concern for those teams and in those games but, perhaps worse, it is bad for business. Whether it is ticket sales or television ratings, the numbers show by and large that fans do not want to watch backup quarterbacks. This isn’t conjecture; the numbers have backed this up for years.
Think about the Thursday night game this week with the Las Vegas Raiders hosting the Los Angeles Chargers. The casual viewer would be much more likely to tune in to watch Justin Herbert slinging it around than they would the aforementioned Stick. Alas, Herbert was placed on injured reserve after having finger surgery on Tuesday and is also lost for the season. That’s not going to help the Prime Video viewing numbers for Amazon.
Look at the Saturday slate. I’ll be calling the Minnesota Vikings at the Cincinnati Bengals for Westwood One on the radio nationally. I’m excited to be on the broadcast because both teams have winning records and are in the thick of the playoff race but there’s no question it would be a more compelling match-up if Cousins was going against Burrow.
| Week 1 Starting QB | Team | Week 15 Starter |
| Aaron Rodgers (injury) | Jets | Zach Wilson |
| Mac Jones (performance) | Patriots | Bailey Zappe |
| Joe Burrow (injury) | Bengals | Jake Browning |
| Deshaun Watson (injury) | Browns | Joe Flacco |
| Kenny Pickett (injury) | Steelers | Mitchell Trubisky |
| Ryan Tannehill (injury) | Titans | Will Levis |
| Anthony Richardson (injury) | Colts | Gardner Minshew |
| Justin Herbert (injury) | Chargers | Easton Stick |
| Jimmy Garappolo (injury, performance) | Raiders | Aidan O'Connell |
| Daniel Jones (injury) | Giants | Tommy DeVito |
| Kirk Cousins (injury) | Vikings | Nick Mullens |
| Josh Dobbs (traded) | Cardinals | Kyler Murray |
That doesn’t mean it is all bad when starters go down, by the way.
The Josh Dobbs story during his first couple weeks in Minnesota was terrific as is the “Tommy Cutlets” phenomenon of undrafted rookie free agent Tommy DeVito with the Giants. And even guys like Jake Browning getting the chance to prove he is a legitimate NFL quarterback is awesome and something a fellow journeyman like me can totally appreciate.
But it’s not good for business. In fact, it is decidedly bad.
Are There More Safety Precautions?
Should the NFL do something to try to make the game safer for the quarterback?
Maybe the better question is, can they?
I’ve been in enough seminars with representatives from NFL officiating to know that “clear and obvious” is the standard they are given when it comes to calling fouls.
That is not the case when it comes to protecting quarterbacks and hits to the head of defenseless players. In those two situations, they are told “when in doubt, throw the flag” as it is a league priority to protect those players.
That won’t come as a surprise to most people who already feel like there are a couple of roughing-the-passer penalties each week that shouldn’t be called. In fact, most observers and members of the media have called for those plays to be reviewable because of some of the egregious flags that have been thrown in the name of protecting the quarterback.
Given the number of injuries at that position this year, can you blame the owners? It is basically a mathematical equation and as discussed previously, injured quarterbacks are bad for business so the NFL is going to do whatever it can to protect them. It’s really that simple.
Improved Offensive Line PLay Might Be One Solution
All of which leads us back to the original question. Can the NFL do more? And if so, what is it?
Frankly, I don’t have a great solution, and I don’t think the NFL does either because if it did it probably would have already implemented it.
The league has already made roughing the passer as prohibitive as possible with the “when in doubt” standard. It affords quarterbacks protection as runners when they slide feet first. Quarterbacks are all well aware of the safe haven of the sideline although some still choose to push that envelope.
Perhaps it is my background, but my mind goes to improved offensive line play as one possible answer. Can the NFL do something to better develop offensive linemen because as the season goes on and back-ups enter the line-up it feels like quarterback injuries increase as well? Maybe the merged XFL/USFL developmental league can help marginally?
On some level, this is where the reduced practice time, reduced contact, and one less preseason game come into play. Those are valuable reps for a position group which, unlike its peers on the defensive line, do not rotate in during the season.
Other than a concerted effort to better develop offensive linemen your guess as it relates to this quarterback conundrum is as good as mine.
But it feels like the NFL needs to figure out something, and quick.
