The quarterback position is one that is often referred to as the most important, not just in the NFL, but in all of professional sports. The effect a QB has on a play-by-play basis is that outsized. So when Josh McDaniels once scoffed at the notion that an established player at the position could be of use to him, alarm bells should have gone off all over the NFL.
In 2009, McDaniels took over as head coach of the Denver Broncos, replacing franchise legend Mike Shanahan. One of the first decisions he made was to trade QB Jay Cutler, fresh off a Pro Bowl season. Shortly after the trade, to assuage any worries, Josh McDaniels addressed the Broncos as a team.
“Fellas, don’t worry about the quarterback situation. I can turn a high school quarterback into an All-Pro,” McDaniels reportedly told Broncos players, per Nate Jackson writing for Defector Media.
The most important figure on a team's NFL roster, the role teams struggle sometimes for years to fulfill? McDaniels discarded his best option (sound familiar?) and then told the rest of the team “don't worry.”
Weird flex, but okay
If Josh McDaniels is indeed able to turn any QB into an All-Pro, it begs the question why he didn't bother turning Jimmy Garoppolo into even a competent one this season?
Garoppolo was, of course, McDaniels' hand-picked successor as Raiders quarterback after alienating and eventually releasing incumbent Derek Carr.
Jimmy G made six starts in 2023 before being benched. In those games, he threw more interceptions (nine) than touchdowns (seven) and threw for sub-200 yards in half of his starts.
It certainly feels like an All-Pro quarterback (or, maybe even a league-average one) might've helped Josh McDaniels not get fired mid-season. Too bad he didn't think of that first.
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