With eyes on Daniel Jones and the New York Giants, a look at how other NFL quarterbacks began their careers as NFL starters.
Jameis Winston
There is no better place to start than with the quarterback Daniel Jones will match up with Sunday when the Giants play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Amazing how it happened but the Heisman winner from Florida State was paired against Marcus Mariota and the Tennessee Titans. Winston, who started all 16 games as a rookie, was 16-of-33 for 210 yards with 2 TD passes and 2 picks as the Bucs were blitzed, 42-14 ….
Marcus Mariota
In that same game, Marcus Mariota debuted by 13-of-15 for 209 yards and 4 TDs. Oh, and his QB rating was 158.3 … as in perfect.
Tom Brady
After Drew Bledsoe was injured, Tom Brady made his first NFL start on Sept. 30, 2001 against the Indianapolis Colts. The future New England Patriots great went 13-of-23 for 168 yards against rival Peyton Manning in a 44-13 New England romp.
Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning came to the Colts from Tennessee and was immediately thrust into the starting role. Manning faced Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins in 1998 and threw for more yardage than the Hall of Famer — 302-135. Manning threw a TD pass and 3 picks as Indy lost, 24-15.
Eli Manning
Kyler Murray
The Heisman winner from Oklahoma opened the 2019 season as the Arizona Cardinals’ starting quarterback against the Detroit Lions. He was unimpressive through 3 quarters before finding his rhythm. In a 27-27 tie, Murray wound up sacked 5 times while going 29-of-54 for 308 yards with a pair of TDs and a pick.
Baker Mayfield
Staying with Heisman winners from Oklahoma, Baker Mayfield got the call in Week 4 last season. His first start was a wild game as the Oakland Raiders downed the Browns, 45-42, in overtime. Mayfield was 21-of-41 for 295 yards with a pair of picks and a pair of INTs.
Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson was in the hospital with stomach pains days before he made his first start last season for the Baltimore Ravens against the Cincinnati Bengals. All the Heisman winner did was complete 13-of-19 passes for 150 yards and rush for 117 yards in a 24-21 victory. His performance set a Ravens record and made him the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to record at least 100 rushing yards in his first career start.
Joe Flacco
The man Jackson replaced, Joe Flacco, started his first NFL game as a rookie in the 2008 opener. The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 17-10, and Flacco, who was selected out of Delaware in the 2008 NFL Draft, went 15-of-29 for 158 yards. He also had a 38-yard TD run in the third quarter that proved to be the winning score.
John Elway
With Flacco in Denver now, what better time to look at the first start of his boss, John Elway. The Stanford star was drafted by the Colts and wanted no part of that franchise. He forced a trade and wound up in Denver … for his entire, Hall-of-Fame career. Elway’s first start happened on the road at Pittsburgh and was not memorable. He went 1-for-8 and for 14 yards and a pick before being relieved by Steve DeBerg after hurting an elbow in a 14-10 Denver victory.
Terry Bradshaw
Another first overall pick, the Steelers’ Terry Bradshaw also had a rough welcome to the NFL as a starter. He opened the 1970 season against the Houston Oilers going 4-of-16 for 70 yards and a pick before being relieved by Terry Hanratty.
Vinny Testaverde
Steve DeBerg relieved John Elway in the Stanford star’s debut. Vinny Testaverde started in place of DeBerg as the Bucs faced the New Orleans Saints on Dec. 6, 1987. The former Miami star had big numbers — 22-of-47 for 369 yards and 2 TD passes and a pair of picks with a TD run — but Tampa Bay fell to New Orleans, 44-34.
Cam Newton
Cam Newton had a huge game in his first start as a pro when the Carolina Panthers opened the 2011 season against the Arizona Cardinals. The Heisman winner from Auburn went 24-of-37 for 422 yards with a pair of TD passes to Steve Smith Sr. and a pick as the Panthers fell on the road, 28-21.
Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers sat for three full seasons behind Brett Favre before making his first career start in the 2008 opener. The Green Bay Packers’ great was 18-of-22 for 178 yards and a TD and added a rushing score in a 24-19 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger is out, too, now with season-ending elbow surgery. He was taken in the 2004 NFL Draft as was Eli Manning. Roethlisberger made his first start against the Miami Dolphins after Tommy Maddox was injured a week earlier. Roethlisberger went 12-of-22 for 163 yards with a TD pass and a pick. All he went on to do that season was go 13-0 as a starter,
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