It’s not often rookie quarterbacks start playoff games, but it seems to be rising in popularity. Today, there are two, with Bo Nix and the Broncos playing at Buffalo, while Jayden Daniels and the Commanders are at Tampa Bay.
It’s a change, I believe, that’s been fueled in by the revisions made the labor agreement in 2011, with rookies given slotted four-year contracts. Since that time, more teams have embraced the value of a quarterback on a rookie deal (with more dollars left over the spend on the rest of the roster).
In the last 17 years, 17 rookie quarterbacks have started in the postseason. In the first 40 years of the Super Bowl era, on the other hand, only six rookie quarterbacks started playoff games. It’s a different game now.
The track record of rookies in the playoffs hasn’t been great. They’ve gone 8-13 in their initial games, averaging 194 passing yards, with 28 TDs and 28 interceptions. (Those 21 quarterbacks include three who were elevated by late-season injuries to starters – T.J. Yates, Skylar Thompson, Connor Cook.
ROOKIE QUARTERBACKS STARTING FIRST PLAYOFF GAMES | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Opp | Result | Cmp | Att | Yds | TD | Int |
1983 | Dan Marino, Mia. | Sea. | L 20-27 | 15 | 25 | 193 | 2 | 2 |
1986 | Bernie Kosar, Cle. | at Mia. | L 21-24 | 10 | 19 | 66 | 1 | 1 |
1986 | Jim Everett, LAR | at Was. | L 7-19 | 9 | 18 | 136 | 1 | 2 |
1991 | Todd Marinovich, Rdrs. | at K.C. | L 6-10 | 12 | 23 | 140 | 0 | 4 |
1999 | Shaun King, T.B. | Was. | W 14-13 | 15 | 32 | 157 | 1 | 1 |
2004 | Ben Roethlisberger, Pitt. | NYJ | W 20-17 | 17 | 30 | 181 | 1 | 2 |
2008 | Joe Flacco, Balt. | at Mia. | W 27-9 | 9 | 23 | 135 | 0 | 0 |
2008 | Matt Ryan, Atl. | at Ari. | L 24-30 | 26 | 40 | 199 | 2 | 2 |
2009 | Mark Sanchez, NYJ | at Cin. | W 24-14 | 12 | 15 | 182 | 1 | 0 |
2011 | Andy Dalton, Cin. | at Hou. | L 10-31 | 27 | 42 | 257 | 0 | 3 |
2011 | T.J. Yates, Hou. | Cin. | W 31-10 | 11 | 20 | 159 | 1 | 0 |
2012 | Andrew Luck, Ind. | at Balt. | L 9-24 | 28 | 54 | 288 | 0 | 1 |
2012 | Robert Griffin III, Was. | Sea. | L 14-24 | 10 | 19 | 84 | 2 | 1 |
2012 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | at Was. | W 24-14 | 15 | 26 | 187 | 1 | 0 |
2016 | Connor Cook, Oak. | at Hou. | L 14-27 | 18 | 45 | 161 | 1 | 3 |
2016 | Dak Prescott, Dall. | G.B. | L 31-34 | 24 | 38 | 302 | 3 | 1 |
2018 | Lamar Jackson, Balt. | LAC | L 17-23 | 14 | 29 | 194 | 2 | 1 |
2021 | Mac Jones, N.E. | at Buff. | L 17-47 | 24 | 38 | 232 | 2 | 2 |
2022 | Brock Purdy, S.F. | Sea. | W 41-23 | 18 | 30 | 332 | 3 | 0 |
2022 | Skylar Thompson, Mia. | at Buff. | L 31-34 | 18 | 45 | 220 | 1 | 2 |
2023 | C.J. Stroud, Hou. | Cle. | W 45-14 | 16 | 21 | 274 | 3 | 0 |
2024 | Bo Nix, Den. | at Buff. | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
2024 | Jayden Daniels, Was. | at T.B. | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
Statistics compiled using search tools at Pro-Football-Reference.com
—Ian Allan