Greatest NFL Coaching Tree

NFL Conference Championship Game weekend. One of the best sports days of the year. In the Ravens vs. Chiefs matchup, I was intrigued to see that it’s the first time that John Harbaugh gets to face his mentor, Andy Reid in the playoffs! This got me thinking, and having some fun conversations about the great coaching trees in NFL history.

There are great coaches, and then there are also great coaching trees. Most people would now say that Bill Belichick is the greatest coach- or at least the winningest coach- in NFL history with his 9 Super Bowl appearances and 6 Super Bowl Championships as Head Coach with the Patriots. Also consider, that on Bill Belichick’s coaching tree is Nick Saban, who I absolutely think is the GOAT in College Football. And of course Bill Belichick was the defensive coordinator for the great Bill Parcells, as they won 2 Super Bowls with the New York Giants, and also lost a Super Bowl with the Patriots.

And then certainly in the discussion as one of the greatest Head Coaches is the great Joe Gibbs, who in only 10 years won 3 Super Bowls for my Washington Redskins, and lost a 4th. And perhaps most impressively, he is the ONLY NFL Head Coach to win 3 Super Bowls- with 3 different, and NON- Hall of Fame, Quarterbacks! Also consider, that Gibbs took a 4th QB, Jay Schroeder, to an NFC Championship game, losing to Parcells’ Giants in the ‘86 season. And on top of this, if not for a Carlos Rogers drop on a should-have-been INT TD vs. the Seahawks, he would have taken a 5th QB, Mark Brunell, to the 2005 NFC Championship! But Gibbs would also lead the Redskins to the 2007 playoffs with yet another QB, Todd Collins, meaning that altogether, he took 6 different QB’s to the NFL playoffs. Staggering!

So getting back Andy Reid’s coaching tree. The list is very impressive with successful head coaches such as John Harbaugh, Sean McDermott, Ron Rivera, Doug Pederson, Pat Shermur, and Matt Nagy.

But then consider…where did Andy Reid come from? Reid was on the coaching tree of the great Mike Holmgren, who beat Gibbs in that ‘05 playoff game. And besides Reid, Jon Gruden was also on that Holmgren coaching tree. Who was under Gruden? Another list of impressive coaches such as: Mike Tomlin, Bill Callahan, Rod Marinelli, Raheem Morris, Jay Gruden, and Sean McVay.

And this is where it gets even more fun! In the NFC Championship game this weekend, we have Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers, vs. the Detroit Lions. Now let’s consider where Kyle Shanahan came from. Yes, it pains me and my fellow Washington football fans, as we are often reminded of what is absolutely one of biggest indictments against the disastrous Dan Snyder ownership years: the handling of Mike Shanahan- with his incredible coaching tree in the building! Yes, the 2013 Washington Redskins staff under Mike Shanahan, with Kyle, Sean McVay, Matt LaFleur, Mike McDaniel and Bobby Slowik. And not pictured below from that ‘13 staff, is also Raheem Morris- just hired as the Atlanta Falcons new Head Coach!

But then, consider where Mike Shanahan came from. You could argue that he’s on the Tom Landry coaching tree, as he got his start with the Broncos, under Dan Reaves. But shortly after, he also coached with Mike Holmgren on the 49ers! And who did they coach under? George Siefert.

And this is where it gets most impressive and my mind gets blown. Siefert coached with the 49ers, under the great Bill Walsh. Similar to Joe Gibbs, and in less than 10 years, Walsh also won 3 Super Bowls with the 49ers. And yes, like Gibbs is on the short list as one of the greatest Head Coaches in the history of the NFL.

Where do all these roads lead to? To what I think is perhaps not debatable: that the greatest NFL Head Coaching Tree belongs to…Bill Walsh.

The HOF Case for Gary Clark

When I heard that my friend, and Redskins Ring of Fame legend Wide Receiver Gary Clark, was once again on the Pro Football Hall of Fame (HOF) ballot class of 2020, I was excited, and again reminded that the HOF induction process is not always a perfect one.

I want to lay out my case for why I think Gary Clark should absolutely be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Prior to his NFL debut with the Redskins in 1985, he was actually drafted by the Jacksonville Bulls of the former USFL in 1984 and had a very productive season. In fact, he told me he gives a lot of credit from those early days to Jax Head Coach Lindy Infante for teaching him the touch and go strategy against man coverage that he thought was brilliant, and would no doubt help set up future success. Fortunately for Redskins fans, the USFL would fold in 1985, bringing Gary Clark to the NFL and the start of his illustrious career with the Burgundy and Gold.

Right out of the gate, Clark dazzled in his rookie campaign, compiling a whopping 72 receptions, 5 TD’s, and just under 1,000 yards. In fact, he still holds the Redskins WR record for most yards in his rookie season. Then in 1986, in spite of missing one game, Clark still had 74 catches, and 7 TD’s and nearly 1,300 yards, which were 2nd highest totals in the NFC behind Jerry Rice. And consider the era he played in, when 70+ catches per season was a really big deal, as compared to the modern era where receivers numbers are vastly elevated due to various factors, such as nuances of illegal contact, personal fouls, and other rules.

All told with the Redskins, Clark was a four time pro bowler, three time All-Pro, and two time Super Bowl champion. He was an integral part of “The Posse”, arguably the greatest WR trio ever assembled. Apart from an ‘87 strike game when Anthony Allen had 255 yards, Clark still holds the Redskins record for most receiving yards (241- and 11 catches!) in a game, which also happened to be vs the elite, all-time dominant Giants defense, during their 1986 Super Bowl Championship season.

Another interesting stat to point out is that while Gary played for the Redskins, he had more receptions (549), TD’s (58), yards (8,742), and yards per reception (16) than his HOF teammate Art Monk during the same time.

For his amazing 11 year NFL career, Clark racked up a total of 699 receptions, 65 TD’s, 10,856 yards, and 15.5 yards per reception. Of these, he had five 1,000+ yard seasons, which were also considered a more significant benchmark during that era. He also averaged 65 yards per game, and an eye-popping 15.5 yards per reception average, both of which are also in the same range as several current HOF’ers. As a Cardinal in 1994, he became the first NFL receiver to catch 50 or more passes in the first 10 seasons of his career. Then at the time of his retirement, he actually ranked in the top five in career receptions and receiving yards.

Among his many career highlights, Gary told me that his favorite regular season moment was his OT game-winning TD vs the Vikings in 1986.

There were several huge regular season games over his career, when the lights were brightest and stakes were highest, that Clark delivered in the clutch. One game that immediately stands out to me was during the historic 1991 championship run. The Redskins raced out of the gate to an impressive, virtually unstoppable start. And it wasn’t just the wins. They were lopsided, complete domination wins. And yes, right in the middle of this domination was Gary Clark, on his way to his third All-Pro season. The 7-0 Redskins rolled into the Meadowlands for a Sunday night primetime showdown vs the defending Super Bowl Champion Giants, who had been a painful nemesis, having won 6 straight vs the Burgundy & Gold. In this pivotal game, once again Gary Clark seized the spotlight and delivered when his team needed him the most. The win not only snapped the Giants win streak and propelled the Redskins to 8-0, it probably also served to really fuel the ensuing confidence and continued domination for the rest of the ‘91 juggernaut run.

Then just 2 weeks after the big Giants win- Clark accumulated an astounding 203 yards (on 4 catches!), and 3 TD’s in a lopsided onslaught vs the Falcons, propelling the surging Redskins to an eye-popping 10-0.

But what also takes Gary Clark to the next level is that he had some really good postseason success with 58 receptions, 826 yards, and 6 TD’s. Among these were very big, clutch moments. One was the game-winning TD in the ‘87 NFC Championship game vs the Vikings. Now a fascinating story that Gary told me from this game, leading up to the game winning TD: He said that he told Doug [Williams] earlier in the game that the next time they (coaching staff) called a “7 route” (corner route in their offense), that he was going to run a hook route instead because he thought they (Vikings D) were anticipating the 7 route. So on what would be the Redskins last offensive drive of the game, when the play called for the 7 route, Clark ran and Doug threw the hook route instead, and Clark scored the game-winning TD!

Then 2 weeks later in Super Bowl XXII, he would score what also turned out to be the game-winning TD vs. the Broncos during the greatest quarter in the history of football. Then during the 1991 championship run, Clark had huge post-season TD’s, that proved to be game-sealing, leave-no-doubt moments. First, vs. the Lions in the Championship game, and then vs the Bills in Super Bowl XXVI.

And in what turned out to be his last TD as a Redskin, it was also in a big, game sealing moment vs. the Vikings in the ‘92 NFC Wild Card game.

As we further evaluate Gary Clark’s HOF induction consideration, it’s important to also consider current HOF wide receivers and how Clark stacks up to them. Now of course it’s important to not just focus on player stats comparison, but nonetheless they are still very important. In particular, they are important when we compare players from around the same era. One would be John Stallworth, who had career totals of 537 receptions, 8,723 yards, 63 TD’s, 4 pro bowls. He also played 14 seasons to accumulate these totals, as compared to Clark’s 11. And like Gary Clark had in HOF teammate Art Monk, Stallworth had another HOF teammate in Lynn Swan. But as we look at Lynn Swann’s 9 year career totals, he only had 336 receptions, 5,462 yards, 51 TD’s, 3 pro bowls- all less than Clark’s totals. And yes, we all know that Lynn Swan is probably most famously known for his acrobatic catch in Super Bowl X. But Gary Clark also had exceptional catches including, ironically, this catch vs. the Steelers!

Another great HOF wide receiver of note is Fred Biletnikoff, who played for 13 seasons and had 589 receptions, 8,974 yards, 76 TD’s, and made 6 pro bowls. And his Raiders teams won 1 Super Bowl. And another relatively similar comp would be Michael Irvin, who played 12 seasons, with 750 receptions, nearly 12,000 yards, 65 TD‘s, and 15.9 yards per reception.

Yes, the regular and post-season cumulative stats are impressive. And no doubt arguably sufficient in themselves to justify HOF induction. But beyond the mere stats, I think it’s important to emphasize Gary Clark’s many intangibles, and several essential traits that are needed in a star to have well-rounded success. One of these was his incredible durability. Amazingly, he only missed 9 games his entire career! Now this doesn’t mean he stayed completely injury and pain free. He told me there were several games that he took pain killers, in spite of the many nagging hamstring and groin issues. And of course he still played at his consistently high level. Also consider that during this era, the NFL didn’t have the current standards of concussion protocols and knowledge that is more known today. In fact, he believes he probably had 3 to 4 concussions during his career. He said his mindset was that he just got his “bell rung”, and had to “shake off the cobwebs”, to get back into the game and keep giving his all. He was such a fierce competitor who wanted to do all he could in his power to help his team win. In fact, Doug Williams, who I met during an exclusive premier of his NFL “A Football Life”, when it was aired last year had some great things to say publicly about Gary that night: “Pound for pound, he [Gary Clark] was the toughest football player I ever played with in my life.”

Based on what Gary has often told me, I also think that he had an appropriate “IT” factor trait, and the kind of competitive mindset that every athlete needs: that he didn’t think too highly of himself as he would never be too comfortable and assume he had his WR position made, but would continue to play and work so hard so that he wouldn’t “lose his job” to someone else. To this day, he sings the praises of his WR Posse, other teammates, and the coaching staff, giving them lots of credit and pushing him to excel. Another fascinating aspect of his competitive mindset that he has often shared in what fueled him- and what he thinks is an important factor among teammates and in a good, winning football culture- is how much he hated to lose, perhaps even more than he wanted to win. Yes, he still loved to win, and celebrated with the best of them. Though I’m sure many have worked as hard, I am convinced no one worked harder. Gary Clark was the ideal team player, a fierce competitor, and one of the key outspoken leaders who laid it all on the line, both on game days and in preparation.

Then there is Hall of Fame NFL coach and football broadcaster, John Madden. For many years on game days, whenever a prime, often times the most important game of the weekend was scheduled, you knew we would hear the broadcaster voices of the best tandem in the NFL: John Madden, along with his play-by-play partner, Pat Summerall. I can recall several instances over the years, when Madden gushed with praise on how much he loved so many things about Gary Clark. Here is one of those examples that I found.

Yes, Madden recognized the tangible, and intangible elements of Gary Clark’s game that I think absolutely make him a legit HOF’er.

Then there is the perspective of one of Gary’s former teammates, John Booty. Here is what he told me:

“I used to hear about and see Gary prior to competing against him and he was very impressive and tough. I saw he had no fear and made big plays. When I started playing against him I experienced his competitiveness. I saw first hand how fiery he was on the sideline, his reputation meaning he wanted to win! Then when we became teammates I saw that fire first hand and I was like ‘I see why he’s a great wide receiver’! His toughness was shown by John Madden and his numbers, all pros, pro bowls, and Super Bowl Championships shows that he wanted his team to win Championships while proved he was the best at his position. He should be in the Hall of Fame!”

I also wanted the perspective of another great Redskins wide receiver, Santana Moss, who told me the following:

“I believe Gary was one of the best to do it. In his time where there were two wideouts to lead a passing attack Gary was a leader amongst a leader being Art Monk’s ‘1b’. Although people would think Monk was the guy- which he was- but Gary made his opportunities greater just because you had to check or be aware of Clark’s attack at any moment in any game! I believe 8 out of 9 seasons Gary led his receiving core with catches and yards but was still considered the ‘Robin to Batman’ (Art Monk). After all, in those days 10,000 yards would’ve given you a shoe in at the ‘yellow jacket’ and I believe he left the game as one!”

No doubt very high praises from just two of the many who I’m sure share similar perspectives.

Yes, Gary Clark was a relentless, hard-working, top-achiever during his football playing days. And he continues to be one today, and shows no signs of slowing down as he is constantly trying to find ways to make himself, and others better. His obvious and consistent personal-growth mindset that I see countless evidences of today, is no doubt something that set him apart and helped elevate his game during his playing days.

Similar to how it was when Art Monk finally got his well-deserved and egregiously long overdue HOF induction, it’s also time for the HOF selection committee to once again do the right thing and please end another long overdue induction. Yes, it’s time for Gary Clark to join this special group and put on his yellow jacket in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Best hope for Redskins fans from this season: a new Stadium in DC

While this season's record and once realistic playoff hopes is quickly spiraling downhill with one devastating injury after another, the best news for Redskins fans from this season is the best case, dream scenario: the new stadium being built on the RFK lot. And the timing of this hopeful stadium news that broke over the weekend would seemingly be perfect, then enabling Snyder to part ways with Bruce Allen, who's organizational value in negotiating a stadium deal is probably his biggest asset and why he’s actually still here. And let me say that while I think Allen needs to go, please conduct it with class and appreciation. Take the high road, which is something this organization rarely does well. While it's indisputable that Allen has made many horrible personnel decisions along the way, I’ll make note to say he has actually done some good things as well. I like how he has made efforts to bring back many Redskins legends and keep them connected to the organization, via the "homecoming" game events. I also think Bruce has a level of respect around the league (that Vinny Cerrato never had!) and has overseen some savvy contract negotiations, while mostly keeping the team in good cap positions over the years. Then again, perhaps Eric Schaffer is the bigger factor in the cap stability. But while there have been some good cap-friendly contracts and shrewd negotiations over the years, perhaps the most important one that would impact the franchise for years to come? The "Kurt" Cousins debacle. I remain adamant in my position, that the Redskins needed to keep Cousins, and I believe, made a huge mistake in letting him go. Whether Bruce or perhaps GM Scot McCloughan at the time was indeed most influential for not giving Kirk what he proposed after the 2015 season, Bruce is still most responsible. And while not paying Cousins after 2015 remains a huge mistake that I think will have ripple effects for years, even more catastrophic and gut-wrenching is when I wonder if there could have been a way to figure out how to ensure that Sean McVay didn’t leave the building. A young, rapidly rising- possibly elite head coach. A guy who we had in our organization for 7 years. If only HE could be our head coach of the future- perhaps with Kirk Cousins as his QB. I digress. It’s too painful to ponder.

Yes, the negatives far outweigh the positives, and Allen’s tenure as team President absolutely cannot continue. What is the solution? While I would love for Snyder to somehow be able to identify and land a top-proven (or perhaps young up-and-coming) guy to be new President, who would then bring in a good GM and build from the top down, here is what I think is the most realistic, and perhaps most reasonable solution in the moment: Elevate Doug Williams to President, and Kyle Smith to GM, who oversees all the roster decisions. Perhaps Eric Schaffer as VP, or at least some front-office role higher than currently. Promote guys- good guys, from within. And then what about Jay Gruden? While I have long thought that Jay is an average coach and nothing special, he has amazingly- and unfortunately- had relative "success" (compared to Snyder era norm here!) with a cumulative .500 record since '15. It's a real tough conundrum to evaluate, in particular when the team has been ravaged by key injuries, which I believe is the biggest reason the wheels have fallen off this season. But on the flip side, Gruden has a big hand in why the game performance- against a putrid Giants team without OBJ- was so abysmal. I would hope that even an injured team would play inspired, high-energy football if they were well-coached, vs. that catastrophic performance. Still, the realistic solution may actually be giving Gruden another year (unless an obviously better HC scenario presents itself) to see what he may do with a- hopefully, more healthy roster. Another reason I think it's not only most realistic, but perhaps also most necessary Gruden stays: the QB situation! With reports now that Alex Smith's 2019 season (and perhaps career) is likely in jeopardy, that leaves us with Colt McCoy as the most viable QB option in 2019. Because the Redskins are on the hook for Smith's contract, they obviously can't afford to go out and sign a decent QB on the FA market. So while perhaps a new President and GM hires a new head coach, and then drafts a QB (perhaps a Will Grier?) high in the draft who starts from scratch, the most likely scenario is rolling with the most viable option in house, Colt McCoy. Think about this: how would it seem possible that McCoy could stay and be QB in '19- if not for his biggest supporter, HC Gruden being here as well. I gotta think that Gruden and McCoy are linked together. I don’t think there is any way you can roll with McCoy as QB without Jay Gruden. Yes, I think Gruden probably stays- perhaps out of necessity, and injury excuse asterisk.

But Bruce Allen absolutely needs to be out. Here's hoping Snyder makes the right key decisions, and that the best possible news from this now catastrophic season brings the fans fresh hope of the dream scenario: a new stadium on the RFK grounds.

Decision Time: Kirk Cousins

Last year during the offseason, I wrote about why the Redskins absolutely needed to sign Kirk Cousins to a long-term deal. There were basically two decisions that were being heavily weighed: sign to a long-term deal after his first full- and really good season- or, place the franchise tag on him, essentially creating more of a prove-it season, determining if he was deserving of a long-term, huge $ contract. The decision was made, and with no long-term deal being reached by the 7/15 deadline, the franchise tag was indeed placed on him for the 2016 season. 

In a lot of ways, the 2016 season for Cousins was even better than the 2015 season. He surpassed his 2015 yards (and Redskins QB record) total and fell just short of the elite and revered 5,000 passing yards mark, at a gaudy 4,917. Why elite, in terms of 5,000+ yards? Because the only QB's in NFL history to pass for 5,000+ yards are Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Dan Marino and Matthew Stafford. That's it. Cousins completed 67% of his passes, good for 8th in the NFL, and ahead of Aaron Rodgers. He was also 3rd overall in yards per attempt at 8.11, making the completion % that much more impressive. He was 13th overall with 25 TD passes, ahead of MVP candidate Matt Stafford. Led by Cousins, the high-octane offense certainly had no problems moving the ball, as they finished #2 overall in the NFL with 39.8 yards per drive. In total yards per game, the offense finished with a team record and staggering total of 6,454 yards, good for 3rd overall in the NFL. And I might add, if not for the red-zone offensive inefficiencies, the team point totals (and QB passes for Cousins) could have been a lot higher. And then in QB rating, Cousins was #7 overall at 97.2.

But perhaps even more impressive is when you take into consideration the advanced stats of several other key elements in evaluating QB's. Some of these, I had never even heard of until doing this expanded research! Now the first, and more commonly known is the overall "QBR", which takes into account several factors such as: passes dropped, passes thrown away intentionally, and scrambles and planned runs. Total QBR also has a "clutch" factor, for how a QB performs in high leverage situations. And beginning in 2016, QBR was also adjusted for strength of opponent. Then when we go beyond the QBR stat, there are several other advanced stats worth noting. The first is "DYAR", which is defense-adjusted yards above replacement. This is essentially the value of the QB's performance compared to replacement level, and is adjusted based on opponent and game situations, translated to total yardage. Cousins was ranked #3 overall in DYAR. Another stat is "DVOA", which is defense-adjusted value over average. These stats represent a QB's value per play, over an average QB in similar in-game situations. Cousins ranked #5 overall in this stat. 

Outside of these specific impressive stats for overall evaluation, I then came across some additional eye-popping categories that really jumped out to me. Al Galdi, one of my personal favorite local sports radio guys (also a die-hard Redskins and O's fan like myself!), is quite simply one of the best statisticians, and especially advanced analytics guys I know of. He put together some incredible factors to consider, as to how much better Kirk Cousins may be than looking at the initial surface of the most commonly known stats of evaluation. Besides some of the advanced stats I mentioned above, Galdi also references how Kirk led ALL NFL QB's in "air yards" in 2016. Galdi says,

"Air Yards are the total yards a football is thrown beyond the line of scrimmage to the point of reception.  The number is arrived at by subtracting Yards After Catch (YAC) from total passing yards.  The idea with tracking Air Yards is to differentiate between those quarterbacks who are Checkdown Charlies or benefit greatly from YAC from those quarterbacks who “earn” their passing yardage with accurate and downfield throwing.  Kirk’s 2,939 Air Yards per SportingCharts.com were 143 more than the next-best total (Drew Brees’ 2,796).  Remember this the next time you hear that Kirk is just a dink-and-dunk passer or is simply a product of the system or his weapons.  Kirk was 10th in the NFL in Air Yards in 2015 (2,258)."

The next stat that Galdi mentions that jumped out to me that I was not aware of is that Cousins faced the toughest schedule of opposing defenses that any QB faced during the 2016 season. He elaborates to say,

"Nine of the Redskins' 16 games were against teams that finished the season in the top 11 of the NFL in total defense: Pittsburgh (no. 11), the Giants twice (no. 2), Baltimore (no. 6), Philadelphia twice (no. 4), Minnesota (no. 9), Arizona (no. 3) and Carolina (no. 10). The Redskins faced just the 28th-toughest schedule in 2015. A lot of people like to discount Kirk's 2015 due to the opposition. Fine. Then upgrade his 2016 due to the opposition."

So now a big question is, how should Kirk Cousins be considered and "ranked" overall among the top NFL QB's? Should he be considered a top 10 QB? Or, perhaps even top 5? Where would the league analysts and GM's have him? No doubt, a tough answer. Personally, I don't think it's unreasonable to say that Cousins is not one of the top 5- elite QB's in the league. I also don't think it's necessarily unreasonable to say he's not in the top 10. Would most NFL coaches and GM's say they would take 5, or perhaps even 10 QB's ahead of Cousins if having their pick? Perhaps. This is a key factor. That said, do I think that one day, Cousins could widely be considered a top 10- possibly even a top 5 QB? Yes! At only 28, having played only 2 full seasons in the league, and showing continued improvement in his play, why not think he can get better? Though the stats aren't everything, they certainly help paint a good picture. I am personally hopeful, and think he can and will get even better. Besides his on the field success and improvement, he has the kinds of intangibles that I believe makes him the kind of guy you want to build your team around. He works extremely hard- on his body physically, in the film room, and on the field. He's a leader. And he's humble. One of the best windows I have personally benefitted from in trying to evaluate who Kirk Cousins is and how he thinks is simply by listening to his many weekly in-season interviews on 106.7 "The Fan" with Grant Paulsen and Danny Rouhier. There are little things I have picked up on that I think are impressive intangibles, such as the way he talks about his diet and sleep: What he eats, and when he allows himself "cheat meals". When he sleeps, and how much sleep he needs. He is no doubt very disciplined. In his interview immediately following the disappointing and devastating season ending loss to the Giants, Cousins said several things that caught my attention to enhance my feelings about him personally and his outstanding intangibles. One thing he said- and it was also how he said it- was how he wished he could just get right back at it, and begin relentless preparation for the next game- and the next season, right now. The loss stung. He was appropriately affected by it. And when talking about the game clinching INT, he completely took it on himself and accepted blame, talking about the way he threw it, and perhaps waiting too long and second guessing himself. He accepted it as a man. No blame shifting. He also talked about ways he believes he needs to improve his play. And when ending the call, he communicated his gratefulness and love to both Grant and Danny for the opportunity all season, and for the great times. Very articulate. Very genuine. And very humble. The kind of guy I would personally want to build my team around. 

Getting back to how he is currently "ranked" among the current NFL QB's. Even if he's not currently a "top 5" or "top 10" QB, what does the current NFL market say about his value? Does he deserve to be paid as a top 5 QB, in terms of what he has accomplished in his career vs. the current top 5 paid QB's? Now of course I would say no, as would most people. But that's not the point. One factor to consider is the current supply and demand of top QB talent. In this QB-driven league with so many teams desperately needing help, if Cousins is indeed made available on the open market, multiple teams would be clamoring for his services and likely create a bidding war. No doubt the market would likely get him paid "top 5" $ in this scenario. Next, with the rapidly increasing salary cap and thus contracts continually on the rise, the total amount that a "top" QB currently makes will soon not seem like as much in relative comparison to the salaries that the upward market trend will soon command. The key factor is more about the percentage of the teams cap space that the current QB market has and will command, which of course will make the total $ number a little higher than some of the comparable percentage of team cap deals that top QB's are currently paid. I have no doubt that in order for the Redskins to get a long-term deal with Cousins done, they need to have his cap percentage value be comparable to the current top 5 QB % range. And even going beyond this, it wouldn't shock me- primarily because of the mentioned supply and demand and increasing salary cap factors- if we see Cousins get the highest contract in the history of the NFL. And I will go on to say that if this is what it takes: even making Cousins the highest paid NFL player, the Redskins absolutely have to do it. The mega deal that Andrew Luck received last offseason, at 5 years and $122M and $87M guaranteed is the likely market range it will take to get a long-term deal done. 

So what do the Redskins do? What should they do? Today, February 15, 2017 is the first day that teams can assign franchise or transition tags. The official and critical two week window of opportunity begins now. By March 1st at 4PM, teams must apply one of these tag options. And then if a tag is indeed the first step, the Redskins would have until mid-July to work out a long-term deal. 

All signs seem to currently point to the Redskins applying one of the tags. And Cousins has said he is ok playing under the tag again if it comes to that. He has also said that if he had a long-term deal, he would have more "freedom to lead." My stance remains the same as it was last year, and I would say even more emphatic now than last year: the Redskins absolutely must sign Cousins to a mega, long-term deal. Sure, the possibility of a couple of high draft picks as compensation (perhaps from Kyle Shanahan with the 49ers) is somewhat enticing if offered. But the flip side risk in not retaining a highly successful- and I believe still improving- QB in this league is too substantial. For a franchise that has wandered in the QB-starved desert and had no stability at this crucial position for the better part of the past 25 plus years, they simply cannot afford to roll the dice on letting Cousins walk. Besides the risk of letting just Cousins potentially get away and not lock him up long-term, is how a decision like this would also have an organizational snowball effect. Let's say that Cousins is indeed tagged, leaving this uncertainty of his future in DC. I believe the impact of this also filters into the decisions of pending free agents of not only those who have been here (like Garcon and Jackson), but also for those who may consider coming here, when league-wide free agency begins on March 9th. If Cousins is here long-term, I would think it would make free agents more enticed to stay and come here- especially in seeing stability and continuity- whereas if there is no certainty of the future direction, I believe it makes these free agent decisions a lot more difficult.

Yes, I still trust in GM Scot McCloughan to ultimately do what he thinks is best. And I hope that what indeed would be his preference- Cousins here long-term- would happen without interference from anyone at the top and that all parties would be on the same page, and work hard towards swift and mutual resolution. The clock is ticking. And I believe the Redskins have no choice but to go all in and give Cousins what it will take to keep him here. For the long-term. 

What is the next step with Kirk Cousins?

On March 1st, the Redskins did what most thought they would do: placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Kirk Cousins. After weeks of speculation, with the majority of predictions having the Redskins exercising one of the franchise tag options by the March 1st deadline, vs. coming to terms on a long-term deal, the official decision was made. So what happens next and when? What do the Redskins want? What does Kirk Cousins want?

Prior to the tag being placed, Team President, Bruce Allen has said, "Kirk wants to be a Washington Redskin, and we want Kirk to be a Redskin." And then General Manager, Scot McCloughan similarly stated back in February, "I want Kirk here and Kirk wants to be here." And then this past week, McCloughan once again reiterated that "Kirk will be here a long time." While the tag has been placed at the moment, an agreement on a long-term deal can still be reached by July 15th. Though Cousins has said that he is comfortable playing the 2016 season under the tag if needed, I believe both sides will still find a way to come to an agreement by the deadline. Yes, there are risks on both sides to not get a long-term deal done now. And there are also risks on both sides to get a long-term deal done now. 

From the Redskins side, there is always the risk that to not sign Cousins to a long-term deal and let him play the '16 season under the tag, Cousins could ball out and perhaps play similarly- or maybe even out perform his '15 season. Either one of these scenarios would certainly set his market value even higher and bring him an even greater long-term deal, vs what could likely be had now. Of course on the flip side if Cousins doesn't play as well and perhaps shows that last year was somewhat of a perfect storm and fluke (which I don't think will be the case), then this would bode well for the Redskins from a contractual and salary standpoint and not lock them into the risk of a hefty, long-term deal right now that may not prove to be best. Now if this is the case and Cousins doesn't play well, though the Redskins won't be at risk for as much financially and would have dodged a bullet, this would of course not be the best scenario! It would be a far more devastating scenario. Because, this would mean that we don't have the franchise QB we hope and think we have! In the NFL, every team would love to be in a position of having a solid, franchise QB who they could spend $16-25M on, vs not having a franchise QB and not spending that kind of $. Yes, it would cost the Redskins a lot more to not have a franchise QB and be swimming in constant mediocrity while searching for the next QB answer, then to heavily invest in a QB! Simply put, to let Cousins play under the franchise tag this year from the Redskins perspective would be a prove-it-to-us kind of scenario. Show us that 2015 wasn't a fluke, and we'll appropriately reward you with the mega (again, likely more than what could be reached this year) long-term deal.

From Kirk Cousins side, there of course is risk as well to not accept a solid long-term deal and play under the tag in 2016. What if he did regress? Or perhaps even worse, wonder if he was to get seriously injured? Either of these scenarios would be disastrous for him and could certainly cost him a lucrative, more guaranteed deal for years to come. But from what we know about Kirk, I actually think he has no problem- and perhaps would even thrive- by betting on himself. Earlier this month when Cousins was asked how he would respond if no long-term deal was reached by the July 15 deadline, he said "I am totally comfortable playing more football, and frankly, if I don't play well next season, I don't deserve to be back. I don't deserve to have a long-term deal. I want to go out and earn it, and prove myself, and if I need to prove myself again, that's fine. I'll go see if I can do that." 

Kirk has always had to overcome adversity, and do things that no one thought he could do. When he was in high school, he wanted to play basketball, but was told by his coach that the only position for him would be third-string point guard. But he quickly emerged as the starting point guard. Then at Michigan State, he was offered a scholarship only after MSU was turned down by their top choice. And then when Cousins came to MSU, they then recruited Nick Foles who they planned to be the top guy. But once again, Cousins would prove better, beating out Foles, leading Foles to transfer. But it wouldn't stop there as MSU brought in yet another QB prospect, Keith Nichol, who was also targeted as their top QB choice. But yet again, Cousins proved better, beating out Nichol and would finally be the guy. Cousins would go on to have a solid career at MSU and quickly develop his "Captain Comeback" reputation. One of the best examples of this was in 2011 on the dramatic Hail Mary TD vs. Wisconsin! 

Yes, Cousins had a very solid career at MSU. He seemed to have a flair for the dramatic moments as he often brought his team from behind and really stepped up in clutch situations. In his final game at MSU, he led his squad to a dramatic, triple OT win vs. Georgia in the Outback Bowl. He was a hard worker. He was a respected player on and off the field. He was humble. And he was a winner. The winningest QB in the history of MSU football. 

Cousins would end up participating in the Senior Bowl, and playing for the North squad. And Redskins HC, Mike Shanahan would coach the South squad, and get his first up close look at the MSU graduate, both during and outside of the game in a lengthy conversation. So when the 2012 NFL draft rolled around, while on one level it was a shocker that the Redskins took Cousins after going all-in on RG3, it still wasn't that shocking, given Shanahan's quality time spent with Kirk, and no doubt evaluating him further after that time. 

Personally, I thought it was great move when Shanahan drafted him. Even though I was bullish and emphatic about wanting RG3 to be the guy- and didn't want any kind of a typical Redskins QB "controversy" to step in the way and hinder this- I still knew enough about Cousins to know that not only was he a quality QB who had won and played well in the clutch, but he also seemed like a classy and humble guy. If anything, perhaps he would serve as a way to eventually be traded and bring the 'Skins back some of the compensation given up for Griffin! 

How would Cousins contribute to the Redskins? When? Well, that question was answered fairly quickly in his 2012 rookie season when Griffin got injured in the Baltimore game. The Redskins were surging, going for their 4th straight win and marching towards the playoffs. In stepped Cousins in a huge situation and immediately showed Redskins Nation (and the NFL) an example of how he got his reputation while at MSU. With the Redskins trailing 28-20 and facing a 2nd & 20 at the Ravens 25 yard line, he connected with Leonard Hankerson for 15 yards. Then on 3rd & 5, he connected with Pierre Garcon for the TD. Still trailing 28-26 and needing to go for 2 for the tie and force OT, Cousins executed a brilliant QB draw for the dramatic tie. The Redskins would go on to win in OT and get that all important, 4th straight win. Then the next week when Griffin was unavailable to play vs the Browns, in stepped Cousins to lead the Redskins to their 5th straight win, 38-21 over the Browns. And Cousins was very impressive in his first NFL start, going 26-37, for 329 yards and 2 TD's. And now with what he accomplished in the past couple of weeks, it could reasonably be said that the draft pick was already well worth it and paid immediate dividends. And as we know, Griffin would come back the next week and lead the Redskins the rest of the way towards a 7 game win streak and division title. 

Now what really impressed me about Cousins during his rookie season, and over the next couple of seasons while serving as the backup to Griffin, was his humility, hard work ethic, being a team guy and not complaining, and ultimately his desire to do whatever he could do support Griffin and the team, no matter what direction they decided to go. For Cousins, no doubt this had to be difficult, being a highly successful QB out of MSU who had starting QB aspirations in the NFL. But he was patient, and kept working hard to prepare for if and when the day may come when he would play regularly, whether it be with the Redskins or someone else. His character is what has always impressed me the most. For more of an up close view into who Cousins is and what he believes, check out his book, "Game Changer". In talking about his life on and off the field, Cousins would say, "At the end of the day, it's not about me. I've got to put other people ahead of me. That's not just on the football field as a quarterback, that's in life. That's just being a servant, and to me what it means to follow Jesus and be a Christian, so I'm going to put my teammates ahead of me."

During his many QB interviews as a backup, Cousins would repeatedly say how "this is Robert's team", and "I just want to be a servant" and do what he could to help the team however he could. While he never wavered in his confidence, personal ability, and desire to play, he handled his role as a backup with sheer class and humility. And when Cousins talked about leadership, he emphasized his biblical role and desire of being a "servant leader", and how leadership was primarily about influence and his desire to influence his teammates for Christ. 

As much as I was absolutely all in for RG3 for so long and still thought he should be the guy, even leading up to the 2015 season, I also loved Cousins and thought that if by chance he was to ever become the starting QB for my 'Skins, it would be a great story. 

Well, 2015 would indeed become that time as Jay Gruden made the surprising announcement prior to the season that "Kirk has earned the right to be the starting quarterback for 2015." 

Now, it's time to reflect on the magnificent 2015 season that Cousins had. Back at the end of the pre-season when Cousins was entrusted to be the guy, I thought that perhaps at best he would go for something like 24 TD's, 18 INT's, 3,400 yards, and around an 80 QB rating. My hope was that maybe, just maybe there would be an infusion of confidence in Kirk- now knowing he had the job full-time- and so between that, and the fact that he now had more experience under his belt, hopefully his game could take off to new heights. But what we saw unfold was borderline astounding. Kirk emerged to have top 5-10 QB stats in several categories last year: completion %- 1st in league (and #7 ALL-TIME), #5 in QB rating, and #6 in total QBR. Is he now an "elite" QB? Can't say that yet. But we can say he had an "elite" season. Winning the division. Breaking club records. And leading several key game winning clutch drives, including the greatest comeback in Redskins history, in what would famously be known as the "You Like That?" game, which would ultimately fuel and unite the team, and the fans, down the stretch and be a rallying cry! 

Here is another clip from last season that showed up close, Cousins' poise, leadership, humility, talent, and enthusiasm. This is exactly the kind of guy you want at the helm under center!

Cousins is now arguably on the "Mt Rushmore" for best QB seasons in Redskins history with guys like Jurgenson, Baugh, Rypien, and RG3.  

As previously mentioned, I have always liked Cousins, and thought that he could eventually be a pretty good QB in the right situation. Elite? Though I didn't think that was likely, maybe a top half of the league QB one day. Again, I thought it was a great move to initially draft him for added insurance and possibly to eventually trade for a good haul in return as Griffin soared. I admittedly saw RG3- especially back in '12- as having what I thought to be the greater upside, especially w/his added "turbo" speed, and incredibly strong and accurate arm, as he arguably had the greatest rookie season EVER for a QB while taking the league by storm. Griffin started his career as a potential league-changing, multi-dimensional QB, who could revolutionize the game at his position and do things never done before. I thought for a while that Griffin would and should be the guy long-term. Still, after the injury in '12 and his intention to develop more into a pocket QB, it became obvious (especially in '14 season) that Cousins was the better pocket QB between the two, and that until/IF RG3 would develop into a better pocket QB, Cousins may in fact be the better option, as someone who played in and was developed into a more prototypical NFL pocket system QB in college. But of course, what do I know?! 

My main fear, starting near the end of the '13 season- and then in '14- was that the Redskins franchise, media, and fans would prematurely and impatiently give up on RG3. And worst of all, cut him prematurely. Then, he would probably go somewhere else and tear it up. It seemed to me at least that Gruden either wouldn't, or perhaps couldn't scheme it up to suit RG3's strengths in more of a zone/read option scheme. Also, would RG3 want to play in this kind of scheme? Then on top of this, would he stay healthy?

Still, even though I had personally thought for a while that RG3 should be the guy long-term, more than anything I wanted to WIN. I wanted to win with a FRANCHISE (long-term & successful) QB- who was currently on the roster. The worst scenario would have been that neither Robert, Kirk, or even Colt would be good starters long-term, and that we would once again have to push the always consistent QB re-set button, and try to find that next guy.

But near the middle of last season, it became clear to me that Cousins needs to be extended long-term. THIS is indeed the guy to build the team around. Am I convinced he has arrived and will consistently be as dominating (perhaps more!), and a top 5-10- perhaps even top 5 QB every year? Though I don't think we can say this yet, there is still reason to hope. Let's see what the next 2-3 years bring. Still, it looks to be heading in that direction and I'm all in! I'm very excited about the state of this franchise with Cousins clear emergence. 

And now for a couple other things to ponder that I was thinking about near the end of the last season:

First, who had the better season? Griffin in '12, or Cousins in '15? Though Griffin's explosive running added to how staggering his season was, Cousins' overall passing stats were perhaps even better! 

Second, and this is a staggering thought: what if the unthinkable, heartbreaking scenario wouldn't have happened: what if RG3 NEVER got hurt in '12?! Where would this franchise be? Think about this. If he never gets hurt there is no question, Cousins would have absolutely been traded that offseason! But now, could it be that perhaps the injury- though unspeakably painful and devastating at the time- could have ultimately served to allow the best long-term scenario to unfold for the Redskins? That the better long-term QB- Cousins, would end of being the franchise QB, rather than be traded after the '12 season? Out of all the bad moves the 'Skins have made over the years, perhaps one of the best moves was to not trade Cousins after RG3 got hurt! 

So yes, my position is that the Redskins absolutely need to do what it takes to lock up Cousins long term right now. Is it a roll of the dice to do it now, vs waiting a little longer to make him prove it? Sure. But I think it's a calculated risk worth taking, not only because I believe in Cousins but also because of the supply and demand of quality QB's in the market around the league. If the Redskins were to ever let Cousins go, he would get scooped up very quickly and paid a premium by one of the many QB-starved teams. The bottom line is that not only are there a lot of teams who desperately need QB's now, but there are also a lot of the top QB's now who are getting up in age and won't be around too much longer. The baton will soon be passed on (like with Manning retiring last year), and the league will soon need a massive infusion of the next line of top QB's to usher in a new era. I believe Cousins will be among them. And I hope and think it will be while wearing the Burgundy & Gold.  

Thanks RG3

On Saturday, March 10 2012 I woke up to major news: that my Washington Redskins and the St. Louis Rams had indeed pulled off a blockbuster deal that would send the Rams' coveted #2 overall pick in the draft to the Redskins in exchange for the Redskins 1st round pick (#6 overall), their 2nd round pick, and first round picks in the '13 and '14 drafts. I was elated.

In the weeks leading up to this mega-deal, the stock of one Robert Griffin III continued to soar as a surge of momentum around the league had him rapidly climbing the pre-draft ranks as most people now had him as a lock for the #2 overall pick. And there were even some people who speculated his stock could even surpass Andrew Luck, who for over a year had been essentially handed the keys to the #1 overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft. 

Known simply as "RG3", Robert Griffin III was an absolute star at Baylor University and had pretty much single-handedly brought the once sub-par mediocre program to new, unprecedented heights. In his spectacular 2011 season, it was RG3- over Andrew Luck- who won the prestigious Heisman Trophy award. Then in the 2012 NFL combine, he continued to dazzle with a rarely seen combination of blazing speed and overall freakish athleticism. Besides his athleticism, he was an excellent communicator and seemed to be very smart in how he understood schemes, film breakdown, etc. 

I was all-in. For years, as Redskins fans we eagerly and desperately wanted a "franchise QB". Someone who would not only do well at QB, and win, but would simply bring consistent stability to the QB position for several years and put a stop to the QB carousel that more consistently has dominated the state of the franchise. Shortly after reading the many posts and watching some clips of the blockbuster trade with the Rams, I went on the MVA website and look for personalized plates to help fuel the excitement. I found what I wanted: "RG32DC". Like I said, I was all-in. In fact, shortly after my plates arrived, this piece was written by Washington Post columnist, Dan Steinberg aka, "The D.C. SportsBog". And then there were subsequent pieces written by Steinberg about many other custom RG3 plates, where mine was also included (from a fan sending him pics) among the pics. While I was out and about driving, I would often encounter Redskins fans that would drive by honking, cheering, and showing excited gestures like thumbs up or pumped fists. Sometimes while stopped at a light, I would glance in my rearview mirror to see people in their cars behind me taking pics of my plate. Yes, RG3 mania among Redskins Nation and the DMV was off and running- even before the NFL draft when we would officially select him! 

My current plates on car

Then came the NFL draft. Finally, after so many weeks of banking on it, planning for it, and dreaming about it, the desired scenario for Redskins Nation came to fruition: in spite of some late questions as to whether or not the Colts may actually take Griffin, as expected, they stuck to their guns and took Andrew Luck at #1. So there it was. The waiting was finally over. Fantasy became reality. NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell stepped to the podium: "With the 2nd pick of the 2012 NFL draft, the Washington Redskins select Robert Griffin III." 

Yes, I was thrilled. Redskins Nation was thrilled. It was as if a huge burden and anxious sigh of relief had been lifted off our chests. We finally had our guy. It was a very special night. 

During the annual Redskins Draft Day Party at FedEx Field a couple days later, I was there to witness as Redskins Nation finally and officially gave RG3 a heroes welcome. 

He was now officially in the fold. The fanbase opened him with elated, passionate open arms. He even led us in a rendition of "Hail to the Redskins." It was a perfect afternoon.

Enjoying draft party with buddy "Superskin", in my "No Pressure No Diamonds", RG3 shirt

Now there was one unexpected surprise that afternoon, as the Redskins drafted Kirk Cousins. Little did we know at the time how things would turn out with these two QB's. 

In the weeks to follow, the RG3 mania continued to surge as the merchandise was out in full force, fan and media conversations were rampant, and the countdown to Training Camp was on. In the Winn home, my sons (especially JT) would constantly watch RG3 videos (Baylor highlights, combine skills, and draft videos posted above) as I did all I could to impart my enthusiasm and influence on them. Like me, they were all-in with excitement. 

Along the way, my oldest son, JT was preparing to turn 3 years old. My wife and I talked about how we wanted to celebrate his birthday and what the plan would be. Then, it hit us! And I honestly don't remember if it was actually my wife who initiated the birthday theme instead of me! Yes, an "RG3" party. Why not? He was turning 3. We saw the perfect date to celebrate was on June 3rd. And we set the party for 3PM. It was a sweet day.

My son JT's "RG3" Party: 3 years old, June 3rd, 3PM. Perfect day. 

He got an RG3 jersey. We had NFL combine-like skills contests for the kids: running the 40, long jump, catching and throwing, etc. And what I definitely remember being at the brilliant suggestion of my wife, Tessa: a Cowboys pinata! Of course, we wanted to train the kids right, teach them what we didn't like, and what deserved to be the recipient of our controlled and innocent aggression! The kids wanted candy, and they wanted to destroy the star! It was a hilarious, glorious sight to see!

Then in late July, one of the most fun and anticipated times of the year began, Training Camp! We would finally get an up close glimpse of our star QB on the practice field with the team. I took my wife and boys one afternoon. And at the end of practice, we had a singular mission: get RG3 to sign a picture for my son, JT. We weren't the only ones with this idea. As is the case for every Redskins Training Camp event, there were thousands of other fans with the same autograph pursuits. As hoped, RG3 went over to the screaming fans and began signing. I quickly observed that to get him to sign at that exact spot was nearly impossible with several rows deep of fans. So rather than go over near where he was and fight the masses, we took a chance and hoped that perhaps he would make his way down and sign more.  We found a spot to stand on the front row, several yards over to his right from where he started to sign, as the fans from that spot scurried over closer to him. Then as hoped, he indeed started making his way down and took a lot of time to sign. JT was on my shoulders with the best view in the house. When he got close to us, I had told JT to ask him if he could please sign his picture. JT called out to him. I called out to him. Even though we were on the front row, by the time he worked his way over close to us we were surrounded by so many fans that our position on the front still didn't guarantee anything. Then RG3 demonstrated exactly what I had perceived and thought about him in these several weeks of hype and hysteria leading up to finally meeting him in person: he was very classy, polite, humble and seemed to have a genuine love for the fans all around him. With a smile on his face, he took the picture JT was holding and even personalized it for him: "To Josh". A sweet moment I will forever cherish. 

Top: Bennett on shoulders; Bottom left: JT on shoulders- getting ready to find our spot for RG3 to sign: right: pic RG3 signed, "To Josh"

"Shock and Awe." This is what ESPN 980 radio co-host to "The Sports Fix", and former Washington Times- now Examiner, columnist Thom Loverro predicted days before the season opener @ the Saints on September 9, 2012. For months, the Griffin hype was pumped up and dreamed about. Now, curiosity and hope was about to be satisfied and realized. I was vacationing with my family in our favorite annual getaway location, the Outer Banks (OBX) in NC. I couldn't wait to finally watch RG3 in regular season action. Griffin would lead a FG scoring drive on the first series, then on the first play of his 2nd series, he would connect with Pierre Garcon for his first NFL TD pass- for 88 yards. During the play, Griffin was hit as he threw. As Garcon caught it and was off to the races, Griffin sat up, both hands raised in the air. It didn't seem like much in the moment but that pose, like just about everything else with Griffin at that time, caught on like wild fire and soared with immediate and trending popularity.

RG3's first career TD pass to Garcon and the pose that would simply be known as, "Griffining".

Social and mainstream media outlets immediately went crazy with it as fans from everywhere flocked to Griffin with admiration and obsession. In the days and weeks to come, random people all over the world would even pose and take selfies of them "Griffining". In a sweet moment with my son, Bennett I even captured the moment on TV while we watched on our OBX vacation.

Even Bennett observed with "shock and awe" at Griffin's first NFL pass TD! 

The Griffin-led Redskins would indeed shock the Saints- and the NFL world- by pummeling the high-powered (and undefeated at home in '11) squad. And the awe? Griffin put up arguably the most impressive rookie QB debut in NFL history by going 19-26 for 320 yards with 2 TD's, 0 INT's, a QB rating of 139.9 and 42 yards rushing. And it wasn't just the rushing yards that were impressive. It was his poise and elusiveness to extend plays. Perhaps the most impressive play was when he rolled to his left, then eluded defenders coming back right and while running threw a missile to Fred Davis downfield along the sideline. He would become the first player in NFL history to have over 300 yards passing, 2 TD's, and 0 INT's in his debut. Yes, shock and awe. 

The next day, former Washington Post columnist, and current local sports radio host on ESPN 980, Tony Kornheiser would say, "Welcome to the land of unbridled optimism." Yes, Griffin was taking the DMV area by storm- with fans and mainstream media members alike. Long time Redskins mania, fueled by this new Griffin mania, was soaring to new heights of hope and optimism. Could it be that finally, after years of waiting and often failing at a long-term solution at QB, the Redskins indeed had their long-term solution- and a very good one- at QB?! 

In the weeks to follow, both Griffins popularity and outstanding play on the football field continued to soar. He was doing things at the QB position that no other rookie- or even veteran QB- in the league had done before. It was the powerful, rocket arm. The lightning quick release. The amazing accuracy. And of course, the "turbo" speed to elude defenders and get around the edges. 

One of my favorite highlights from that amazing rookie campaign was vs. the Vikings in week 6. At the time, the Redskins were in the midst of a dismal 8 game home losing streak that dated back to game 2 of the 2011 season. I was there at Fed Ex Field, and it was rocking as our 'Skins build a big lead into the 3rd quarter. It looked certain the the home losing streak would finally end. But the Vikings came back to make it close. All of a sudden the Redskins were clinging to a 31-26 lead and facing a 3rd and 6, with less than 3 minutes to go in the game. The Vikings had the momentum. But then, RG3 happened. On a designed QB run, he took the snap, saw the opening, and took off towards the edge. With his "turbo" speed on full display he outraced everyone, untouched, 76 yards towards the end zone for the dramatic and game-clinching TD. Fed Ex Field was in a frenzy as the roof blew off the joint. It had been a while since we experienced such an "electrifying" moment- as called by Larry Michael, as this. We were witnessing things at the QB position we had never seen before. Loud chants of "RG-3, RG-3, RG-3" filled the air. We were smitten. 

His 76 yard TD run was the longest run by a QB in 16 years (and 5th highest in NFL history), and he totaled 138 yards rushing on the day! This guy could do it all: pass, run, and win. 

The next week the Redskins and RG3 would face a tough task on the road against the rival (and 1st place) Giants. Once again, Griffin would show flashes of greatness, as his stellar rookie campaign continued to soar to new heights. The Redskins trailed 20-16 with 2 minutes remaining, facing a 4th and 10. Griffin took the snap and quickly had to move around to avoid pressure as the play broke down. After eluding a couple defenders, somehow he found Logan Paulsen down field and converted the 4th down to extend the drive. The announcers and NFL game day crews in the studio marveled at how he did this. 

Griffin would take the 'Skins all the way down the field to a go ahead TD- a beautiful strike to Santana Moss. It was a very impressive drive, where RG3 used his legs to extend plays and throw off script, use his legs to run, and use his accurate arm to make amazing throws. It looked like the TD to Moss would be the dramatic game-winner, but unfortunately the Giants would pull out the stunner as Eli Manning hit Victor Cruz for a 77 yard TD. Still, in spite of the painful loss there was more shock and awe, and legitimate reasons to hope and be excited for greater things to come. It was becoming even more clear that we had our star QB, as the league continued to marvel at what he was doing. In the post-game, Giants DE, Justin Tuck said, "he [Griffin] makes you lose your enthusiasm for the game a little bit. I'm really mad at the football gods for putting him in the NFC East. He is going to be a headache. He is the best QB we have faced all season, for sure." Also, Osi Umenyiora said, "that guy is flat-out unbelievable. That's the best QB we've faced all year." Yes, the league was taking notice, and players on rival teams were taking notice. How good could this get?

The next 2 weeks would be brutal losses, at Pittsburgh and then at home on "homecoming" to the Panthers. All of a sudden at 3-6, in spite of the many flashes of brilliance and stellar play of Griffin, the season was on the brink of unraveling. In his post-game interview, HC Mike Shanahan basically sounded like he was conceding that the year was over, as he said he would now get the opportunity to "evaluate players and see where we're at." Though Shanahan would later come out and say he wasn't try to say the year was in fact over, most of the media and people around the league certainly interpreted his statements as such. So now, it was time for the much needed bye-week. How would the team respond after the bye? How would they respond to Shanahan's statements? Though I remember having several reasons why I said and thought that this team could go on a run (upcoming favorable schedule, how the rest of the NFC East was playing, and especially the play of RG3), I never thought what would happen next would actually happen. 

It began at home against the Eagles, right after the bye-week. Both teams were 3-6 and on the brink of the season completely unraveling. The Eagles, I believed were reeling even more, and it actually seemed likely that long-time winning coach, Andy Reid was indeed on the verge of being let go (as was always the rumor in Philly when the team struggled) if they didn't turn things around this time. The Redskins finally took advantage, unlike in 2011 when they had a similar opportunity earlier in the year to bury their I-95 rivals. A 31-6 blowout and the Andy Reid bon-voyage now seemed inevitable as the Eagles plummeted to 3-7. And Griffin, was once again spectacular, completing 14-15 for 200 yards, 4 TD's, 0 INT's, 84 yards rushing, and most notably a perfect QB rating of 158.3. He set yet another NFL record by becoming the first QB in NFL history to post a perfect rating, by attempting at least 15 passes. 

Next, it was on to Dallas to play the rival Cowboys, on Thanksgiving Day. Not only would the Redskins finally play Dallas on Thanksgiving for the first time in 10 years, but Griffin would be making his first trip back to his home state of Texas to face the Cowboys. Though they were still only 4-6, if the Redskins could somehow pull this off, yes they would still only be 5-6, but most importantly, would have beaten division rivals in back to back games, send the Cowboys also to 5-6, and have the Giants on tap next, and a legit opportunity to get right back into the NFC East race. In all the years of the Redskins/Cowboys storied rivalry, the second quarter of this particular game would become the most one-sided dominant one that any of the teams had displayed. With the Redskins trailing 3-0, Griffin hit speedster Aldrick Robinson on a perfectly thrown bomb and a 68 yard TD strike. Minutes later, Alfred Morris would plunge into the end zone to stretch the lead to 14-3. All of a sudden, while watching how this game was unfolding, I had this feeling of exuberance, sensing that my boys may indeed be preparing to really hand it to The 'Boys on their home field, on Thanksgiving day, when they hardly ever lose. The surge of momentum continued as on the next drive, Griffin would hit Pierre Garcon, who split defenders and outraced everyone to the end zone. A 59 yard TD pass, and now a 21-3 lead. But the half wasn't over. Following a DeAngelo INT with under a minute remaining, Griffin would quickly lead the Redskins inside the red zone, and with 5 seconds remaining in the half, roll out to his right and throw a perfect strike to Santana Moss in the corner of the end zone for another TD. Yes, 28 points in the quarter. The route was on in Texas. My good buddy, Redskins superfan, @superskin would tweet: "If this was a fight, they'd call it." It felt so good. The Redskins of course would ultimately win the game 38-28. 

And Griffin? Once again he was spectacular, going 19-27 for 304 yards, 4 TD's (1 INT), and another gaudy 131.8 QB rating. Now 8 TD's in 2 weeks. And the most impressive thing I was elated about was that this performance came under the bright lights and high stakes: Thanksgiving Day, with a national audience, vs the rival Cowboys, in their building, back in his home state, and when the Redskins desperately needed to win to climb back in the division race. 

The next week the other division foe, the World Champion New York Giants came to Fed Ex Field for Monday Night Football. Once again, the Redskins would prevail 17-16 to now move to 6-6, and drop the Giants to 7-5. As I left a jubilant Fed Ex Field that night, I tweeted out: "BREAKING: The Redskins will win the NFC East." I just knew it was now going to happen. Yes, all of a sudden, an NFC East crown was a legitimate possibility. Though he wasn't as spectacular, Griffin was still very good, going 13-21 for 163 yards passing, 72 yards rushing, 1 TD, 0 INT's, and a 101.9 QB rating. And now with back-to-back weeks of being showcased on prime time, playing very well, and the Redskins winning, it now seemed like Griffin may even be the front-runner for the NFL rookie of the year, even over #1 overall pick, Andrew Luck, who was also having a very solid rookie campaign, as well as star QB's Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick, and Ryan Tannehill who all really started to emerge as well. 

The big games kept coming as the next opponent was I-95/295 local rival, the Baltimore Ravens. Accompanied by many of their raucous fans, the Ravens would come down I-95 into Fed Ex Field at 9-3 and in very good shape in their playoff standing. Both teams were surging. It was local football rivalry at its finest, and perhaps its highest point since the 2 teams had been in the league. The game would go back and forth with each team trading scoring drives. Then, it happened. With the Redskins trailing 28-20 and facing a 2nd and 19 on their own 27 with under 2 minutes to play, Griffin did was Griffin does: he tried to make a play with his legs when the play broke down. He was flushed out to his left outside the pocket, then turned it up field to gain as much as he can. While trying to get down, he was hit by Haloti Ngata and he was down. Teammates helped him up and it was quickly evident that he wasn't right, as he was favoring his right knee and had to be helped off the field. Rookie QB Kirk Cousins came in as the Redskins faced a 3rd and 6. Pass interference was called and the Redskins had a new set of downs. But then amazingly, Griffin would come back into the game. Clearly not the same lacking mobility, he completed his first pass to Santana Moss for a first down to get into Ravens territory. Then, he stood in the pocket and completed his next pass to Pierre Garcon for 22 yards inside the red zone. But on the pass he couldn't plant his right leg and noticeably hobbled. He then had to quickly hobble down the field to the first down marker as the play clock was winding down, now less than a minute. It reminded me of when Byron Leftwich played for Marshall and had to be carried down the field during a dramatic, TD drive. On the next play however, Griffin thew it out of bounds as the Ravens brought pressure, and he was called for intentional grounding. He was clearly in pain and went down to the ground again. He motioned for the sidelines and had to come off the field. Once again, Cousins had to come in. Only 45 seconds to go and now a 2nd and 20 from the Ravens 27. Cousins quickly hit Leonard Hankerson for 15 yards and then on 3rd and five, hit Pierre Garcon for a TD with just under 30 seconds left. Down 28-26 the Redskins were forced to go for 2, and that's when offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan dialed up perhaps his best call of the season: a Cousins QB draw for the game-tying score! In overtime, after a dramatic punt return by rookie, Richard Crawford, Kai Forbath hit the game-winning field goal, sending myself and the rest of the Redskins faithful at Fed Ex Field into a frenzy. It was a dramatic win on many levels. The winning streak was now 4. The Redskins were now a formidable 7-6. And the chances for that elusive NFC East crown were dramatically increasing. But while we high fived and hugged many on the way out of Fed Ex Field that afternoon, an uneasy sense of concern came over me: what about RG3's knee? How serious would this be? While reading early updates on the walk out, the initial sense of many was that it could be an ACL injury, and could very well mean the end of his season! My heart sank. Yes, the streak was good, and yes, we were now legitimately in this thing. But if no RG3 the rest of the way, I was convinced we were finished, and even if by some chance we were to still win the east, we would surely be a quick out in the playoffs with no chance of advancing. So now the post-game and interviews. Though the victory was sweet and there was much to celebrate, all the attention was rather on Griffin's health: how did he get hurt, how bad is the injury, what specifically is the injury, would he play next week, would he be out for the season, why did he go back in, etc. Mike Shanahan gave his version of what happened. And renowned surgeon (and Redskins game day team Dr.), Dr. James Andrews gave his version, nearly a month later. Controversy swirled. But unexpected good news would emerge, shortly after an MRI revealed that Griffin only had a knee sprain, an LCL injury that wouldn't require season ending surgery but would be a week to week thing. I'll never forget that feeling of relief. The season wasn't lost. He would be back soon. Now, all we needed was rookie QB Kirk Cousins to hold it down vs. the lowly Browns the next week, and possibly the week after vs. the hapless Eagles and their lame duck coach, Andy Reid. 

Though Kirk Cousins would indeed get the nod to start against the Browns, Griffin tried his best to convince the coaching staff to let him play. But he simply wasn't ready yet, and risking further injury would not have been prudent. Though he started a little slow, Cousins would find his groove and reel off a very impressive rookie debut as starting QB as the 'Skins won their 5th straight game 38-21 to surge to 8-6. 

Now it was on to the Eagles. Griffin was cleared to play with a knee brace and ready to go, though not being 100%. It was obvious that Griffin didn't have the same kind of burst and was understandably playing more cautiously because of his knee. But he led the Redskins to their 6th straight victory, 27-20 to sweep their division foes, move to 9-6 and set up the ultimate final regular season showdown: a winner take all vs. the rival Cowboys! 

A Sunday night prime-time showdown to cap the regular season. A rivalry that is widely considered to be the best in the NFL. The winner takes the NFC East crown and moves on to host a playoff game the next weekend. The loser goes home and misses not only the division crown, but the playoffs entirely. It would be the most anticipated and biggest game (even over the wild- card playoff vs the Lions in '99) in the history of Fed Ex Field. With a chance to knock the rival Cowboys out of the playoffs entirely, once again the stakes were set very high for this rivalry matchup. Even though in the great history of this rivalry the Cowboys had won more games overall, it was the Redskins who won when the stakes were highest: the '72 and '82 NFC Championship games. And now, an opportunity for the highest stakes in the regular season on the last game of the season. I arrived early that afternoon with friends to tailgate as I wanted to soak it all in and savor each moment. When it came time for us to go into Fed Ex Field, the pent up energy that we had was also seen and felt among the masses as we entered the gates like caged lions ready to be turned loose. We were roaring and hungry for victory, a division championship for the first time in 13 years, an opportunity to host a playoff game, and of course a sweet win over the despised Cowboys to send them home to watch the playoffs from their TV's. Chants of "WE WANT DALLAS" and "DALLAS SUCKS" filled the air. And there was also loud singing of "Hail to the Redskins". We were ready. 

With the usual and deafening chants of "DE-FENSE, DE-FENSE", section 220 was alive and well for this epic game at the outset. Although the intensity and noise of the chants was on a different level, perhaps unmatched in all the years of going to games at Fed Ex Field. On the Cowboys' first possession, Romo thew an INT to Richard Crawford and I just knew it: I told fans all around me, "this game is won!" It was classic Romo being Romo: on the biggest stage and devastating INT's. The Redskins would eventually take the lead 14-7 in the 3rd quarter as Griffin, still gimpy and all and clearly not having the same kind of burst, scampered around the left edge for a TD inside the 10. Redskins Nation was in a frenzy. Then in the 4th quarter, Alfred Morris scampered 32 yards to pay dirt and the lead was 21-10. The frenzy reached another level. The Cowboys, however would make it interesting by cutting the lead to 21-18 and all of a sudden, it was up to the defense to stop Romo with just over 3 minutes to go. On the first play, from their own 28, Romo dropped back and, once again in typical Romo fashion in these dramatic moments, floated an ill-advised pass that was picked off by Rob Jackson. Redskins legend and radio analyst, Rick "Doc" Walker said, "what a numbskull throw." It was a dagger for Romo and the Cowboys. The outcome was now even more inevitable. Then a couple minutes later, Alfred Morris plunged into the end zone for the official nail in the coffin. The Redskins would win 28-18 and the improbable run was complete. A 7 game winning streak, amazing 10-6 finish, and yes, the long-awaited NFC East division championship. It was one of the most special moments I have ever witnessed as a Redskins fan, and probably the best regular season moment during all my years of being a fan. There were so many special moments from that night. We had knocked the Cowboys out of it, and we were division champs. 

Redskins Nation stayed in full force long after the game, with many of us hanging out by the Comcast Sports post-game show in euphoric celebration as players were interviewed. In an unexpected surprise, Pedro (Pete) Taylor, Sean's Father, also came out to mingle with the fans and share in the excitement. 

With Sean Taylor's Father, Pedro. 

Yes, it was a special night, on many levels. Here is a piece from "Sound FX" with RG3 being mic'd up. We would now prepare to host a playoff game, for the first time since our last division title in 1999. 

Though the Redskins entered the playoffs with the longest win streak in the NFL at 7 games, the Seattle Seahawks were arguably just as hot- if not more- and were still slightly favored to win, partly because of the uncertainty of how healthy RG3 may be. For the second straight week, the excitement of Redskins Nation was just as high as I could ever remember it. There was an insatiable hunger. A pent up desire to so desperately get back to the glory days of winning that so many of us had consistently known in years gone by. It was far and away the most popular and most expensive ticket in town. There was hope. Legitimate hope that even though he wasn't fully recovered, the man who was certain to win the NFL rookie of the year award and completely taken the league by storm would be leading the surging Redskins into the playoffs and amazingly, make the Burgundy & Gold one of the most dangerous teams that unquestionably no one would want to play. Could a deep run be on the verge of happening. And, gulp, was a Super Bowl run actually possible? 

Just like the Cowboys game the week before, we arrived early for tailgating. We wanted to soak up every minute with our fans and savor this rare playoff atmosphere. 

My wife and I in 220 with the face of our section and long-time game buddy, Superskin

I realized I hadn't been to a Redskins playoff game since Jan '92 when I went to the NFC Championship game, and saw our 'Skins crush Detroit to advance to the Super Bowl. I couldn't wait to enjoy every moment of this playoff memory! We settled into 220, hugging and high-fiving our game day family all around us. And it was all Redskins fans. I saw maybe 10 Seahawks fans there the entire day. I was ready to lead our section in our classic "DE-FENSE" chants and bang the column as often as possible! There was an electricity that filled the air. I had never seen Fed Ex Field so amped up in my entire life. We were ready. 

The Redskins won the toss and elected to receive. With as much precision and determination as we had seen all season, our boys drove the ball all the way down the field for a quick TD, and a 7-0 lead. Then on the Seahawks first possession, the Redskins- aided by the deafening chants of "DE-FENSE, DE-FENSE"- swarmed Russell Wilson and stymied the 'Hawks offense, forcing them to go 3 and out and punt. 

We got the ball back and once again, Griffin led an impressive drive right down the field. But then, it happened. While inside the red zone, Griffin scrambled to his right and when getting hit out of bounds, landed awkwardly on his knee. He got up slowly, clearly favoring his knee and walking gingerly back to the huddle. I immediately knew something wasn't right. Still, as he had demonstrated already vs the Ravens and since, through sheer determination and resolve he stayed in the game in spite of what appeared to be pain. And then he threw a TD pass to Logan Paulsen and all of a sudden, the Burgundy & Gold surged ahead 14-0! But how would his knee respond as the game went on? 

Unfortunately, that TD was the high point of the game, as the offense sputtered the rest of the way. Taking advantage of a wounded QB and this inability of the offense to move the ball, the Seahawks began chipping away at the lead. It was pretty obvious while watching in the stands, that Robert's mobility seemed to be getting worse and worse. But he stayed in the game. And to this day, I will personally stand by coach Mike Shanahan's decision to keep him in the game. It was a very tough decision. Griffin would describe it as he was "hurting" but not "injured." And most notably, he remained cleared by the medical staff throughout the game to stay in the game and not need to come out as there was no obvious structural compromise to his knee. Shanahan would say that Robert had "earned the right" to stay in the game, and I would agree. It was the heat of a playoff battle, on their home turf, where many NFL players over the years have similarly played through grueling pain- and obvious injuries- with a resolved attitude stay in the game and persevere. No matter what. Though Griffin continued to look unable to plant his leg strongly while throwing downfield- and his accuracy being clearly affected- there was still the sense that just maybe he could still pull something off, as he had done so often during the season. Shanahan thought the same thing. In the 4th quarter, the Seahawks would take the lead for good. 

And then, a moment that will forever be one of the saddest, most controversial, and one of the most franchise-altering plays in Redskins history, took place. With the Redskins now down 21-14 with just over 6 minutes remaining and facing a 2nd and 22 from their own 12 yard line, Griffin lined up in shotgun and the ball was snapped. Unfortunately, it was a bad snap and while Griffin moved to get the ball on the ground, his knee buckled and he crumpled to the ground. The Seahawks recovered the fumble. No doubt the game was now all but over. There was stunned silence. Not only silence because of the outcome of the game and inevitable and painful home playoff loss, but more because our star QB lay on the ground, writhing in obvious pain. It was one of the most gut-wrenching moments I have ever experienced as a fan. All we could do was stare in disbelief, confusion and concern. The thoughts raced through my mind as I pondered what was unfolding before my eyes. It was as if all the hopes and dreams of Redskins Nation that had reached near unimaginable heights- heights perhaps not experienced since the Super Bowl glory years- were crashing like black Tuesday in 1929. This was the worst possible scenario: that our star, the league-transforming, rookie phenom QB who had carried our beloved Burgundy & Gold to an amazing NFC East crown, was now seriously hurt. What kind of injury was it? How long would his recovery be? Would he ever be the same QB? All these thoughts raced through my mind during this excruciating sequence. 

The Redskins lost the game, but worst of all, lost our QB. A few days later the dreaded news was confirmed: complete tear of LCL and ACL, leading to complete reconstruction. Best case scenario was that he might be ready for the beginning of the 2013 season.

The immediate aftershock within the media- both local and national- Redskins fan base, and people in and around the league was cataclysmic. Though painful, the actual loss itself was buried in a much greater topic of endless debates that raged on for days, weeks, and months to come: Should Griffin have even played from the start? Should he have been pulled earlier during the game? Should he have pulled himself out of the game? Was Robert to blame? Were the team doctors to blame? Was Mike Shanahan to blame? These topics consumed what, in my opinion was the longest, most grueling, and most controversial Redskins offseason I can ever remember. 

I could certainly say a lot more about what transpired during that offseason, (and Griffin's amazing recovery to be "All in For Week 1"), and his remaining time with the Redskins that would entail an entire piece in itself. 

But I will conclude this tribute piece to say a heartfelt "Thank you" to Robert Griffin III for the excitement, euphoria, and "shock and awe" he brought to Redskins Nation during that glorious 2012 season. A storybook season for the ages. No one can ever take those great memories away from us. 

Thanks Peyton

"I revere football. I love the game", an emotional Peyton Manning said. "You don't have to wonder if I'll miss the game. Absolutely. Absolutely, I will." With perhaps an even more daunting challenge than keeping his composure in his many epic game day battles, Peyton somehow maintained his composure by fighting tears and waves of emotions during his farewell retirement announcement on March 7, 2016. 

Prior to Super Bowl 50, I wrote about how I met the great Peyton Manning while I was going to school in Tennessee, at the same time he was. He was the son of one of the greatest college QB's ever, and NFL QB for the Saints, Archie Manning. He was expected to succeed. When this highly touted young QB prospect committed to my Vols in 1994, along with every other UT fan, I was elated, knowing that he had all the makings of a star, on the college level and beyond. 

"Treat a man as he is and he will stay as he is. Treat a man as he can be and he should become what he can be", Peyton also said during his speech. While at UT, all the pressure and hype was certainly there to perform, big time. What and who could Peyton become as a person and player? Seeds were planted. Peyton would indeed go on to be the star that all of us Vols fans dreamed he would be, and far beyond. His former Vols HC coach Phil Fulmer chimed in and said, "He changed how the QB position is played. He's a true Tennessee legend." His play on the field was spectacular. He was a tactician. A master surgeon in how he read and dissected defenses to exploit their weaknesses, and take advantage. And he was extremely smart. His UT Offensive Coordinator, David Cutcliffe (who is emphatic about Peyton being the greatest QB to every play) would say, "Once he learns something- one time, it's in there forever." And he was uber prepared for every game situation. After his retirement speech, ESPN's Mike Golic would say, "Peyton was as well prepared for that retirement speech as he's been for any game, really impressive."  

But it wasn't just his on-field accolades. Off the field Peyton was true class. Even while at UT, he was heavily involved in the community (including volunteering at the Knoxville Boys & Girls Club that I worked at!), eagerly cooperated with the media, and was a true professional in how he handled himself in and around campus life. By all accounts, he was humble, graceful, a true leader, and an ambassador for the University. And he would quickly become not only an ambassador for UT, and Tennessee, but also in College Football while there, and eventually in the NFL at the next level. Though Peyton would not win a National Championship at UT, he was arguably the biggest reason for the incredible run of success (wins, overall recruiting talent and commitments, national media hype, etc.) including an SEC Championship vs Auburn (and over rival FL in the East) in '97, and impressive bowl wins over Ohio St and Northwestern.

One of my favorite games- and moments during the Manning UT era was when the Vols played at Alabama in '95. At that time, even though Florida was the new SEC "east" rival, the all-time UT rival- and one of the biggest in the country- was unquestionably Alabama. Alabama had owned the Vols of late, winning 9 straight. And now Peyton Manning was making his first trip into Alabama, in hopes of helping end this painful losing streak. On the very first play of the game, Manning hit Joey Kent for an 80 yard TD strike and the Vols were off and running. They would cruise to a 41-14 win on National TV, and the losing streak was over. Yes, Peyton Manning could certainly win the big game!

In his senior year of 1997, Peyton certainly seemed like the heavy favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. And his stats and incredible season absolutely seemed to warrant it. But somehow- and to this day it's still one of the biggest sports mysteries I've ever witnessed- Darren Woodson surprised the majority of the college football landscape and won the prestigious award. In Vol Nation, we referred to it as "The Heisman Heist". How Peyton didn't win it that year, I will never understand. 

Right after Manning graduated and moved on to the NFL in the '98 draft, came the Vols incredible and perfect 13-0 season and National Championship in '98, in which QB Tee Martin and that dominant Vols team- that had built off of and were assembled largely due to Peyton's influence and being at UT- would carry on the momentum and winning culture that Peyton helped fuel, to roll through the season with precision and ultimately, perfection. From 1995-'98, the Vols reeled off an eye-popping 45-5 record. I went to just about every home game while I was there during those years, and marveled at his play, and the incredible QB he was quickly becoming. No other QB in SEC history has won more games than Peyton Manning. But out of all the many things he accomplished at UT to forever win the hearts of Vols fans, I believe his most endearing moment came on March 5, 1997 when he made his dramatic announcement that he would actually forgo the upcoming NFL draft- where he would likely be the #1 overall pick and get a huge contract- and actually stay for his senior year at UT. Vols fans and all of Tennessee was ecstatic. It was so rare that a college player of his caliber and obvious elite draft status would actually elect to stay at school and not go pro when easily able. 

Peyton would also say during his speech, "Almost 19 years ago to the day, I announced my decision to forgo the draft and stay at the University of Tennessee for my senior year. It was one of the smartest decisions I've ever made. I cherished my time in Knoxville, especially my senior year. And I want Vols fans everywhere to know the unique role you've played in my life." 

Thank you, Peyton for your years of investing in the University of Tennessee. Vols Nation forever loves you. 

Peyton Manning Jersey Retirement

This played on the video board at Neyland Stadium during Peyton Manning's jersey retirement ceremony. Enjoy!

Posted by Vol Network- IMG on Thursday, August 18, 2011

Then came the 1998 NFL draft, where Peyton was indeed picked as expected, #1 overall by the lowly and perennial loser, Indianapolis Colts. The Colts had been an NFL train-wreck for years. Constantly fumbling in the draft with very high first round picks by picking the wrong players who didn't work out, would they finally get the right player in Peyton? Perhaps that horrific and perceived state of the Colts was most magnified in 1994, when ESPN draft analyst, Mel Kiper had famously said for the Colts "to pass up a Trent Dilfer, when all they have is Jim Harbaugh? Gimme a break! That's why the Colts are picking 2nd every year in the draft, not battling for the Super Bowl like other clubs in the NFL!" 

But now there was a new "Sherrif" in town, as Jon Gruden would first say in reference to Peyton. What would be the future of the Colts now? More of the norm around the NFL at that time was to have the young, talented QB sit on the bench, learn from a vet, and ease his way into the starting lineup over time. As we have seen so often around the NFL, sometimes a seemingly really good QB is drafted and placed in an organization that is in disarray, experiences constant losing, perhaps has a bad coach, bad players, and just an overall culture of futility that would seem to give that player little to no chance of succeeding. This was exactly the case with Peyton's father, Archie who like Peyton, was one of the greatest and most celebrated college QB's ever at Ole Miss, taking them to great heights in the college football landscape. But unfortunately for him, he was drafted #2 overall in 1971 by the lowly New Orleans Saints and was placed in a nearly impossible situation where success unfortunately wouldn't take place. Was it mostly the Saints that made it so difficult for Archie- who perhaps could have been a great QB somewhere else- to thrive? Or was it that Archie just wasn't going to be as good on the next level? We will never know. But in Peyton's case, the Colts decided to go all in with their young phenom as he was immediately thrown into the fire and start for a horrible team that had gone 3-13 the year before. Would it be like Archie with the Saints? 

Again, unlike the typical norm of not just easing a young QB into starting lineup after time to learn on the bench, but also easing that young QB into more aggressive play calling once in the starting lineup, the game plan was different with Peyton. He was asked to do things rarely done before by a young QB: be a gun-slinger. Hold nothing back, don't be conservative, and take chances by throwing the ball down the field. While Peyton struggled in his rookie season (setting the NFL rookie record with 28 INT's), he also showed immediate flashes of greatness with 26 TD's and nearly 4,000 yards passing. 

Then in just his 2nd season, the Colts amazingly went 13-3 to win the division, as Peyton quickly and dramatically improved in every major QB category: yards, completion %, TD's, fewer INT's, and a higher QB rating. The once lowly Colts would put up their highest win total in their Indianapolis history, and hadn't won this many games since their Baltimore days of 1968. 

What would happen in the years to come was nothing short of astounding, and unprecedented in NFL history. Under Peyton's leadership, they would set an NFL record by having a staggering seven consecutive 12+ win seasons between '03-'09! And they would also have an unprecedented eleven 10+ win seasons with Peyton at the helm! 

Yet with all this incredible success in the regular season, followed by high hopes (and predictions by many) of a Super Bowl run, several disappointing and heartbreaking playoff losses would occur. Yes, there were games that Peyton didn't play well and certainly contributed, and there were also games where improbable circumstances took place that didn't necessarily happen because of Peyton. One of the many was the 2005 AFC Divisional playoff vs the Steelers where the #1 seeded and high-powered 14-2 (and nearly undefeated) Colts were shocked at home by the Steelers. With a little over a minute to go, the Steelers were going in for what was certainly a game-clinching TD. But Jerome Bettis fumbled near the goal line, and Nick Harper picked it up and was off to the races. But somehow Ben Roethlisberger saved the game and tackled him near mid-field. But perhaps even more improbable than the Bettis fumble, or even Big Ben's tackle, was the automatic and league-best kicker, Mike Vanderjagt missing a game-tying kick that would have sent the game to OT. He missed one kick the entire season. It was heartbreak city for Peyton and the Colts. 

But finally, after all the near-misses and playoff heartbreak, Peyton would lead the Colts to sweet redemption the next season, all the way to his first Super Bowl Championship. And on the way to get to the Super Bowl, Peyton had to first lead his Colts past rival Tom Brady and the Patriots in the AFC Championship game. What looked to be another heartbreaking and home playoff loss for the Colts with the Patriots cruising to a 21-3 halftime lead, turned into a dramatic AFC Championship comeback for the ages! Peyton had finally gotten the best of Brady when the stakes were highest. 

Yes, Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady. Peyton was the #1 overall player taken in the 1998 NFL draft. Tom Brady was picked #199 as a compensatory 6th round pick in the 2000 draft. Peyton was expected to succeed. Brady was the underdog who would replace Drew Bledsoe in 2001 and help lead the Patriots to their first Super Bowl championship over the high-octane, "Greatest Show on Turf", St. Louis Rams. 

Over the years, Brady and Manning would wage epic wars on the field, with Brady's Patriots getting the best of Manning's Colts the majority of the time. 

But as the years and storied rivalry would go on, it would end up being Peyton who would eventually get the best of Brady when the stakes were highest: including 3-1 in the AFC Championship game, and 3-2 overall in the playoffs. More of this this to come. 

Peyton would lead his Colts to yet another incredible season- and once again nearly undefeated season- in 2009 with another gaudy 14-2 record and another Super Bowl appearance vs. the Saints. And I might add, his 2nd Super Bowl with his 2nd head coach. A very mediocre coach in Jim Caldwell (who would only last 2 more years). The Colts jumped out to a quick lead, but momentum would turn against them when the Saints shocked everyone with an onside kick to start the 2nd half, resulting in one of the biggest scrums you'll ever see. The Colts were shocked, and it affected them down the stretch as the Saints would comeback and win their first Super Bowl. 

2010 would be a solid and yet another 10 win season for Colts. But something was apparently happening with Peyton's health, specifically his back and neck. In February of 2010, Peyton would have his first of 4 neck surgeries. A neck surgery that many believe was first triggered in 2006 vs. the Redskins. His neck surgeries were apparently a result of a herniated disk. Because of this condition, he would also have to undergo cervical vertebral fusion, which also resulted in damaged nerves. And as if this wasn't significant enough, he didn't (and still doesn't!) have feeling in his fingertips, because of severe nerve damage. He would go on to have 3 more surgeries, with his fourth being in September, 2011. For the first time in his NFL career and for the first time since his freshman year at UT, Peyton Manning would miss not only a game, but the entire 2011 season. And what would happen in his absence? All of a sudden, these once regularly dominant Colts teams would completely unravel and end up a league-worst, 2-14. What would this say about not only how important Peyton's play was, but also his influence and leadership? I believe a whole lot. 

And now with the surgeries mounting up, questions grew about whether Peyton could even play football again. He had lost significant arm strength. His neck and back were widely considered at high risk for significant injury and possibly long-term risks by playing football again. The 2012 season, and the start of free agency was drawing near. The Colts were in a difficult spot and had an important decision to make. Do they press on with their beloved and iconic franchise QB and hope he could play again- and at a high level- or leverage their #1 overall draft pick to take the highly touted, widely-regarded #1 QB prospect since, ironically, Peyton Manning! 

In one of the most difficult franchise decisions, perhaps in the history of the NFL, the Colts would indeed cut ties with Peyton and allow him to become arguably the biggest free agent in the history of the league. In one of the most emotional press conferences you will ever see, Peyton and owner Jim Irsay would announce the new direction that both sides would pursue. 

Stories and rumors swirled. Who were the biggest suitors? Where would Peyton want to go? One of the rumored teams was my Washington Redskins, who were supposed to have tons of salary cap flexibility and were heavily rumored to be in pursuit with a specific plan. Peyton would even meet with head coach, Mike Shanahan. But minutes before the start of free agency, the Redskins would receive shocking news that the league was imposing a $36 million salary cap penalty. This stunning and unexpected news completely shocked the Redskins, who were bracing for a likely free agent splash, after they had cleared several million dollars of cap space the year before in the "un-capped" season. Anyway, this is a different story that I could delve into for quite some time!

It was widely believed that if not for this unexpected twist in this salary cap hit, the Redskins would have more heavily pursued Peyton. The dominoes would start to fall. Prior to the start of free agency, the Redskins would pull off the blockbuster trade with the Rams for the #2 overall pick, which of course would be used to select RG3. In fact, Peyton himself was stunned by the news, while he was meeting with John Elway. But even in this huge trade, it had been surmised that the Redskins would have still pursued the possibility of both Peyton AND Griffin. But with the cap hit, that chance went out the window. Thus, John Elway and the Denver Broncos emerged as the strongest suitor in hot pursuit. In fact, John Elway texted Mike Shanahan and asked him to "put in a good word for us", when Peyton was meeting with Mike. 

Then on March 19, 2012 Peyton would agree to terms with the Broncos. In Peter King's incredible and insightful story, he documented specific details of Peyton's journey and the key moments along the way. Peyton's chapter in Denver was about to begin. Meanwhile in Indianapolis, as expected the Colts would select Andrew Luck, thus beginning their new chapter as a franchise. 

So now the Peyton Manning era in Denver would begin. How would the Broncos fare, now that the new Sherriff was in town? In 2011, the Broncos would finish a mediocre 8-8 but win the division, under fan favorite QB, Tim Tebow. But even with Tim Tebow's winning success and soaring popularity, getting Peyton Manning to come to the Broncos would be a coup and there was no question that even the popular Tebow would have a short stint in Denver and have no chance of staying. 

Just like he had done in Tennessee, and just like he had done with the Colts, once again Peyton's influence and leadership would lead his new team, the Broncos to new heights of greatness. Denver would soar to a league best 13-3 record and #1 seed in the playoffs. And if there were any questions about how Peyton would play on not only a different team, but most importantly coming off the several, seemingly career-ending neck surgeries, those questions were emphatically answered. Peyton would dominate, and seemingly not miss a beat from how he played all those years with the Colts. He would throw for nearly 5,000 yards, 68% completion %, 37 TD's and just 11 INT's. He took a mediocre 8 win team, a team that was offensively challenged to put it mildly, to a dominant team. But in heartbreaking fashion in the AFC divisional playoff, the heavily favored Broncos were shocked by the eventual World Champion Baltimore Ravens in a seemingly impossible scenario. The Broncos led 35-28 with 40 seconds to go, and Baltimore at their own 30 yard line. The Ravens needed a miracle, and they got it as Joe Flacco hit Jacoby Jones 50 yards down the field as the Broncos improbably and inexcusably let Jones get behind their prevent secondary for the dramatic game-tying TD. Once again, a Peyton-led team was victim to a flukish and shocking loss in the playoffs. But even with the crushing playoff loss, the 2012 season was an unbelievable success for the Broncos, and Peyton Manning. 

Then in 2013, the greatness and legacy of Peyton Manning was elevated to another level. An out of this world level. Manning had arguably the greatest season not only of his career, but arguably the greatest season ever for a QB in the history of the game. All at the age of 37! Manning would pass for a league record, 5,477 yards, have a league record 55 TD's, and throw only 10 INT's. And his QB rating was a gaudy 115.1. And once again, he would lead his Broncos to a 13-3 record, runaway division championship, and another #1 seed in the playoffs. On the way to his third Super Bowl, Manning would lead the Broncos over rival Tom Brady and the Patriots in the AFC Championship game. And Peyton put up amazing numbers by completing 32-43 for an AFC Championship record 400 yards, to go along with 2 TD's, zero INT's, and a 118 QB rating. Yes, once again he proved he could play well in the big game. And perhaps more importantly, he was now 2-1 vs Brady when the stakes were highest, the conference championship. 

So now Peyton was on his way to his 3rd Super Bowl, with his 3rd head coach. The high-powered Broncos offense would play the upstart Seahawks and their dominant defense. As is usually the case in Super Bowl history, the dominant defense would shut down the dominant offense. Little did anyone know at the time that this would be an ironic foreshadowing to the great ending of Peyton Manning's illustrious career. 

The 2014 season would be another dominant one for the Broncos as they went 12-4 to win yet another division championship. But in December, Peyton had gotten hurt and it was evident down the stretch as it clearly affected his play, especially in their divisional playoff loss. After the game, it was revealed that he had indeed played the last month of the season with torn right quadriceps. How many more injuries could Manning sustain?

Then the 2015 season, which would statistically be his worst season. The injuries had played a toll as it was evident that not only his arm strength wasn't the same (primarily because of the toll of the back and neck injuries), but now he would also have a plantar fascia tear in his foot, that would require a walking boot. For the first time in his career during a season, Peyton Manning would now miss time due to injury, in favor of the young Brock Osweiler. Near the end of the season there were still questions whether or not the Broncos would even go back to playing with Manning at QB when the playoffs began since he was basically a shell of his former self physically. There was definite risk. But of course, his cerebral superiority was still fully intact and never in question. Right before the regular season finale, the Broncos had lost a crushing game to the Oakland Raiders and now the once improbable was now a possibility: would the Broncos fail to make the playoffs altogether? This was certainly a possibility as the regular season concluded vs the rival Chargers. And the game didn't start great. But then, Peyton Manning would come off the bench and lead a rally to not only save the Broncos season with a playoff berth, but simultaneously helping them clinch yet again, another #1 seed! What had been a breath away from no playoffs, now amazingly turned into the road to the Super Bowl going through Denver! Still, even after the win there was the question as to whether or not head coach Gary Kubiak would actually go with Peyton Manning as the starter in the playoffs, or stay with Brock Osweiler. Kubiak made perhaps the best decision of his coaching career, he announced Peyton Manning would indeed be the starter when the playoffs began. 

In the divisional round, the Broncos trailed late and were on the verge of once again losing in their opening game. Could Peyton Manning's last game be a loss in the divisional playoffs? The Broncos were certainly on the brink but once again, Peyton led an impressive game-winning late drive to win the game and send the Broncos back to the AFC Championship game. And who would they play? None other than the New England Patriots and Tom Brady. Yes, another Manning vs Brady AFC Championship showdown. Though Peyton certainly didn't play poorly (17-32, 176 yards, 2 TD's, 0 INT's), this time, it was his defense who would carry him rather than the once dominant offenses he led. The Broncos defense pummeled Brady, and hit him more times than any QB had been hit all year. In fact, I believe it was the most Brady had been hit during any game in his career! The Broncos prevailed, sending Manning to his 4th Super Bowl, with his 4th head coach. Something no other QB in the history of the game had done. He was also taking his second team to its second Super Bowl, after taking his first team to 2 Super Bowls. Also, something no other QB in the history of the game had done. And on top of that, he was also now 3-1 vs Tom Brady in the game when the stakes were highest between the two of them- the AFC Championship game. 

To sum up Super Bowl 50 vs the Carolina Panthers I will simply say, it was one of the most dominant defensive performances we have ever, and perhaps will ever see in the Super Bowl. The Broncos, and especially game MVP, Von Miller were an unbelievable wrecking crew, who reeked havoc on Cam Newton and the high-powered Panthers offense. Ironically, very similar to how Manning and his high-powered, record-setting Broncos offense was stymied by the Seahawks just two years before, once again proving: that defense wins championships. 

So now, unlike many of the previous seasons where Peyton led high-powered offenses, only to suffer heartbreaking defeats where his defenses (or fluke instances as previously mentioned) essentially let his teams down, it was now his defense who would completely carry him and the offense. Though Manning did nothing to really lose the game, it was his defense who absolutely won the game. It was so fitting. Peyton Manning's last game would be a Super Bowl triumph. And he had now done something that once again no other QB in the history of the game has done: won 2 Super Bowls, with 2 different teams. 

So what about the Peyton Manning legacy? What about his place on the all-time QB list? And not just in terms of greatest NFL QB's of all-time, but greatest overall QB's (college and pro) of all-time. Let me start by saying that my focus of this piece isn't to primarily make a case and seek to prove where I believe Peyton's place among the greatest QB's should be. Let me also say that this topic (greatest QB's) will always be one of the most debated, and understandably very difficult topics of discussion among sports fans, players, media, coaches, etc., because there are not only so many great players, categories, and opinions, but also the additional challenge of factoring in different era's throughout the great history of the game. 

I will begin this segment by saying that I believe for anyone to make the strongest case in regards to who is the overall greatest NFL QB of all-time it would have to involve the following QB's- in no particular order: Joe Montana, Tom Brady, Johnny Unitas, John Elway, and of course, Peyton Manning. 

Where do we go from here? If we begin with championships, both Tom Brady and Joe Montana have 4 apiece. And Brady has been to 6 Super Bowls.

Now for many years, I have personally considered Joe Montana the greatest QB in the history of the NFL. I had the privilege of watching him as a boy and enjoyed following his career. He played with some incredible 49ers teams, including arguably the greatest player in the history of the NFL, Jerry Rice. Yes, Montana had some very good regular seasons as his 49ers won a lot (including 2 league MVP awards), but his best moments came when the stakes were highest: the Super Bowl. Besides winning all 4 of his Super Bowls, and earning 3 Super Bowl MVP's, perhaps his most impressive stat is that he never threw an INT in the Super Bowl! Montana also had a 16-7 career record in the playoffs. And if there was ever a QB you wanted to lead a final game-winning drive with the game on the line, Montana is arguably the best ever and probably my top choice in this particular category. I think Montana's legacy was also enhanced by what he did to take the Chiefs deep into the playoffs, including the AFC Championship vs. the Bills in the '93 season. 

And of course Tom Brady has his many accolades, some mentioned previously. When you combine his incredible regular season success (including 2 league MVP's), gaudy win totals with the Patriots, and 4 championships, it's very difficult to be much better than Brady. He also has 3 Super Bowl MVP's. And he boasts an NFL record, 22-9 record in the playoffs. 

I believe Johnny Unitas is also in the conversation, primarily because of how he really helped transform the league from such a run-heavy league to much more of the passing league we have today. For his time period, he put up some passing numbers that were very impressive. He also led the Colts to the 1958 NFL championship, in what many call "The Greatest Game Ever Played." Though his dominant and heavily favored Colts did lose Super Bowl III in shocking fashion to the Jets, they would bounce back and win Super Bowl V vs the Cowboys. Unitas also won 3 NFL MVP's. 

And then there's John Elway. Elway also had many good seasons, won 2 NFL MVP's, and also took his Broncos to 5 Super Bowls, and winning 2- his last 2 years of his amazing career. His career playoff record was 14-7. Like Montana, perhaps where Elway seemed to shine the most was when his teams had their backs against the wall and needed to pull off a comeback, late in the game. Perhaps most notably was "The Drive" vs. the Browns, in the 1986 AFC Championship. Elway was athletic and did a great job extending plays, scrambling as needed, and often making something happen off script when the play broke down. 

When I look at all 5 of these great QB's, I do think a reasonable case can be made for each one not only being in this top 5 list, but perhaps a case that someone could make for each one in arguing who is "The Greatest". 

And now for Peyton Manning. Now I am admittedly a little biased as you obviously know by now. While I emphatically believe Peyton is on the "Mt Rushmore" of greatest QB's ever, even in doing this tribute piece I now find myself even more convinced of where he stands among the greatest. 

First off, here is what I am absolutely convinced about with Peyton Manning: He is the smartest, most prepared, and best regular season QB in NFL history. On top of this, I would now also argue (became convinced of this when working on this piece) that he is the greatest overall QB (combing college and NFL play) in history. 

Next, how should we assess Peyton Manning's NFL accomplishments vs these other greats I mentioned? I will give it an attempt. 

First, while stats aren't necessarily everything, they are certainly an important category to be considered as we break everything down. Here is where Peyton Manning stands:

- NFL all-time leader in passing yards (71,940). 

- NFL all-time leader in TD passes (539). 

- NFL all-time leader in MVP's (5). 

- NFL all-time leader in passing yards for a season (5,477). 

- NFL all-time leader in TD passes in a season (55). 

- NFL all-time leader for most games with a perfect QB rating (4- including 1 in the playoffs). 

- NFL all-time leader in most game-winning drives (56). 

- NFL all-time leader in QB wins (200). 

- NFL all-time QB leader (tied with Otto Graham) with 7 All-Pro awards. 

- NFL record seven consecutive 12+ win seasons with Colts (8 total). And NFL QB record twelve 12+ win seasons including all 4 years with the Broncos. 

- NFL record eleven 10 win seasons with Colts. And NFL QB record fifteen 10+ win seasons including all 4 years with the Broncos. 

- Oldest QB in NFL history to start and win the Super Bowl. 

- Only QB in NFL history to win the Super Bowl with 2 different teams. 

- Only QB in NFL history to play in 4 Super Bowls- with 4 different head coaches. 

- 4th all-time in completion % with 65.3%- higher than Brady (63.6%); Montana (63.2%); Elway (56.9%); and Unitas (54.6%). 

But of course there are many more categories to evaluate, beyond just pure statistics. We all know that the modern day NFL is a much more pass-happy league than in years past. While a large part of this is certainly rules driven- favoring QB's in today's league more than ever- we still can't discount what generation-altering, elite QB's have done to make the league more of what it is today. One such category is the the "no-huddle" offense. And while this has been around the league for years and implemented very effectively by some of the very best QB's over time, most people would say that it was Peyton Manning who revolutionized the "no-huddle" offense, and was a master tactician at orchestrating it better than anyone who has ever played. One of Peyton's greatest strengths- that he began rapidly developing in his early UT years- was to recognize and anticipate defensive formations and schemes prior to the ball being snapped. Like many QB's who had gone before him, he would bring his teams to the line of scrimmage between plays without the typical huddle plan what to do. But in doing this, not only would he do it quickly, but with amazing calmness and seemingly not even "rushed" perfection. And then on top of this, he would often audible at the line of scrimmage as he quickly recognized something to exploit. He would also change the snap counts as a way to quickly observe how the defense would then respond. Yes, Peyton Manning would often anticipate what the defense would do before the ball was snapped. It has been said that while Manning "didn't invent the no-huddle offense, he did perfect it". He studied the game relentlessly in the film room, in books, and also in learning from one of the best, his own father, Archie. In the ESPN documentary, "The Book of Manning", one thing it talks about is how at a young age, Peyton would spend hours listening to games, and studying how various elements of the game. No doubt this early discipline and relentless pursuit of greatness would help propel him to greater heights as seasoned pro. Peyton Manning didn't just follow an offensive system he was coached in while he was QB, he pretty much ran and revolutionized his own offensive system, and succeeded incredibly with all 5 of his different NFL coaches, and 2 different teams. 

Another factor to consider is not only that Peyton somehow came back to play after the several neck and back related surgeries that could have easily ended his career, but that he came back and played at such a high, elite level- just as he had prior to the injuries, if not better! In 2013 at the age of 37, he had arguably the greatest season ever for an NFL QB, and won another MVP award. Though his arm strength and mobility clearly weren't the same, it was the previously mentioned cerebral superiority that still carried him. What he had to overcome with all the injuries, play again, and seemingly not missing a beat to be so dominant has only enhanced his incredible legacy and taken him to another level. 

Now, getting back to Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning. Let's look at more important factors to consider when comparing these two. What if Peyton Manning had played his entire career in the same organization, in the same system, and for the same Hall of Fame head coach in Bill Belichick? Belichick, the Bill Parcells' defensive guru pupil who is arguably an even greater head coach than his mentor. Belichick's defensive units have been outstanding during most of his years of coaching. It is said that "defense wins championships". What if Peyton Manning had played with the more dominant Patriots defenses, rather than Tom Brady? While with the Patriots, Belichick's (and Brady's) defensive units have been in the NFL's top 10 a staggering total of twelve times in points allowed! And they have been in the top 5, five times in points allowed. And they have been top 10 in yards allowed five times. And keep in mind that this is all the more impressive because of the many points the Patriots offense consistently score over the years, often making their opponents play from behind and needing to score a lot of points, while their defenses are more often in softer, prevent coverage with the usual leads. To contrast, Manning's Colts finished in the NFL's top 10 in points allowed only five times. And only twice in the top 5. While with the Broncos, their defenses finished in the top 10 twice. And while with the Colts, their defenses finished in the top 10 in yards allowed only twice. And I might add, an amazing three times with the Broncos. So Brady overall top 10 defensive totals in points and yards? Seventeen times! Manning's overall total with both teams? Twelve. Pretty clear to see which QB also benefitted from the better defenses over the years. 

We discussed the fluke moments that Peyton Manning was victim to in some of his biggest games: the always reliable Mike Vanderjagt missing the field goal in the '05 divisional playoff vs. the Steelers; the onside kick vs the Saints in Super Bowl XLIV, and the improbable Hail Mary vs. the Ravens in the '12 divisional playoff. And then for Tom Brady, what if the infamous Tuck rule game hadn't occurred? What if his first career playoff game ended the way it should have: with the Raiders recovering that fumble and thwarting the Pats game-tying drive? Please hear me, in this I'm not saying that Tom Brady isn't great. Not at all. I'm just inserting that it's important to consider a wide array of factors surrounding these players' career trajectory and legacy, and what kind of in game circumstances have contributed to bring them there. And on the flip side, we could also speculate, what if David Tyree hadn't made that miraculous catch in Super Bowl XLII? Perhaps Brady's Patriots would have indeed capped off the 19-0 season, and arguably own the title of the greatest individual team of all-time. We will never know. 

Now how do we rank categories of importance when evaluating and comparing all these great QB's? Clearly, the main bullet point that many will use to elevate Brady and Montana in the conversations as the greatest are the 4 Super Bowl Championships. And of course Montana's specific Super Bowl dominance, in particular with the zero INT's and clutch drive vs. the Bengals. And winning all 4 Super Bowls he ever played in. Yes, these are very important. And really the only knock on Peyton that most people reference is the less successful win % in the playoffs, and the two championships, vs 4 for Brady and Montana. Still, Peyton has 14 career playoff wins- same as Elway and more than Unitas, who of course didn't benefit from as many playoff games per season in that era. But with that, because there were fewer playoff games, we could also say that the path to the championships wasn't as arduous as it is in today's era. The Brady advantage? 4 championships, 6 total Super Bowl appearances, and 22 total playoff wins- best of all-time. No doubt, a huge bullet point. And while Brady has the overall benefit of better defenses, as well as the future Hall of Fame coach in Belichick, one might argue he also never really had WR's quite as good as Peyton. But with the WR argument, could it also be said that Peyton was the biggest reason for their success? And of course, Montana had who is widely considered the best NFL player of all-time, WR Jerry Rice. But while Peyton may have a lower win % in the playoffs than Brady, consider his career playoff stats: 63.2 completion % (62.4% for Brady), 7,339 yards (7,957 for Brady), 40 TD's (56 for Brady), 25 INT's (28 for Brady), and a QB rating of 87.4 (88 for Brady). And as I previously mentioned, Peyton also went 3-2 vs. Brady in the playoffs, including 3-1 when the stakes were highest: the AFC Championship. 

No doubt, this debate of who is the "greatest" will rage on for years. And it's a fun one. And there is likely no one who can ever "prove" and convince the masses who is the greatest and why. But what honestly began 3 weeks ago for me as a tribute piece in which at the outset I was convinced Peyton was certainly among the top 4 greatest NFL QB's ever, has now turned into what I will first say: that Tom Brady, Joe Montana and Peyton Manning are the 3 greatest NFL QB's of all-time. And I think it's reasonable for people to argue them in any order, even 1A, 1B, 1C. But for the record, after this extensive research, carefully articulated thoughts, and what I believe is bringing on board lots of important surrounding factors for consideration, my personal position is now resolved: that Peyton Manning is indeed the greatest QB in NFL history. 

Thank you Peyton. Thank you for coming to UT. Thank you for staying all 4 years at UT. Thanks for demonstrating class and sportsmanship on and off the field. Thank you for your massive contribution and relentless dedication to the great game of football. Your legacy will endure forever. 

Best Coaching Tirades

This past Saturday, 2/20/16, I heard it reported that North Carolina basketball head coach Roy Williams went off on Doug Gottlieb during a post-game press conference, as Gottlieb claimed during the pre-game show that Williams would be stepping down after the season, and that UNC alum and current assistant coach, Hubert Davis would be stepping in to take over. Gottlieb later backtracked a little and tried to clarify that it was more speculation by many, and not necessarily something he heard was going to happen. Still, Williams laid into Gottlieb pretty good and clearly was very angry as he said things like it being "sinful", "not journalism", and that Gottlieb "couldn't put his shorts on right at Oklahoma State". Roy has had a few moments over the years.

As I heard this news, it got me thinking about some of my personal favorite coaching (and player) tirades and classic meltdowns over the years. So many hilarious examples to choose from! Here is my personal top 10 countdown:

And actually before I jump into to my top 10 "coaching" tirades, I thought it appropriate to insert a bonus, and one of both mine and my wife's favorite and funniest "player" rants ever: 

* BONUS- Allen Iverson- "Practice!" 

10. Herm Edwards- "You play to win the game!" 

9. Steve Spurrier- "I need to just get outta here!" 

Not necessarily one of the (or "the Ole' Ball Coach") most epic "meltdowns", but classic- especially since my Vols got the best of him in his last game vs. UT!

8. Jim Mora- "SICK!" 

He certainly has several classics that I could choose from but I'll go with this one, specifically because some of you know how much I have loved using the word "sick" for years!

7. Earl Weaver- "Get your finger off of me!" 

Though most of his antics were on the field, the legendary "Earl of Baltimore" has had many moments, with this being one of his finest!

6. Hal Mcrae- "Beep" fest! 

5. Mike Ditka- "NEXT!" 

4. Dennis Green- "The Bears are who we thought they were!" 

3. Jim Mora- "PLAYOFFS?!" 

No doubt one of the most famous, and often quoted tirades in sports history. Never gets old! 

2. John Chaney- "I'll Kill You!" 

I put this #2 because this was perhaps the first, and also one of the more unexpected tirades I ever saw! I couldn't believe that Chaney actually charged after a young, arrogant John Calipari, while he was coaching at UMASS. I couldn't stand Calipari then (and still can't), and though uncalled for, I still thought it was somewhat funny that Chaney started going after him! At that point in Calipari's career, I thought it said a lot about the kind of {dirty} coach I perceived him becoming. 

1. Mike Gundy- "I'm a man, I'm 40!" 

Hard to narrow all of these down, but this is probably my favorite. I love quoting it. My wife loves quoting it. I love quoting it for buddies who have recently turned 40. I just turned 40 last year and many buddies quoted it out of tribute for me! Finally, I became "a man".