Flutie played in the Canadian Football League for eight years. In 2003, Flutie replaced a struggling Brees when the Chargers were 17. Doug Flutie had 14,715 passing yards over his career. The tricky Flutie had faults. Pod Vader (I can't believe I just typed that) asserts another name should be considered: Doug Flutie. That does not apply to Wilson or Murray, but while Young is not deficient in arm strength, he does not have a great arm as a vertical passer, in the estimation of the AFC front-office person. On November 17, 2006, Flutie was named the greatest Canadian Football League player of all time from a top 50 list of CFL players conducted by TSN. Flutie is the older brother of the CFL's fourth all-time receptions leader, Darren Flutie. (Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images), The diminutive Doug Flutie made 66 starts in his NFL career, 30 of those with the Buffalo Bills. During his last years in Calgary, Flutie's backup was Jeff Garcia, who later went on to start for the NFL's San Francisco 49ers. Other names broached: Cris Carter, Dermontti Dawson and Rickey Jackson. In all three of his championship victories, two with the Argonauts and one with the Stampeders, he was named Grey Cup MVP. The lack of bulk doesnt bother me because hes such a good athlete, Turner says. On October 2, 1988, after the Patriots started the season a miserable 13, Flutie came off the bench to lead a thrilling comeback victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Foxborough, scoring the winning touchdown on a 13-yard bootleg at the end of the fourth quarter. Flutie won the Heisman trophy a week later, but the voting had finished before the game;[11] Flutie said, however, that "without the Hail Mary pass I think I could have been very, very easily forgotten". North County farmers desperate to ditch expensive water supplier. [14][15] Upon graduating, Flutie won the National Football Foundation post-graduate scholarship. I get their point. Tittle, Michael Vick and Steve Young, who was listed at 6-2 throughout his career but later admitted that measurement was a couple of inches too generous. Stroud (72.4 percent) and Richardson (63.2 percent). Few pros (64,938 yards of offense)stood taller than the 5-foot-10 Flutie, who spent 2001-2004 as aCharger. Here are 17 who probably dont deserve their busts in the Hall. He was named the Grey Cup MVP. Flutie did not plan to play long-term, for he had planned on doing college football commentary on ESPN in the coming season. [16] His number, 22, has been retired by the Boston College football program. Granted, many of the men ahead of him are offensive players who recovered their own fumbles, but there are plenty of defenders well above him on the list too. As an unpredictable backup, defensive coordinators cursed whenan improvising Flutie, the 1998 NFL Comeback Player of the Year,led a rally. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. The following season, Flutie was named the Bills' backup and played only late in games or when Johnson was injured, which was often. Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham Look at Allens career stats, courtesy pro-football-reference.com, the greatest site for football fans in the universe (besides FTW, of course): You got that right, my friend! Flutie in there as a lesson, so parents can pass by it and tell their kids, see, you can have it all one day and be a hero, then poof it can all be gone the next.. He played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), eight seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL), and one season in the United States Football League (USFL). Flutie prevailed as the new ex-Bill broke a sack attempt and ran 13 yards for the game-winning touchdown. Granted, many of the men ahead WebChoose a Hall Of Fame Member: Doug Flutie. If he cant, he wont last, because quarterbacks lacking in size must do more than their taller counterparts to level the field. He also called for deeper drops. Doug Flutie played 92 games over his career. began to wonder if the scouts who said Flutie could not compete on the pro level were right, despite the plenitude of great NFL quarterbacks with awful initial professional seasons. out of the Hall and his bust tossed in a dumpster somewhere. In the Patriots' regular-season finale against the Miami Dolphins on January 1, 2006, Flutie successfully drop kicked a football for an extra point, something that was not done in a regular-season NFL game since 1941. When he retired, he was fifth on the list of rushing yards. Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Pro Football Reference Database. However, many[who?] 1 player in the world and could dunk a basketball without a running start. November 13, 2006 was Doug Flutie Day in Boston. Payton said he never had to make adjustments for Brees because of his lack of stature, as Brees was at his best five yards behind the center. He was involved in the announcement of the league's return in 2022. Flutie was Drew Brees' backup in 2002. But, again, dont get bogged down in stats. Jurgenson was the same way he disciplined himself to remain in the pocket. But Young completed 76.6 percent of his passes between the hashes last season, better than Ohio States C.J. Try a week on us. It was Flutie's first kick attempt in the NFL, and earned him that week's title of AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. When Turner coached Flutie, he said he adjusted protections and helped the offensive tackles so Flutie could run around the rush. Coming out, Michael Vick was a phenomenal runner, had really good arm strength and could throw it, Keim says. Follow Dan on Twitter @danpompei, Bryce Youngs slight build concerns some NFL scouts, but he showed a knack for avoiding big hits in college. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Bryce is similar. Flutie also served as the Gerald Ford of Chargers quarterbacks.Fluties calming presence in 2001 assured Chargers fans the long,national nightmare of Ryan Leaf was over. It wasnt a mirage when sportswriters typing late in press boxeswould eye Flutie jogging around empty fields after games. Flutie gained great fame as the quarterback of Boston College when he threw a memorable Hail Mary touchdown pass against the University of Miami in 1984. The Broncos had picked Briscoe as a defensive back in the 14th round of the same draft, but injuries left Denver without a signal caller. Manziel, picked 22nd in 2014 by Cleveland, didnt make it, but being short was not his primary shortcoming. While attending high school in Massachusetts Doug was an All-American in football, basketball and baseball. Turner says he gets nervous about quarterbacks who are not at least 5-10. His CFL career statistics include 41,355 passing yards and 270 touchdowns. Like all players on this list, Carson was once a dominant player in the NFL, but not for long enough to merit induction. The game was nationally televised on CBS the day after Thanksgiving and thus had a huge audience. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. In 2001, Flutie signed with the San Diego Chargers, who had gone 115 in 2000. Of those, only Murray and Manziel were shorter than 6-0, and Manziel measured closer to 6-0 than 5-11. Besides that, he never had a significant injury, even in high school. Flutie was also inducted to Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2007, becoming the first non-Canadian inductee. Only two other field generals in the Super Bowl era at 510 or shorter and 205 or lighter have scored over 200 fantasy points in a single season: Sonny Jurgensen (1967, . Overall, it took a total of 20 votes for the Steelers receivers to get into Canton. By the time Flutie's debut was over, he completed 7 of 18 passes, for a total of 174 yards, while running for 51 yards. Even his United States FootballLeague time -- worthy of a Sports Illustrated cover -- will bedissed. Whether you are short or tall, it comes down to how you do on third downs, in the red zone and in the last four minutes of the game, Turner says. In addition to Young, players who could be selected include Fresno States Jake Haener, Georgias Stetson Bennett and Louisvilles Malik Cunningham, all of whom are 5-11. The answer, according to Pro Football Reference, is seven Rex Grossman, Johnny Manziel, Baker Mayfield, Cade McNown, Murray, Tua Tagovailoa and Vick. After retirement from the NFL, Flutie took a commentating job calling college football with ESPN and ABC from 2006 until 2008. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". [7][8][9] As a member of the BC Lions, Calgary Stampeders, and Toronto Argonauts, Flutie was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player a record six times and won three Grey Cups. The AFC front-office person believes short quarterbacks struggle if their arm angle upon release is three-quarters or lower. If four years of dominance was enough to get you in the Hall, then Terrell Davis would have a bust in Canton. Nevertheless, Flutie chose to remain in retirement. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. [46] Flutie also created a cereal, Flutie Flakes, with the benefits going toward this organization. Keim also believed Murray had the potential to improve because during his college years, his focus, energy and time were divided between football and baseball. The Generals went on to sport an 117 record and a second-place finish in the USFL's Eastern Conference. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. Keim took a chance by selecting Murray first in 2019 even though a similar quarterback had yet to be chosen so high. Flutie was rewarded with a reported million-dollar salary from the Calgary Stampeders. When theres a quota of between four and eight enshrinees every year, it naturally waters down the Hall. Thats where pocket presence comes into play. [22] Flutie completed 134 of 281 passes for 2,109 yards and 13 touchdowns with the Generals in 1985 in 15 games. But they have different styles relative to how they play the quarterback position, Payton says. But count him in the Carter/Palmeiro group: At no point in his career was Curtis Martin (who, to be fair, was underrated) considered one of the NFLs best running backs. His doubters spouted the same nonsense when he left BC. He was elected to the CFLs Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016. [18] He was selected by the USFL's New Jersey Generals in the 1985 territorial draft, which took place in January, months before the 1985 NFL Draft. After opening 30, the Chargers slumped and were 42 going into Week 7, when Flutie's Chargers met Rob Johnson's Bills. While the quarterback game is being played outside the pocket more than ever, many wins and losses still are determined inside the pocket. And Sonny Jurgenson (5-11) led the NFL in passing five times on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Doug Flutie (5-10) had a 38-28 record as an NFL starter. He had a great career, but its not the Hall of Great. The following week, Flutie made his first NFL start since October 15, 1989, against the unbeaten Jacksonville Jaguars. Much has changed since Little General LeBaron played for Washington and Dallas in the 1950s and 60s, but the challenges of being shorter than linemen have not. At 5-foot-7, Little General Eddie LeBaron went to four Pro Bowls. Find out more. 10 on the all-time list.). (College Stats), Weighted Career AV (100-95-): 53 (1454th overall since 1960). Payton, Brees longtime coach in New Orleans, argues otherwise, partly because he looked up to his quarterback. Hall of Fame coaches, These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The following year he was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and in 2009 he was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Flutie became the first quarterback to win the Heisman since Pat Sullivan in 1971. [26] In 2007, he was named to Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, the first non-Canadian to be inducted. What made Doug Flutie so good? He was not a Hall of Fame quarterback. It is the Pro Football Hall ofFame, not the NFL Hall of Fame. He was a very fine NFL quarterback. However, on May 15, 2006, Flutie announced his decision to "hang up his helmet" at the age of 43 and retire. On January 2, 2005, the season finale of the 2004 season, Flutie broke Jerry Rice's record set two weeks prior, to become the oldest player ever to score a touchdown, at 42 years and 71 days. [12], The subsequent rise in applications for admission to Boston College after Flutie's "Hail Mary" gave rise to the admissions phenomenon known as the "Flutie Effect". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. He has special awareness, even when hes under pressure.. Flutie has the most rushing yards (212) for any player over 40 years old. His nephew Billy Flutie (son of Bill) was a wide receiver/punter at Boston College from 2007 to 2010. He was released by the Chargers on March 13, 2005. [32], During the 2006 off-season, Flutie's agent Kristen Kuliga stated he was interested in returning to the Patriots for another season; as a result, he was widely expected to return, despite his age. WebHall of Fame Doug Flutie Class Induction 2007 Sport (s) Position: Quarterback Years: 1981-1984 Place of Birth: Manchester, MD Date of Birth: Oct 23, 1962 Jersey Number: 22 Height: Referring to his time in the Canadian Football League (and, presumably, to the quarterback's relatively diminutive stature), television football commentator John Madden once said, "Inch for inch, Flutie in his prime was the best QB of his generation.". Young has an over-the-top release but is capable of changing his throwing angle when its advantageous. The number isnt as instructive for the college game because college hashes are 40 feet apart while NFL hashes are 18 feet, 6 inches apart. But not playing hard, not beingprepared, not pushing his slight body to feats others twice hissize could only dream about werent among them. [10] His family moved to Melbourne Beach, Florida when he was six, where his father worked as a quality engineer in the aerospace industry. The two Steelers 1970s greats come as a package deal. 1985. He led the league in passing five times in only eight seasons. After first refusing to wear gloves in freezing temperatures, in later years Flutie adapted to throwing with gloves in cold weather. DOUG FLUTIE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME IN 2014 SHERIFF WAYNE IVEY: We were all set, we had recruited great players, These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The 2023 draft, in fact, may be remembered as the draft of the short quarterback. With the election of the Class of 2020, there are now 346 members in the Hall of Fame. Flutie credits his time in the CFL with helping him develop as a pro quarterback. 4 Who is the first black NFL quarterback? [39], On March 8, 2016, Flutie was announced as one of the celebrities who would compete on season 22 of Dancing with the Stars. His passer rating is 49th in league history. Fluties outstanding qualities were instinct and competitiveness, but he was a take-off-and-run quarterback who sometimes frustrated coaches because he didnt execute plays the way they drew them up. Carter is a lot like Rafael Palmeiro (before the steroid thing) a great player who never felt like a Hall of Famer during his career. Bill Walsh would say, We were doing that with Steve Young,' Payton says. Kyler and Russell both know how to slide to where they can stay out of harm, says former Cardinals general manager Steve Keim, who drafted Murray with the first pick of the 2019 draft. In the four major professional sports, The Pro Football Hall of Fame is both the most difficult to evaluate for potential inductees and the most meaningless in terms of eventually getting the nod. The nine-year gap between starts for a quarterback in the NFL is the third-longest in duration behind Tommy Maddox (December 12, 1992 to October 6, 2002) and the man Flutie replaced, Todd Collins (December 14, 1997 to December 16, 2007). The quarterback coach for Boston College from 1981 to 1983 was Tom Coughlin. (Bob Griese was taken in 1967 and had a hall of fame career.) The Hall of Fame coach adhered to prototypes in personnel evaluations and rarely made exceptions. His paternal great-grandparents were Lebanese immigrants. The Bills' success continued with Flutie at the helm; his record as a starter that season was 8 wins and 3 losses. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Hes the type of player Id want on my team every year. Is Doug Flutie the greatest Canadian Football League Player of all time? He had his moments over 12 NFL seasons for four teams (five if you count the Patriots twice), winning comeback player of the year and making the Pro Bowl in 1998, and winning 70 percent of his starts for the Bills over three years. Flutie won his first Grey Cup in 1992 with the Stampeders. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Oftentimes, we equate short with overachiever, Payton says. Unlike Aikman, Carter didnt excel in the playoffs, averaging 4.5 catches per postseason game and scored six of his eight touchdown in losses. He is a member of the Longfellow Sports Clubs at their Wayland and Natick locations. Flutie was born in Manchester, Maryland to Dick and Joan Flutie. Allen only had over 1,000 yards in a season three times. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Boston College then took possession at its own 22-yard line with 28 seconds to go. Remember when scouting experts scoffed at running and elusivepro quarterbacks? [53], On November 18, 2015, Flutie's parents Dick and Joan Flutie died of heart attacks one hour apart. At points he was a superb NFL quarterback. Holds the professional football record of 6,619 yards passing in a single season. A voter should ask, what would happen if this quarterback was put on another team, in this case one without the No-Name Defense. When Russell Wilson came out, I had a pretty good feel for him and I liked him as a second- or third-round pick. That now ranks No. His QB rating an imperfect stat, sure is a less-than-pedestrian 65.5 behind so many mediocre quarterbacks that its not even worth reciting. Young missed one game at Alabama because of a sprained shoulder. Doug Flutie weighed 180 lbs (81 kg) when playing. On May 9, 2007, Flutie was elected to the, On April 2, 2008, Flutie was elected to the. Weight arguably is a more significant concern than height. He won three Grey Cup MVP awards, and was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player a record six times (19911994 and 19961997). You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Prepare to be blown away. I meant his own team. Back then, it was considered a boys will be boys thing and Hornung was let back in after a year and eventually elected to the Hall. WebOntario Sports Hall Of Fame - Honoured Members - Doug Flutie. Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. And for that to happen, Young may need to do things his larger counterparts cannot. I asked a buddy of mine whos a die-hard Bears fan about Dents Hall worthiness. [17] Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills, who had the first pick of the 1985 NFL Draft, still had the rights to Jim Kelly (who had earlier spurned them to go to the USFL) and also had concerns about Flutie's height. He holds the professional football record of 6,619 yards passing in a single season. Today in 1984, Doug Flutie completes the most famous pass of his career as Boston College stuns Miami 47-45 on the game's final play. pic.twitter.com/hPTddATs6a The Boston College players immediately mobbed Flutie and Phelan as BC escaped with one of the most exciting victories in college football history. His official Hall bio mentions that he recovered 14 career fumbles, which doesnt even rank him close to the top 300 in NFL history. I doubt hed have had a 92-56-3 record. Remember Parcells point about walking on water? They then released him after the season, and embarked on the worst three year stretch in team history, winning nine games, with no effectiveness or leadership from the quarterback position. [34] Flutie was pondering a return to the CFL because of his relationship with Argonauts head coach and former running back Pinball Clemons, and the desire to "say goodbye to the CFL". He passed 5,000+ yards six times in his career and remains the only player in pro football history to pass 6,000+ yards in a season twice in his career. His 48 touchdown passes in 1994 remains a CFL record. So they have to have compensating abilities, whether thats arm strength, accuracy, ability to throw on the run or ability to escape and extend plays with their feet.. Yes, Hall of Famer Bob Hayes only led the Dallas Cowboys in receptions three times. What is the best attractant for wild hogs? In his free time, he attends college football and basketball games at his alma mater Boston College and was a season ticket-holder. Hell be the loneinductee able to look his bust right in the eye. The question is whether quarterback Doug Flutie, who recentlyretired after 21 years, deserves a spot among the games all-timegreats. Doug Flutie is 5-10 (178 cm) tall. How much did Doug Flutie weigh when playing? Doug Flutie weighed 180 lbs (81 kg) when playing. Is Doug Flutie in the Hall of Fame? Doug Flutie has not been elected into the Hall of Fame. How many games did Doug Flutie play? Doug Flutie played 92 games over his career. How many passing yards did Doug Flutie have? Doug Flutie is the greatest Canadian Football League player to ever play the game, and the greatest competitor Ive ever seen in any sport: He is rightly a slam dunk member of the CFL Hall of Fame and the consensus pick as the best CFL player of all-time: TSN Top 50 CFL Players Wikipedia. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Monday, May 1, 10:07AM. Murray isnt far behind, ranking 11th at 76.2 percent. The Pro Football part helps out Moon, as he amassed some big numbers in Canada. The three of them really, all efficient short quarterbacks have a sixth sense about playing the game. 5 Is Doug Flutie the greatest Canadian Football League Player of all time? [31] There is a video of Flutie describing the event in his own words. Brees official height from the combine was 6-0 2/8, but some scouts who measured him during his college days claimed he was a tick below 6-0. "[47], In February 2021, Flutie won the WWE 24/7 Championship from R-Truth during a celebrity flag football tournament, though he would then immediately drop the title back to Truth. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. He played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), eight seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL), and one season in the United States Football League (USFL).
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