This guy was a 28-year-old career backup, a guy who nobody thought very much about. He was backing up a guy who was anointed #1 going into the season, on a team that had success in the distant past, but not a winning record in 6 seasons.
During the year, the #1 QB plays himself out of the job and this career backup steps in mid-season and plays better than anyone expected. He provides stability to the offense and wins 5 of the last 7 games that year, on a team playing out the string for a new head coach after a poor start. His numbers are pretty good:
181-for-288 (62.8%), 2,046 Yds (7.1 Yds/Att), 13 TD, 8 Int, 87.5 QB Rating.
Those numbers put him in the top half of the league for QBs, and his ability to get some wins and play well led the team to install him as the starting QB going into the next season. Instead of addressing the QB position, they decide to make the team around him stronger. You can win with the guy, they thought.
That team was the 2008 SF 49ers. The QB was Shaun Hill.
In restrospect, one has to wonder if the 49ers would have been better off drafting Josh Freeman after that season. They are still looking for a QB.
Just a precautionary tale, not to stir things up but to make you think.
During the year, the #1 QB plays himself out of the job and this career backup steps in mid-season and plays better than anyone expected. He provides stability to the offense and wins 5 of the last 7 games that year, on a team playing out the string for a new head coach after a poor start. His numbers are pretty good:
181-for-288 (62.8%), 2,046 Yds (7.1 Yds/Att), 13 TD, 8 Int, 87.5 QB Rating.
Those numbers put him in the top half of the league for QBs, and his ability to get some wins and play well led the team to install him as the starting QB going into the next season. Instead of addressing the QB position, they decide to make the team around him stronger. You can win with the guy, they thought.
That team was the 2008 SF 49ers. The QB was Shaun Hill.
In restrospect, one has to wonder if the 49ers would have been better off drafting Josh Freeman after that season. They are still looking for a QB.
Just a precautionary tale, not to stir things up but to make you think.
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