Is the QB the Most Important Position in Sports?

Is the QB the Most Important Position in Sports?  

 The NFL is known for its over-the-top spending, the glitz and glamour of the game, and the celebrity enjoyed by starting lineups on just about every team. But perhaps no one is more celebrated than the star quarterbacks of the NFL. With their multi-million-dollar contracts, huge Super Bowl rings, and beachfront condos, no one doubts the importance of a talented QB. But is the quarterback really the most important position in sports?

Those who say yes point to the fact that a truly talented quarterback can take a mediocre team and make it into a great team. We have only to look at the Patriots team of 2001 to realize the truth in this. During only the second game of the season, quarterback Drew Bledsoe was violently hit by a linebacker and suffered massive internal bleeding. Out for the season, Bledsoe was quickly replaced by backup quarterback Tom Brady. In most cases, the words “backup quarterback” are met with a collective groan by die-hard football fans. But the Patriots were about to find out they had struck pay dirt in Brady, who took the team to an 11-5 record that season, ending atop the coveted NFC East Division. They went on to win the Super Bowl in a stunning upset over the St. Louis Rams for their first Super Bowl win in NFL history. Up until then, the Patriots had been a team considered mediocre at best. But Brady didn’t lose steam, nor was he a fluke. The team has gone on to win an astounding five more Super Bowls, with appearances in nine; the most of any team in NFL history. 

Point being, despite the fact that Bledsoe was certainly a decent quarterback, could the Patriots possibly have attained this record without Brady, their shining star? Not likely. On the flipside, teams know that having a poor quarterback virtually guarantees a losing season. That’s why teams invest so heavily in potentials during the draft. But are all quarterbacks this valuable to an NFL team, or is it just the elite few? The Brady’s and Manning’s and Roethlisberger’s of the sports world? It may seem that this distinction lies only on the shoulders of these giants, but at the same time, at any level of football, a quarterback is much more than a guy who walks onto the field and throws balls.

 A solid quarterback can make decisions on the fly. He knows how to buy time for his receivers while making plenty of space in the pocket. He knows which plays to call and when, and perhaps even why. He’s just as comfortable running a QB sneak as he is throwing a long bomb. His passing accuracy is dead on. He’s cool under pressure. And if he’s really, truly great, he knows how to inspire teamwork and collaboration among his teammates and improve their morale even on the toughest day. These are traits that all quarterbacks seek to possess; those attained by the elite QBs who win games over and over again. The ones who are handsomely compensated because the team’s owners know their value runs deep.

Of course, there are other critical positions in sports. Soccer wouldn’t be much of a match without a goalie, and basketball teams rely heavily on their point guards, much like an NFL team relies on its QB. And of course, no one would say, “take me out to the ball game” if great pitchers weren’t something to see in action. But of all these positions, the NFL quarterback reigns supreme in the minds of most sports fans.  

At Dynasty Sports and Custom Framing, we carry an extensive selection of memorabilia for many current and past NFL quarterbacks, including autographed and framed pictures, jerseys, helmets, and footballs. Check our online store or stop in to either of our two mall locations; Oxford Valley Mall and Willow Grove Park Mall.

 

 

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