Who is the longest-tenured QB for every NFL franchise?

Only one Cardinals quarterback has lasted 10 seasons with the team. Although Hart did not go wire-to-wire as St. Louis' starter, he spent the bulk of his nearly two-decade Missouri tenure leading the way. The Cards landed Hart as an undrafted free agent, signing him just before the 1966 season. He overtook Charley Johnson as the starter in 1967, taking the snaps in all 14 games. Hart's tenure peaked during Don Coryell's mid-1970s stopover. All four of Hart's Pro Bowls came under Coryell. Hart also outlasted 1977 first-round pick Steve Pisarkiewicz, keeping the reins until 1981 second-rounder Neil Lomax was ready. 

Michael Vick's dogfighting scandal brought a two-year prison term, leading to an ugly 2007 season that keyed a 4-12 record and Bobby Petrino bailing on the team before his first season ended. Joey Harrington and Chris Redman's QB work gave the Falcons the No. 3 overall pick in 2008. Jake and Chris Long went ahead of Ryan, but the Boston College product became an instant starter and piloted Atlanta to the playoffs. Ryan was never challenged for the Atlanta starting job, eventually winning an MVP and leading the Falcons to six postseasons. His tenure ended after the Falcons let him explore a trade after they pursued Deshaun Watson in 2022. They dealt Ryan to the Colts.

Arriving 15 picks after Ryan in the 2008 draft, Flacco gave the Ravens a much-needed answer. The failed Kyle Boller experiment gave way to Steve McNair, who followed his quality 2006 slate with an injury-plagued 2007. A 5-11 Ravens season led them to draft a Delaware product. Not as productive as Ryan, Flacco was also not challenged for his job for 10 years. In that time, he played in three AFC championship games and went on a legendary heater to lift Baltimore to a Super Bowl XLVII win. The Ravens' plateauing in the mid-2010s led Ozzie Newsome, in his final draft as GM, to trade up for Lamar Jackson. The Ravens traded Flacco to the Broncos in 2019.

The Bills drafted Jim Kelly in 1983 but could not sign him, leading to the Hall of Famer spending three years in the USFL. Ferguson remained Buffalo's starter, a position he had held since 1973. Despite entering the NFL as a third-round pick, Ferguson started all 14 Bills games as a rookie -- O.J. Simpson's 2,000-yard rushing season. Ferguson quarterbacked the Bills to three playoff berths. After Chuck Knox's contract talks broke down in 1983, the Bills used the second of their first-round picks on Kelly. But the Houston Gamblers landing him extended Ferguson's QB1 timeline. After being benched during a 2-14 1984 season, Ferguson landed in Detroit via a 1985 trade.

Carolina's 2-14 2010 season led to Super Bowl coach John Fox's ouster. More importantly, it gave the Panthers the No. 1 overall pick. The 2011 draft produced a few Hall of Fame-bound players near the top, but the Panthers were not strongly considering Von Miller or Patrick Peterson at No. 1. Enter Newton, the 2010 Heisman winner. Newton dazzled as a dual threat early, soaring to Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Although injuries dogged the 2015 MVP following the Panthers' Super Bowl 50 loss, he played five seasons on an extension. A foot injury in September 2019, however, led to a new Panthers regime cutting Newton in 2020. 

Drafted second overall out of Columbia in 1939, Luckman was integral to the Bears' franchise apex. The legendary passer led the Bears to a 73-0 walloping of Washington in the 1940 NFL championship game. The Bears won three more titles with Luckman at the helm. In 1943, his 28 TD passes shattered the NFL record and powered the Bears to a one-loss championship season. The Bears' dynasty lost steam by the late 1940s, and they added Heisman winner Johnny Lujack in the 1946 first round. Lujack still did not become the Bears' primary passer until 1949. While Luckman retired in 1951, Lujack was not far behind, leaving in 1952.

The "what if?" involving Greg Cook cleared a spot for Anderson, who became the Bengals' answer after their one-year phenom could not overcome a shoulder injury. Cincinnati chose Anderson in the 1971 third round, doing so after Bill Walsh showcased a prototype of his West Coast Offense around limited backup Virgil Carter. Anderson took over as Cincy's full-timer in 1972 and had Paul Brown's team at 10 wins in '73. Anderson thwarted a challenge from 1979 No. 3 overall pick Jack Thompson and earned MVP honors in 1981, driving the Bengals to a Super Bowl. He finished his career backing up 1984 second-rounder Boomer Esiason. 

Otto Graham stopped at 10 seasons; the Browns cut Bernie Kosar during his ninth. Browns 2.0 has not seen anyone approach those tenures. A 13th-round 1972 draftee is the leader here, having lasted until 1983. Sipe did not become Cleveland's primary starter until his fifth season, when he joined Anderson, Terry Bradshaw and Dan Pastorini in a talented AFC Central QB crew. From 1978-81, three of these QBs won MVPs. Sipe's came in 1980, when he piloted the "Kardiac Kids" to a division title. Sipe's run ended when the USFL's New Jersey Generals offered a much bigger contract (two years, $1.9 million) to poach him. Sipe did not play after the USFL's 1986 demise.

Roger Staubach's naval commitment did not allow him to join the Cowboys until 1968, capping his tenure at 12 seasons. Romo did not debut as a starter until his fourth year, but the undrafted free agent still spent three seasons developing ahead of his lengthy QB1 stay. Playing behind the likes of Quincy Carter, Vinny Testaverde and Drew Bledsoe, Romo learned under then-QBs coach Sean Payton. His chance came in October 2006, replacing Bledsoe at halftime of a Monday-nighter against the Giants. Dak Prescott was not set to usurp Romo in 2016, but his performance after a Romo preseason back injury led to the change and a quick move to CBS.

The Broncos held the No. 5 overall pick in 1983, using it on tackle Chris Hinton. After Robert Irsay went around GM Ernie Accorsi to trade the Colts' disgruntled No. 1 pick, Hinton became a longtime Colts left tackle. Denver still won the trade, as Elway became one of the all-time greats. He did not hold the starting job throughout his rookie year, ceding it at points to stopgap nomad Steve DeBerg, but was never challenged the rest of the way. Denver bizarrely chose Tommy Maddox in the 1992 first round, ahead of Elway's age-32 season, but the precocious UCLA prospect was off the roster by 1994 . Denver's second-longest-tenured QB: Elway's backup, Gary Kubiak (1983-91). 

Greg Landry lasted 11 years; Stafford, reaching the 2020 season, gave him the edge. By 2020, though, Stafford was nearing the exit door due to the Lions' Matt Patricia regime never taking off. The ultra-talented passer, trapped on shaky teams for much of his Detroit run, never made an original-ballot Pro Bowl as a Lion. That should complicate his Hall of Fame case, but the 2009 top pick showed what he was capable of upon being dealt to the Rams in 2021. GM hire Brad Holmes did not tell Dan Campbell of Stafford's trade request before he took the job; the Lions used the trade to arm their rebuild, one geared around trade throw-in Jared Goff. 

While Brett Favre took the reins in his first month on the job, the ironman's enduring presence delayed Rodgers' promotion by three years. The Packers, though, took advantage of the 2005 draft board by selecting a falling Rodgers -- who had been in the mix to go first overall -- at No. 23. Rodgers took over in 2008, with a Favre trade to the Jets dividing the Packer fanbase, and won four MVP awards in his 15-year starter tenure. The Super Bowl XLV MVP became known for a hard-luck playoff odyssey, and the Packers nabbed his heir apparent in 2020. Although Rodgers and Packer management made nice after a 2021 standoff, the Jordan Love pick keyed a 2023 Jets trade. 

It certainly looked like Deshaun Watson would pass Schaub. The star QB signed an extension in 2020, but by 2021, he had requested a trade and saw dozens of women accuse him of sexual misconduct. That shortened stay shines light on Schaub's underrated tenure, one that brought the Texans their first playoff berth. Formerly a Michael Vick Falcons backup, Schaub ended up in Houston via a first-round pick swap that brought Atlanta two second-rounders. Schaub signed a Texans extension but hit a wall in 2013, as Gary Kubiak's tenure came to an abrupt end thanks to the Texans finishing 2-14. They benched Schaub and then traded him to the Raiders in 2014.

The greatest free agent signing in QB history morphed from Steelers castoff to the NFL's 100th Anniversary team. A Pittsburgh ninth-round pick in 1955, Unitas was playing semipro ball by the time the Colts found him in 1956. He took over for George Shaw and led the NFL in touchdown passes during his first full season as Baltimore's starter. Unitas repeated that feat three more times by 1960 and was cruising along in the QB1 role until a preseason arm injury sidelined him in 1968. A trade for Earl Morrall brought an MVP award, and the two aging passers each saw extensive time during the next three years. New Colts management demoted Unitas in 1972, before trading him for next to nothing.

Brunell was among the QBs Ron Wolf chose during Brett Favre's Packers tenure, preceding Matt Hasselbeck and Aaron Brooks. The 1993 fifth-round pick ended up in Jacksonville via an April 1995 trade (for third- and fifth-round picks). While Steve Beuerlein arrived in the expansion draft, Brunell was in place as the Jaguars' starter early that season. By 1996, the Jags made one of the most surprising journeys to a conference championship game, upsetting the Bills and Broncos. Three straight sub-.500 seasons in the early 2000s led the Jags to draft Byron Leftwich seventh overall. New coach Jack Del Rio benched Brunell three games into the 2003 season, leading to a 2004 trade to Washington.

The Chiefs started way up in their rivalry with the Raiders. After signing Dawson -- a former Steelers and Browns backup -- in 1962, the then-Dallas Texans shipped previous starter Cotton Davidson to Oakland for a first-round pick. That choice became No. 1 overall (and Hall of Fame defensive tackle Buck Buchanan). Dawson piloted the Texans to the 1962 AFL title and remained in place when Kansas City won AFL crowns in 1966 and '69. The Super Bowl IV MVP hung on through the 1975 season. Second-round pick Mike Livingston replaced Dawson in 1975 and took over for good when the Canton-bound QB retired after that season.

This space has dissected the Raiders keeping Stabler on the bench into his sixth season, the cameo in the Immaculate Reception game notwithstanding, but Derek Carr's tenure did not quite approach Stabler's overall stay. After moving from Daryle Lamonica's backup to All-Pro, Stabler made it seven seasons as Oakland's starter. The Raiders only kept the slick southpaw in that role until 1979, when the 1968 second-round pick was 34. Already declining, Stabler was shipped to Houston in a straight-up trade for Dan Pastorini. The latter lasted one season in Oakland. Stabler guided the Raiders to five straight AFC championship games.

The Chargers quickly realized Johnny Unitas had little left to offer upon acquiring him via trade. Fouts, a 1973 third-round pick, became the replacement. The primary starter for four sub-.500 Chargers teams through 1976, Fouts turned his career around upon Don Coryell's arrival early during the 1978 season. The Bolts led the NFL in passing from 1979-82, becoming the NFL's most exciting offense. That stretch elevated Fouts to the Hall of Fame. Fouts battled some injury problems and engaged in contract disputes, but he was the Chargers' starter until his 1988 retirement. It took San Diego a long time to replace him.

The Giants obtaining wide receiver Del Shofner gave the Rams the 1962 No. 2 overall pick, which became Gabriel. Not reaching the heights Bob Waterfield or Norm Van Brocklin did, Gabriel nevertheless outlasted the Hall of Famers for the Rams' duration. The Rams did not give Gabriel the keys full-time until 1966, but he became one of the NFL's better quarterbacks. By 1969, he won MVP honors while leading a Rams team that went 11-3. By the early '70s, the Rams had fallen off. They cashed in Gabriel for a bounty from the Eagles, a trade that helped them turn the tide en route to status as the perennial NFC West champions. 

Benefiting from unfounded drug rumors surrounding Marino leading up to the 1983 draft, the Dolphins went from Super Bowl XVII to picking their QB of the future without trading up. The team's Bob Griese successor, David Woodley, opened the 1983 season as Miami's starter but could not keep the historically talented Marino on the bench. Submitting the greatest season in QB history (1984), Marino lasted 15 more seasons. He played two pro seasons longer than Jim Kelly and one more than John Elway, retiring after a mediocre 1999 season. The Dolphins cut Marino in 2000 and went with ex-Jaguars backup Jay Fiedler in 2000.

Fran Tarkenton played 13 seasons with the Vikings, but a Giants stay divided the two tenures. His heir apparent lasted 13 years in one stint, training behind the record-setting passer and taking over in his third season. The Vikings began planning ahead by taking Kramer in the 1977 first round, but Bob Lee took over for an injured Tarkenton that year. Kramer was the clear long-term choice, and he started 16 games after Tarkenton's 1979 retirement. Kramer lasted until 1987 as Minnesota's starter, before Wade Wilson moved into the role. Kramer still hung around, making 10 combined starts from 1988-89 on playoff teams. After playing out a three-year extension, Kramer finished his career with a 1990 Saints one-off.

It obviously adds up that the quarterback who stretches the position's longevity boundary has the longest tenure with one team. The only two-decade-long QB on a roster, Brady went from rookie-year afterthought to capable fill-in to Super Bowl-winning icon to the All-Pro level. The 2000 sixth-round pick replaced an injured Drew Bledsoe, as you may recall, in Week 2 of the 2001 season. A missed 2008 season and a 2016 Deflategate suspension kept Brady off the field; otherwise, he suited up for the Patriots until a 2019 wild-card loss. The six-time Pats Super Bowl champ held off Jimmy Garoppolo, whom the team traded at the 2017 deadline, but left as a 2020 free agent. 

The Saints bottomed out to 3-13 during a season in which Hurricane Katrina displaced them. In 2006, they acquired both their tickets out of the NFL basement by hiring Sean Payton and signing Brees. A labrum tear in Week 17 ended Brees' tenure with the Chargers, installing Philip Rivers after two seasons on the bench. The Dolphins then deemed Brees a medical red flag, leading the QB to New Orleans. He remained a Saint for 15 seasons, playing until he turned 42. This tenure ballooned the Saints' playoff-win count from one to 10, including Super Bowl XLIV. The five-time 5,000-yard passer retired after a 2020 divisional-round loss.

Charlie Conerly lasted 14 seasons, Phil Simms 15. It took Manning sticking around for the 2019 season, one in which the Giants benched him for Daniel Jones two games in, for the two-time Super Bowl winner to hold the crown here. The Giants initially capitalized on Eli and Archie Manning's Chargers' leeryness. The Bolts sent his rights to the Giants after choosing him first overall, leading Rivers to San Diego. Manning took over for Kurt Warner midway through his rookie season and made 210 consecutive starts. After being benched for Geno Smith for one game in 2017, Manning started throughout 2018 before giving way to Jones -- a 2019 top-10 pick -- early in his finale.

A crafty three-team trade gave the Jets Namath access, No. 2 overall, in the 1965 AFL Draft. Namath chose New York over St. Louis, which drafted him 12th overall in the '65 NFL Draft. Namath did not take over immediately, ceding rookie-year time to Mike Taliaferro. The Jets gave Broadway Joe the keys that year and saw him set passing records before guiding the team to a titanic Super Bowl III upset. Knee trouble plagued Namath in the second half of his Jets stint, and the team waived him in 1977. Namath finished his career at just 34, retiring after an early-season Rams benching. 

An ahead-of-his-time dual threat and Andy Reid's handpicked starter share the duration standard in Philly. The Eagles chose Cunningham in the 1985 second round. The three-time MVP runner-up's entrance was far more anonymous than McNabb's. Booed at the 1999 draft after he went No. 2 overall (above Heisman winner Ricky Williams), McNabb replaced Doug Pederson as QB1 during his rookie season and guided the team to five NFC title games before being traded to Washington (to clear a path for Michael Vick) in 2010. Cunningham electrified fans and snapped a seven-year playoff drought. Miscast in the West Coast Offense by 1995, Cunningham rode the bench (giving way to Rodney Peete). A 1996 retirement preceded an explosive Minnesota comeback.

Had the Chargers reneged on the agreement of a Manning-Rivers post-pick swap, then-Giants GM Ernie Accorsi would have chosen Roethlisberger at No. 4. The deal going through led the Miami (Ohio) prospect to Pittsburgh at No. 11. Roethlisberger replaced Tommy Maddox in September 2004 and never gave up the job, lasting until a 2021 wild-card loss. Big Ben took the Steelers to three Super Bowls and played four more seasons than Terry Bradshaw, returning after a 2019 elbow surgery threatened his career. The Steelers made two more playoff berths, though Big Ben showed significant decline before retiring after an age-39 season.

Bill Walsh handpicked Montana during his first draft as 49ers head coach, though the play-calling icon waited until Round 3 to select the Notre Dame prospect. Montana waited behind Steve DeBerg as a rookie, debuting as a regular starter late in the 1980 season. The 49ers' first two Super Bowl wins brought no QB drama; their next two did, as 1987 trade pickup Steve Young -- acquired after Montana missed a chunk of the '86 season and was knocked out of that year's wild-card game -- made a strong push to unseat Joe Cool. Montana withstood the challenge, but a 1991 elbow injury ushered in Young. With Young ready, Montana took a seat in '92 and was part of a messy trade process a year later.

Undrafted out of now-defunct Milton College in 1980, Krieg arrived in Seattle when Jim Zorn -- the franchise's first starting QB -- was just 27. During the 1983 season, however, the unlikely challenger had staked his claim to the job and guided the Seahawks to their first playoff berth (and only AFC championship game). Krieg kept the job until his final Seattle season, returning from injured reserve to start eight games during the second half of the 1991 slate. Seattle, though, had drafted Dan McGwire in the 1991 first round. The team did not re-sign Krieg as a free agent, leading the unprotected (during Plan B free agency) passer to join the Chiefs.

Upon triple-checking, a dive into my research bunker indeed produced this. It is real. The Bucs' longest-tenured QB operated mostly as a third-string option and was stashed on the practice squad during his final season. With Vinny Testaverde and Trent Dilfer's runs wrapping at six years apiece, no one else approaches Griffin. The Bucs claimed Griffin off waivers from the Saints in September 2015 and re-signed him in 2017, 2019, and 2021. He lasted through Tom Brady's second Tampa season, residing as QB3 behind Brady and Blaine Gabbert. The longest-tenured QB in Bucs history threw four career passes, but he lasted through three coaches to become an elite trivia question. 

A dominant senior season at Alcorn State garnered McNair strong Heisman consideration and then a Houston ticket as 1995's No. 3 overall draft choice. McNair developed behind bridge Chris Chandler, taking over during the '96 season. The two-year Tennessee Oilers period brought McNair's first run as a full-season starter, and the team took a significant step forward upon becoming the Titans in 1999. McNair powered the team to Super Bowl XXXIV, famously falling one yard short of overtime . The Titans closed the chapter by drafting Vince Young third overall in 2006 and barring McNair from the facility, making him a post-June 1 cut -- before a Ravens signing.

One of the passing game's revolutionary figures, Baugh transformed Washington's offense upon arrival as a 1937 first-round pick. The future Hall of Famer led the relocated team (from Boston) to its first NFL title, carving up the Bears in an ahead-of-its-time 335-yard, three-touchdown passing performance. Although Washington used Frank Filchock as a frequent QB option during days in which multiple players would throw passes in games, Baugh outlasted him by 1946. He played six more seasons, announcing beforehand he was retiring after the 1952 season. Baugh, though, was a backup by then and only appeared briefly in his final game.