QBs, age and Donovan McNabb
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QBs, age and Donovan McNabb
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
I figured we could all use a break from the Plaxico Burress mania that has taken over our lives in the past few days so I thought we'd go in a different direction today, back to what's happening on the field.
I decided to take a closer look at the age of quarterbacks who have started in the Super Bowl during the last decade.
This topic obviously has local interest after Donovan McNabb played great on Thanksgiving night in the Eagles' win over the Cardinals. Can McNabb play at that level consistently at this point in his career? Is he good enough to lead a team to the Super Bowl? Those are the questions that the Eagles' front office will have to answer, and most fans have already formed their opinions.
I took a look at quarterbacks who have started in the Super Bowl, dating back to 1999, and here are the numbers:
29.1 -- The average age of quarterbacks who have started in the Super Bowl since 1999. To get the average, I used the players' age at the time of the Super Bowl in which they played.
28.5 -- The average age of the winning quarterback.
29.7 -- The average age of the losing quarterback.
38.58 -- John Elway's age when he started the Super Bowl for the Broncos in 1999. Elway is the oldest quarterback to have won or started a Super Bowl in the last decade.
23.92 -- Ben Roethlisberger's age when he started the Super Bowl for the Steelers in 2006. Roethlisberger is the youngest quarterback to have won or started a Super Bowl in the last decade.
3 - Number of quarterbacks 30 or older who have won a Super Bowl in the last decade (30 percent).
8 - Number of quarterbacks 30 or older who have started a Super Bowl in the last decade (40 percent).
McNabb turned 32 last week. Hypothetically, if he were to lead the Eagles to Tampa this year, McNabb would be the fifth-oldest quarterback to start a Super Bowl in the last decade -- behind Brad Johnson, who was 34 with the Bucs in 2003; Rich Gannon, who was 37 with the Raiders in 2003; Elway, who was 38 with the Broncos in 1999; and Chris Chandler, who was 33 with the Falcons in 1999.
Interestingly enough, the numbers change when looking at just the past five years. The average age of a quarterback starting in the Super Bowl drops to 27.6. And no quarterback has been 31 or older. If McNabb were to get to the Super Bowl this year or even next year, he would be the oldest quarterback to reach the championship since 2003.
So there are the numbers. What do you think?
Comment removed.
This is a blog. No blog post is ever worthless. That is the beauty of a blog. Does not take up any space in the newspaper so you can post random things like this.— Lemur- i agree, pointless post— extremebrian
- Wasn't Brady 30+ in this past year's bowl?— palmyra21
- I'm 46, and if I lead the Eagles to this year's Super Bowl, I would be the oldest QB ever to have played there. Fact is, I'm just as likely to do this as McNabb is with this team. It's not his fault, just like it's not mine.— Bake McBride
- Palmyra21, Brady was 30 during last year's Super Bowl. I probably should have said "31 or older."— skapadia
We may very well see a fossil named Favre or Collins in the Super Bowl this year. Age is not really an issue. Do some research into how many Super Bowl teams didn't have a rock solid running game to lean on when necessary. That's the real stat that tells the story of the Eagles chances of getting to the SuperBowl in the next decade.- YES!, This the man's prime, 32, look at Favre, 39, Aikman and young would have played on as well, if not for concussions, not a problem with McNabb. His head and body are at that point where he's capable of great things. Where he's learnad how to play at this level and still has a body healthy enoufgh to do it. Look his arm's a cannon and his legs are more than adequate, remember he doesn't have to run like Flutie or Tarkenton. He's 6,3 and can stand in the pocket and look over his lineman, that's why he has always resisted the pigeonholing as a running QB.— robinlupe
- QB - one player....TEAM - 22 starting players and 32 replacements. I find it hard to believe that the age of one player is significant in their possibility of arriving in the Sperbowl. What is the age of LB's, RB, OL's, LB, S, CB's ya-da, ya-da, ya-da? After a QB plays 5 years they should go to the scrap pile! Dumb analogy.— jakster
- I think I'd rather read about Burress...— extremebeat
who's thhe FATTEST coach to ever win the super bowl ?? thats not even a joke question - what the avrage coach's weight and decide whether FAT ANDY splits and we KEEP DMac !!— daveH- Comment removed.
Blog or no blog, this is the most worthless piece of journalism I've ever read. And whoever thinks that age doesn't make a difference is still peeing in his pampers! LMAO, daveH!!!!— PattyJo- havent been able to find any research on FAT Super Bowl coaches,yet, but AR's gotta stretch the averages to its L I M I T S. therefore, the odds of DMAc leading us there are way better than Fat AR ...— daveH
- i wish fat Andy would take a wonderlic test ... bet he aint anywhere near the top of the pile. in fact i bet he aint near the middle and he aint even leading the bottom dwellers ... i bet he's as low as they get / and not even considering his wonderlic vs earnings - man guaranteed hhe's the DUMBEST, but making the mOST. the joke is on us & he is laughing all the way to the bank ! (well, maybe a stop or TWO at the state prison)— daveH
- Hypothetically, if McNabb were to lead the Eagles to the Super Bowl in Tampa this year he would be the fifth oldest. Hypothetically, if every 10th Iggles fan won the lottery the could pool their funds and buy the team making progressive changes. We got it now.— warbird
- daveh why you gotta hate on AR just cause he makes more in a year than you'll make in your life? Just because he is successful, smart and wealthy shouldnt make you turn into a jealous turd?
- theeee worst article, post, blog or what the heck yoou wanna call it!!! theeee worst. next to tod pinkston/reggie or that guy lonewolf who leaves comments on this site. theeeee worst— coachbarnes10
- wow,, you must have been bored,, get laid get creative!— osi is hurt boohoo
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