Question
Cam Newton likely will start for Carolina on Sunday. That will make him the first quarterback chosen in the first round to become a starter, leave to play elsewhere, then return to start again for the team that picked him. In the Super Bowl era, who is the highest-drafted quarterback who’s done this? The player was chosen in the second round, and he started in a Super Bowl game.
Answer
Boomer Esiason. Esiason was the 38th pick of the 1984 draft. He played nine years for the Bengals, left to play for the Jets and Cardinals, then returned to finish his career in Cincinnati in 1997. One other second-round pick has done this: Brock Osweiler (Denver). Three third-round picks have done this: Fran Tarkenton (Minnesota), Matt Schaub (Atlanta) and Nick Foles (Philadelphia). Tarkenton was the 29th pick of the 1961 draft – chosen earlier than Esiason – but was picked before the Super Bowl era.