Strong Arm Tactics

Signal caller, gunslinger, field general—the quarterback goes by many lofty nicknames. It’s arguably the toughest, most high-pressure position to play among all sports. The quarterback touches the ball on every offensive snap, is responsible for reading the defense, adjusting the play, and executing complex schemes that require tremendous physical and mental prowess. He is expected to be the undisputed team leader, whether he’s an established veteran or an untested rookie. If he succeeds, he’s the most likely player on the field to be canonized by fans and broadcasters. If he fails, he’ll be vilified in the press and his home field fans will start cheering for the backup.
This book traces the interesting history of the professional quarterback, from the early years when the quarterback was a blocker (and the appellations quarterback, halfback, and fullback were literal and geographically correct) to the modern-day player who must be the eyes, ears, brains, and, of course, the accurate, strong arm of the offense. The narrative history in Section I is rich with statistical analysis. The author employs realistic metrics for statistical comparison across multiple eras, and includes all-time rankings as well as specific rankings among different styles of quarterbacks. Section II compares quarterbacks within their respective eras, putting their accomplishments in context with those of their contemporaries. Section III breaks down the quarterback position, team-by-team, for current NFL franchises. Appendices provide detailed passing records; additional statistics on everything from relative passer ratings to fourth quarter comebacks; and listings of first round draft picks, trades involving quarterbacks, awards, and uniform numbers.

John Maxymuk is a reference librarian at Rutgers University, living in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. He has written poetry, book and movie reviews, travel pieces, feature articles in magazines, library-related articles in academic journals, and organizational newsletters. He has been the internet columnist for The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances since 1997 and was the issue editor for the Notable Documents issue of Journal of Government Information for 10 years. He is listed in Contemporary Authors and in Who’s Who in America.

John Maxymuk
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 360
Bibliographic Info: tables, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2020 [2008]
pISBN: 978-1-4766-8515-1
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      vi
Preface      1
Introduction      5

I. Quarterbacks in Context      11
1. More Than Just a Live Arm      11
2. The Ongoing Search      24
3. Career Arc      35
4. Glory      48
5. Measures and Rankings      60
6. Of Passing Interest: Miscellaneous Notes      71

II. Quarterbacks in Time      79
7. 1920–1932: Grounded      79
8. 1933–1945: The Emerging T      89
9. 1946–1949: The All America Football Conference      102
10. 1946–1959: Taking Flight      107
11. 1960–1969: The American Football League      122
12. 1960–1977: Ball Control      133
13. 1978–1993: Full Throttle      151
14. 1994–2006: Air Time      169

III. Quarterbacks by Team      185
15. Arizona Cardinals      185
16. Atlanta Falcons      189
17. Baltimore Ravens      192
18. Buffalo Bills      194
19. Carolina Panthers      197
20. Chicago Bears      199
21. Cincinnati Bengals      203
22. Cleveland Browns      206
23. Dallas Cowboys      210
24. Denver Broncos      213
25. Detroit Lions      217
26. Green Bay Packers      221
27. Houston Texans      225
28. Indianapolis Colts      226
29. Jacksonville Jaguars      230
30. Kansas City Chiefs      232
31. Miami Dolphins      235
32. Minnesota Vikings      239
33. New England Patriots      242
34. New Orleans Saints      246
35. New York Giants      249
36. New York Jets      253
37. Oakland Raiders      257
38. Philadelphia Eagles      260
39. Pittsburgh Steelers      265
40. St. Louis Rams      269
41. San Diego Chargers      274
42. San Francisco 49ers      277
43. Seattle Seahawks      281
44. Tampa Bay Buccaneers      284
45. Tennessee Titans      287
46. Washington Redskins      291

Appendix A: Records (through 2006)      297
Appendix B: Extended Passing Data      304
Appendix C: Drafts, Trades, Awards, Numbers      328
Bibliography      341
Index      343

• “Well written…definitive…highly recommended”—Library Journal

• “Highly recommended”—Choice

• “Covers the quarterback position better than any scout’s report”—The Coffin Corner