The 1983 NFL Draft produced six quarterbacks chosen in the first round. The top pick, John Elway, was selected by the Colts but ended up in Denver after refusing to play for the team that drafted him. The Broncos have been searching for the next Elway since his retirement. Got to thinking about how the draft that produced a trio of Hall of Famers in the first round also has haunted some of the franchises that chose QBs.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos keep searching for their next franchise QB. It seems unlikely 34-year-old Joe Flacco will be the answer. Franchise QBs last for a decade or more and at his age Flacco feels more like a short-term shot at another Super Bowl run, like Peyton Manning turned out to be.
Kansas City Chiefs
How much shock and trauma did the drafting and following failure of Todd Blackledge out of Penn State create with the Kansas City Chiefs? How about the franchise did not draft another quarterback in the first round from 1983 until 2017. The QB who broke the stretch looks like he is turning out pretty, pretty well … Patrick Mahomes. Still, 34 years is a long time between going for a signal-caller in Round One.
New York Jets
The Jets have heard it for decades about drafting Ken O’Brien at 24 when Dan Marino was available. That’s Monday Morning Quarterbacking at its finest. O’Brien did play nine years for the Jets. He threw for more than 24,000 yards for Gang Green. He had a sub-.500 record as a starter, but who hasn’t for the Jets. To give you an idea of how inept the quarterbacking has been for the Jets, 24 players have started at the position after O’Brien was drafted.
Miami Dolphins
Dan Marino is likely the best quarterback to never win a Super Bowl. He was selected 27th overall in 1983. The Dolphins still have not returned to the championship game and Brian Flores will need to find a signal-caller who can start and star if he hopes to thrive. The next quarterback to make their first start in Miami will be No. 20 since Marino exited.
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills drafted Jim Kelly out of Miami with the 14th pick in the first round. Kelly did not arrive in Buffalo until 1986, choosing to sign with the Houston Gamblers of the USFL. Once he started for the Bills, he became their mainstay. He led the team to four consecutive Super Bowls without earning a ring. Kelly threw for more than 35,000 yards and 237 TDs in 11 seasons. Since he left, the quarterback carousel has spun ’round and ’round. The Bills are hoping Josh Allen will make it stop. Please.
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots grabbed Tony Eason out of Illinois in Round One with the choice after the Bills picked Kelly. Eason lasted seven years with the Pats. He got them to a Super Bowl, where they were annihilated by the Bears. He actually finished his career with the Jets, going 0-2 as a starter. The Patriots went through a bunch of quarterbacks, including No. 1 overall pick Drew Bledsoe, before they settled on a sixth-rounder out of Michigan. You might know the name, Tom Brady.
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The 1983 NFL Draft produced three Hall of Fame quarterbacks in the first round. One player was mediocre, Ken O’Brien, and the other, Todd Blackledge, was a bust to put it kindly.
