The Art of the Backup

Is there a greater job in sports than being a backup Quarterback? The easy answer is yes, being a starting quarterback, and that would also be right. But for those not talented enough to make it as a starter, there is nothing better than the life of a career backup quarterback. The problem is that many backup quarterback’s careers are cut short when they are forced onto the gridiron and we can see how inept they really are at playing the position. Others can avoid the starting role seemingly by choice. This is a tribute to those men.

The Best of the Best (Sir, with honors)

Jim Sorgi: If there was an America's Next Top Model for wearing headsets, Jim Sorgi would win every year. Sorgi milked a seven year career out of virtually no talent. After looking and playing exactly like every other Wisconsin quarterback ever, he went to the Colts where he sat behind Peyton Manning. It was in Indianapolis where he accomplished every backup quarterback's dream, never starting a game. That being said, Sorgi also possessed another key skill of a backup, playing well in garbage time to avoid being cut. Sorgi finished his career with a quarterback rating better than the likes of Dan Marino, Warren Moon, Fran Tarkenton, and Bart Starr. Curtis Painter was set to be the next Sorgi, but after abysmal play this year, he will never achieve Sorgi's level of success.

Career Highlight: Winning a Super Bowl ring with the Colts.

Seneca Wallace: Wallace is in the middle of his ninth season as a backup quarterback, an incredible feat for someone who has never entered a season even in the discussion of being a starter. Wallace has actually started 18 games in his NFL career due to starter’s injuries, playing poorly in almost all of them. It's easy to wonder how Seneca has stuck around as long as he has. Amazingly, Wallace has found a way to not only be a poor quarterback just good enough to make an NFL roster, but also be a poor wide receiver just good enough to be on an NFL roster! For some reason teams keep him around because they don't seem to understand that having a bad QB and a bad WR end up filling no holes. Well done Seneca, you are an inspiration to backup quarterbacks everywhere.

Career Highlight: Starting eight games in 2008 and winning three of them.

Billy Volek: The longest tenured backup quarterback in the NFL is in his eleventh season holding the clipboard. Volek has played his career smarter than anyone by being completely satisfied with being a backup even after he tasted the field. Volek was thrown into game action for the Titans in 2004 and actually threw for 400 yards in back to back games (both losses.) He played respectably down the stretch, but instead of trying to parlay his modest success into a starting role like so many before him who then watched their careers go up in flames after their next starting chance, he stuck it out as a backup. When he was traded to San Diego a couple years later, he once again showed no interest in starting, and because of this, has enjoyed a wildly successful NFL career.

Career Highlight: Throwing for 400 yards in back to back games.

The Best that Never Were:

Cleo Lemon: With one of the best names ever, Cleo Lemon had it made in San Diego. He was third string behind both Drew Brees and Phillip Rivers, he had less worries than every horror movie character in the first ten minutes of the film. This is when the Chargers made a move that has haunted Cleo Lemon and continues to give him night terrors. He was traded to the Dolphins for AJ Feely and a 6th round pick. After a relatively uneventful 2006 season for Cleo, life went to hell in week five of the 2007 season. Veteran Trent Green was knocked into another dimension and onto IR by the Texans. So here comes Cleo to throw only six touchdowns in ten games for a 1-15 Dolphins team. He was out of the league a little over a year later after teams finally saw his true colors. He did beat the Ravens though which prompted me to make PTI style Cleo Lemon and Miss Cleo heads to make fun of my friend who is a Ravens fan.

Career Highlight: Throwing a 60 yard touchdown to Greg Camerillo in overtime to beat the Ravens for the Dolphins' only win in 2007.

Quinn Gray: Quinn Gray spent four wonderful seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2003-2006. Not only was he a backup, he accomplished the rare feat of staying as a team’s third quarterback for multiple seasons. He sat comfortably on the bench behind Byron Leftwich and David Garrard. The only way anyone knew who he was, was by looking at the Jaguars depth chart on Madden. This was until preseason of the 2007 when Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio made a decision that would change Quinn Gray's life forever. Del Rio cut assumed to be starter Byron Leftwich. While the press focused on the fact that David Garrard would now be the team's starter, the true backup quarterback fans feared that Gray was now one snap away from actually being placed in the center of the gridiron. Sadly Gray only lasted five games into that season before being thrust into a Monday Night Football game against the Colts after Garrard left the game with an injury. With the eyes of the nation on him, Grey went a whopping 9-24 for 56 yards and two interceptions. Gray started three more games that year putting up similarly unimpressive numbers. He was done a year later. Another backup with a seemingly bright future of settling for the other girl at the bar and calling out sideline signals was cut short by the monster that is playing time.

Career Highlight: Winning games for me in Madden because I was a fan of the name Quinn.

Spergon Wynn: Although Spergon Wynn is certainly not a household name, he has a special place in my heart. He is the first Vikings quarterback I saw play live. Wynn entered the league in 2001 and couldn’t have walked into a better situation.  He was the third string quarterback for a team coming off an NFC championship game appearance, a franchise QB starting, and a veteran backup in front of him. He was getting ready for some good years, and with a name like Spergon, how could he not succeed? But after they both went down with injuries, it was up to Wynn to start the last two games. All he had to do was not play like a chicken with its head cut off and he'd be back the following year. Unfortunately for Spergon and his diehard fans everywhere, he racked up six interceptions while throwing only one touchdown pass and an impressive 38.6 QB rating. His laughable play inspired the local newspaper headline, "Spergon Can't Wynn" His career was over before it even started.

Career Highlight: None

The Greatest of all time

Todd Bouman: Todd Bouman remained so irrelevant in his thirteen years as a backup quarterback, I honestly have nothing to say.

Career Highlight: Was part of the greatest offense of all time ('98 Vikings.)

Honorable Mentions: Brooks Bollinger, Bradlee Van Pelt, Chris Redman, Chase Daniel, Tim Hasselbeck, Anthony Wright, AJ Feely, and Jared Lorenzen.