Next man up: The greatest backup QBs in NFL history

Browns 2.0 is 3-for-25 in playoff qualification, but its closest near-miss involved Anderson. Romeo Crennel benched Charlie Frye during a Week 1 loss in 2007; Anderson started the next 15 games. His first start: a 51-45 Browns conquest featuring five touchdown passes. The 2005 sixth-round pick ended that season with 29 TD passes — second-most in Browns history — and a Pro Bowl berth. After Brady Quinn could not supplant Anderson as Cleveland's starter, he later became Cam Newton's backup for seven seasons. His 2-0 starter record in 2014 was crucial in a 7-8-1 Panthers team's playoff journey.

Batch posted back-to-back winning records as the Lions' starter in 1999 and 2000, coming off the bench in '99 to lead them to the playoffs and helping them to the postseason precipice in 2000. But an 0-12 Detroit start in '01 led to Batch's release and preceded one of the longest backup-QB runs in NFL history. Batch signed with the Steelers in 2002 and stayed for 11 seasons, playing until age 38. The Pennsylvania native signed seven Steelers contracts, overcame numerous challenges to his QB2 role and led Pittsburgh to six wins in nine starts — including a 2-0 mark for a 2005 team that needed both wins to allow a Super Bowl march.

Bratkowski's 1950s and early-'60s interception sprees with the Bears and Rams did not justify his second-round draft slot, but a 1963 move to Green Bay both changed the quarterback's trajectory and provided the Packers vital Bart Starr insurance. Bratkowski stepped in on many occasions during the Packers' ensuing NFL three-peat from 1965-67, with the team going 8-1 when he started or games in which he replaced Starr in one-score games. He threw for 248 yards in the Packers' Western Conference playoff win over the Colts in 1965 and outdueled ex-teammate Roman Gabriel in a December 1966 win over the Rams. 

Although Brister enjoyed a three-plus-season run as the Steelers' starter, which peaked with Chuck Noll's final playoff berth in 1989, the 16-year veteran had a lengthy second NFL life as a 1990s backup. In Philadelphia, Brister first replaced Randall Cunningham after his midseason ACL tear in 1993, starting eight games with a 14-5 TD-INT ratio. However, his most notable backup work came at age 36 in Denver. John Elway missed four games in 1998; Brister threw 10 TD passes and kept the Broncos unbeaten until December. Denver scored 30-plus points in three of those games, and Brister helped an all-time great team repeat as champions.

Warren Moon's backup for seven seasons, Carlson mostly kept the Oilers' high-powered car on the road. Houston made the playoffs from 1987-93. Four of those seasons featured at least one Carlson win in a spot start. The Oilers went 10-4 under Carlson, a third-round pick out of Baylor, from 1988-93. Carlson made six relief starts in 1992, twice posting 300-yard games and quarterbacking four wins. He led three game-winning drives that season. While Carlson failed as Moon's successor in 1994, he was a steady backup during a quality Oilers stretch.

The Bengals were dealt a tough blow when potential franchise quarterback Greg Cook suffered a career-ending injury barely a few games into his run. After more injuries at QB, Cincinnati turned to Carter in 1970. The mobile ex-Bears sixth-rounder became the guinea pig for Bill Walsh's future West Coast Offense, piloting the Bengals from 1-5 to a playoff berth. Then a Bengals assistant, Walsh used a short-pass system to help Carter. In 1971, Carter led the NFL in completion percentage. He gave way to first-rounder Ken Anderson in 1972 but hung around as an NFL backup until 1976.

Longevity counts in QB2 annals; Collins supplied this better than most. Elvis Grbac's Michigan Wolverines successor played 16 NFL seasons, beginning as Jim Kelly's Bills heir apparent but settling in as a backup for most of his career. Collins initially helped the 1996 Bills make the playoffs, filling in for Kelly thrice, and spent much of the 2000s as Trent Green's seldom-seen Chiefs backup. Collins resurfaced in a key spot at age 36, filling in for Jason Campbell and going 3-0 with a 5-0 TD-INT ratio to lift Washington to the 2007 playoffs. Collins threw two TD passes in Washington's first-round loss in Seattle. 

Daniel banked more than $41 million and did so without ever being signed to start for a team. Perhaps this era's quintessential NFL character-actor equivalent was a Mizzou Heisman finalist before backing up Drew Brees, Alex Smith, Carson Wentz, Brees again, Mitchell Trubisky, Matthew Stafford and Justin Herbert. Daniel's 11-year stat line: 186 completions on 273 attempts, nine TD passes, seven INTs. He completed 70% of his passes in each of his two-game samples with the Bears from 2018-19 and helped their 2018 team to an NFC North title. Daniel lasted 13 seasons, closing his career as a backup-QB groomer to Easton Stick in Los Angeles.

Danielson played 15 pro seasons, the first two in the short-lived World Football League. The future college football analyst caught on with the Lions, with whom he played nine seasons. Despite playing in the final era for soaring INT totals, Danielson finished his career with an 81-78 TD-INT ratio. He took the Detroit starting job midway through 1978 and dropped a Lions-record five TD passes on the Vikings. Danielson split time with Eric Hipple in Detroit's NFC Central title year in 1983 but threw five INTs in a playoff loss to the 49ers. Danielson finished his career as Bernie Kosar's Browns backup.

Almost overqualified for this list but not quite. Flutie's most notable NFL work came in 1998, when he replaced Rob Johnson and helped the holdovers from Buffalo's Super Bowl teams voyage to two more playoff brackets. Flutie's first NFL backup foray went poorly, with the undersized USFL alum stumbling for the 1986 Bears. He spent most of the '90s as a Canada icon before resurfacing as a 1998 Pro Bowler. The dual-threat passer was inexplicably benched for the Music City Miracle game but again came off the bench to help the Bills in 2000. Flutie finished a 21-year pro career by playing behind Drew Brees and Tom Brady.

Relieving Michael Vick in 2013, Foles tied the NFL record with seven TD passes in a game during a season that included a 27-2 TD-INT ratio. A 2015 trade to the Rams set the 260-pound QB on course to realize his NFL destiny. After backing up Alex Smith for the 2016 Chiefs, Foles returned to Philly as a free agent. Carson Wentz's December 2017 ACL tear led to the Eagles being an underdog in both NFC playoff games. Foles saved their season, shredding the Vikings and shocking the Patriots in a Super Bowl MVP performance that featured the famous "Philly Special" sequence. After statue immortalization, Foles then replaced Wentz in 2018 to pilot the Eagles back to the playoffs. 

The first Black quarterback to be a regular NFL starter and first to start a playoff game, Harris was an NFL trailblazer. The Grambling product did not receive much of a chance with the Bills in the late 1960s and left football briefly in 1972, but he caught on with the Rams and became their starter when Chuck Knox traded Pro Bowler John Hadl in-season. Harris steered a defensively powered Rams team to the 1974 NFC championship game, earning Pro Bowl honors. Back as a part-timer by 1976, Harris posted a 436-yard, four-TD day in a shootout win over the Dolphins. He finished his career backing up Dan Fouts in San Diego.

Although Hill never made any starts for a playoff team, the 2002 undrafted free agent put together a 14-year career. Hill saw extensive time as a backup to Alex Smith in San Francisco, Matthew Stafford in Detroit and Sam Bradford in St. Louis. Given the keys to some bad teams' offenses, Hill finished his career with a 49-30 TD-INT ratio. The 2008 49ers wanted winners, and Hill delivered, going 5-3 with a team that ranked 23rd defensively. He threw 16 TD passes in 10 Lions starts in 2010 and hung around through until 2016, backing up Bradford again in Minnesota.

Earning his journeyman letterman's jacket, Hoyer has spent time with nine teams. Hoyer's most notable work came in his hometown. In 16 Cleveland starts between the 2013-14 seasons, Hoyer went 10-6. He managed to have the Josh Gordon-less Browns at 7-4 in 2014; his benching for the woefully unprepared Johnny Manziel began a historically bad Browns run. Hoyer took over for Texans Week 1 starter Ryan Mallett early in 2015 and compiled a 19-7 TD-INT ratio in nine starts, helping the team to the AFC South title. The career backup/spot starter also saw time for the 49ers, Colts, Bears, Cardinals, Patriots and Raiders. At 38, the regular Pats QB2 also helped the Raiders hold off his former team in a 2023 game.

The more successful of the NFL's quarterbacking Huards, Damon played 13 seasons and collected a Super Bowl ring with the 2003 Patriots. When Dan Marino sat due to an injury in his final season, Huard went 4-1 in workmanlike wins. That stretch helped Miami to a wild-card berth. Huard's age-33 season in Kansas City was better. A frightening Trent Green concussion in Week 1 of 2006 thrust Huard into action. While the backup handed off to Larry Johnson plenty, he threw 11 TD passes and one INT, led the Chiefs to four 30-point games and a playoff spot. The Chiefs benching Huard in 2007 preceded a tough period for the franchise.

In between Roman Gabriel and Jim Everett, the Rams could not find a steady quarterback in a near-15-year period. But like James Harris, Kemp came through in key spots. Replacing Vince Ferragamo in 1984, the fourth-year UDFA led the Rams to the playoffs. Eric Dickerson breaking the single-season rushing record helped matters, but Kemp made 13 starts and boosted the Rams to nine wins. The 49ers traded for Kemp in 1986, and he started six games for an injured Joe Montana. Kemp threw for 300-plus yards in two of those starts during a 49ers playoff season. He played 11 NFL seasons, retiring in 1992.

In between reliable stints as a Vikings backup, Lee oversaw the best Falcons stretch in their first decade of existence. A 17th-round pick out of Pacific in 1968, Lee was traded to Atlanta in 1973. He took over in Week 5 and led the Falcons to an 8-2 run that included a Monday-night win (highlighted by this play) over his former Vikings team bound for Super Bowl VIII. Lee found his way back to Minnesota in 1975, finishing his career as Fran Tarkenton's QB2. His final start, in a 1977 do-or-die regular-season finale, ended with a 30-20 win for an aging Viking squad attempting to defend its NFC title.

A highly drafted backup and part of an unusual transaction, Lee was part of three AFL champions. The Oilers acquired Lee before their first season but saw future Hall of Famer George Blanda come out of retirement and become the starter for the AFL's first dynasty. Lee came off the bench six times from 1960-61. A 1961 Lee start ended with a then-AFL-record 457 passing yards. AFL commissioner Bud Foss then helped broker a two-season Lee loan — an all-time oddity — to the Broncos. Lee actually returned to Houston after the loan but ended his career as a Chiefs backup. He played in all 10 AFL seasons

A third-round Cardinals pick in 2002, McCown played for nine teams over 19 years. The journeyman/sought-after coach has been both a productive and unproductive starter while serving as a capable backup for nearly two decades. McCown's game-winning TD pass knocked the 2003 Vikings out of the playoffs; he produced three straight 300-yard games to keep the 2013 Bears in the hunt while spelling Jay Cutler. McCown recently helped a skeleton-crew Eagles offense put a scare into the Seahawks in a 2019 wild-card game. While 23-53 as a starter, McCown played for many bad teams.

Like Lee, Moore also made a cameo for a Chiefs Super Bowl champion. Initially surfacing as a Panthers UDFA, Moore spent seven seasons in Miami. He took over for Chad Henne and helped turn an 0-4 Dolphins team into a less terrible 6-10 squad in 2011, ruining any #SuckForLuck hopes. And after zero starts from 2012-15, Moore secured Miami's lone 2010s playoff berth after Ryan Tannehill tore an ACL. Replacing Henne again, Moore left a high school coaching job to be Patrick Mahomes' backup in 2019. The Chiefs would not have earned a bye, which aided their Super Bowl-winning run, without Moore's 275-yard outing against the Vikings.

We have to bend the 33.3% rule here. It is impossible to have a backup QBs list without Morrall. A starter in 35% of his teams' games, the 21-year veteran arguably delivered the two most memorable years in QB2 annals. The former No. 2 overall pick was a journeyman before the Colts lost Johnny Unitas in 1968 and traded for Morrall. The late-arriving Colt became NFL MVP, throwing 26 TD passes. Super Bowl III did not go well for the two-time Pro Bowler, but Morrall ended up winning two rings — first as Unitas' backup/fill-in 1970 and second as Bob Griese's reliever. Morrall went 11-0 as a starter in 1972 to preserve the Dolphins' 17-0 season.

A first-round Rams pick in 1964, Munson did not retire until 1980. A backup and part-time starter for five teams, the Utah State product was best known for his Lions stay. Munson split time with the younger Greg Landry during much of his eight-year Detroit run. He came off the bench for a final drive in a 5-0 playoff loss to the Cowboys in 1971, nearly marching the Lions to an upset. Munson re-emerged as a starter in 1974 and '75, sporting a winning record with unremarkable Lions teams. He finished his career as a backup in Seattle, San Diego and Buffalo.

Jim Kelly's backup for eight of the Hall of Famer's 11 seasons, Reich played 14 years and is responsible for one of the NFL's signature performances. After Reich struggled against the Oilers in Week 17 of the 1992 season, his playoff-record 32-point comeback in the Bills' wild-card rematch featured 289 yards and four touchdown passes. A week later, Reich guided the Super Bowl-bound Bills to a 24-3 win over the No. 1-seeded Steelers. The future Colts and Panthers head coach struggled away from Buffalo but still finished with a positive career TD-INT ratio and an unassailable QB2 legacy.

It is difficult for any backup quarterback to top Strock's performance in arguably the greatest game ever played. Strock spent a staggering 15 seasons as the Dolphins' backup, starting 22 games and leading eight game-winning drives. While key in helping the team to two playoff brackets in the late 1970s, Strock coming off the bench with the Dolphins down 24-0 in 1981's "Epic in Miami" was an all-timer. He threw for 401 yards and four TDs in the Dolphins' 38-35 Round 2 loss to the Chargers. Even his final start became a comeback win to secure the Bernie Kosar-less Browns 1988 playoff access.

Tomczak played long enough to be a backup dancer in the 1985 Bears' "Super Bowl Shuffle" video and start a game in the 21st century. He received advantages of working with elite defenses — the Bears of the mid-to-late 1980s and the "Blitzburgh" Steelers of the '90s — but he stepped in for Chicago's Jim McMahon and Pittsburgh's Neil O'Donnell frequently to help several playoff-bound teams. The 16-year veteran received a surprisingly extended opportunity in 1996 when he replaced Jim Miller in Week 1 and, starting every game the rest of the way, led the Steelers to 10 wins and a trip to the divisional round. 

A national champion at Miami, Walsh emerged as a notable fill-in for multiple playoff teams. With Saints starter Bobby Hebert a full-season holdout in 1990, Walsh replaced John Fourcade early that year and played well in spurts to help New Orleans to the playoffs — albeit at 8-8. He received another chance in a long-term audition four years later in Chicago. The Bears lost Erik Kramer to injury, and Walsh piloted the team to its only postseason cameo between 1991 and 2001. Walsh fared better in '94, completing 61% of his throws and throwing two TD passes in a wild-card win over the Vikings.

Entering the NFL as a 1981 eighth-round pick, Wilson played 19 NFL seasons. The Vikings draftee spent much of his 20s backing up Tommy Kramer, but when the starter suffered a summer 1987 neck injury, Wilson intrigued in relief. Kramer returned to action and started the NFC wild-card game. Wilson shined in relief and received the start the following week — a one-sided upset over the 13-2 49ers keyed by the Wilson-to-Anthony Carter connection — and had the Vikes on the cusp of Super Bowl XXII. This led to starter work and two more playoff berths. Two years prior, Wilson led the Vikings to a 28-point fourth quarter that erased a 23-0 Eagles lead. He closed out his career with QB2 gigs in Dallas and Oakland.