3 Reasons why being a backup QB is the best job in the NFL
For most NFL teams, every waking moment is spent hoping and praying that their franchise-level quarterback avoids hitting the sidelines for a protracted amount of time. Although tacky tack injuries are a part of the game, it's the catastrophic ones that can set a team back.
Ultimately, situations such as those rarely arise, making the job and life of their backup quarterback incredibly easier. To a large extent, although NFL players spend the vast majority of their time engaging in car-like level crashes every week, the life of a perennial backup is worry and carefree.
Read along as we explain why backup quarterbacks have the best jobs in the NFL and probably on earth.
#1 - No pressure
No matter how impressive or underwhelming an NFL team's starting quarterback is, a healthy dose of pressure is placed directly on their lap.
However, that same pressure doesn't apply to signal-callers on the bench. In most cases, even when those quarterbacks are thrown into the lion's den, they have little to no expectations in the absence of the original starter.
Take a look back in time as we peek at the 2017 season. In the year, Carson Wentz successfully led his Philadelphia Eagles to a pristine record of 11-2 before missing the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. From there, the Eagles' Super Bowl dreams appeared to be a fading memory.
Even while Nick Foles successfully carried them to the promised land before ultimately defeating the New England Patriots as massive underdogs, little to no pressure was placed on Foles' shoulders. Simply put, backup quarterbacks work in the quiet and unassuming shadows of their starter, no matter the circumstances.
#2 - Big checks for little work
There's nothing quite like clocking in for work and watching everyone else do all the heavy lifting before sneaking out the backdoor with a hefty sum of money deposited into your bank account.
Countless backup quarterbacks across the league are seldom asked to step into the line of fire on game day. Instead, more times than not, those very backups pick up the nearest towel and wave it profusely in support of their teammates.
While their daily chores include public support of their colleagues and holding the clipboard, backup quarterbacks are paid handsomely for their diminutive role. Players such as C.J. Beathard and Mason Rudolph earn roughly $3 million per season. Some of the more upper echelon backups, such as Andy Dalton and Taysom Hill, will bank north of 10 million, not a bad way for a player to make a living while barely seeing the field.
#3 - Job Security
The NFL is a brutal business, particularly regarding the quarterback position. More often than not, when a quarterback has spent most of his career in the limelight as a team's starter, once they are considered over the hill, they are often shunned and forced out of the league. A case in point would be Cam Newton.
Despite being named to three Pro Bowls and winning the league MVP award, Newton has been unable to secure a role as a team's backup quarterback. On the other hand, players such as Chad Henne and, most recently, Josh McCown built their careers while being known primarily for their roles on the bench.
Even now, at the age of 37 and carrying a plethora of experience, if Patrick Mahomes goes down with an injury for an extended period, Kansas City Chiefs fans will become unnerved as Henne takes over.