Alright, let me tell you about this rabbit hole I fell into yesterday. Started totally random too. Was just scrolling through old highlight reels late at night, you know how it goes, clicking one thing leads to another. Suddenly found myself watching clips from the early 2000s, guys like Rich Gannon and Steve McNair just dicing up defenses. Got me thinking: man, why don’t we talk about these dudes more? Feels like their names get lost these days unless you’re a real hardcore fan.
The Spark
So, last night I’m rewatching Steve McNair’s 2003 co-MVP season highlights. That dude played QB like a linebacker with a cannon arm. Ran when he had to, took insane hits, got up like nothing happened. Did a quick search online – bam, barely any hype around his legacy now compared to his actual peak. Same thing with Rich Gannon. That guy turned into an absolute machine under Jon Gruden in Oakland, led that offense like a conductor. Three straight Pro Bowls, MVP in 2002… and now? Feels like people mention him mostly when talking about Gruden’s playbook or just as a footnote. Seemed kinda crazy.
Digging In
Fired up my laptop this morning, determined to really look at this. Grabbed some old stats, pulled up game logs. Focused on these three main things:
- Peak Performance: How good were they actually when they were at the top of their game?
- Respect from Their Own Era: What did players, coaches, and fans say about them back then?
- How We Remember Them Now: Why the hell did their legacies kinda fade?
Started with McNair. Man, the numbers don’t lie. Led the NFL in passer rating in ’03, carried those Titans teams without superstars everywhere. Co-MVP with Peyton Manning! Peyton freakin’ Manning! Remember that playoff duel against Baltimore? Ice in his veins. Now, I barely see him mentioned unless it’s a tragic footnote about his passing. Feels disrespectful to how hard he balled.
Then switched to Rich Gannon. The transformation from journeyman to MVP in Oakland? Insane. Gruden unlocked something fierce in him. The Raiders were electric. Dude threw for over 4,600 yards, won MVP… then got to the Super Bowl! But lose badly to Gruden’s new Bucs team, and suddenly… poof. Legacy kinda takes a hit. Seems harsh, right? He shredded the league for four years straight as Oakland’s leader. Deserves more props.
The Deeper Dive – Finding More Names
Got totally sucked in after McNair and Gannon. Remembered Jeff Garcia up in San Francisco. Replaced the legend Steve Young? No sweat. Guy was electric, mobile before it was cool, kept the Niners rolling after Young. Went to the Pro Bowl multiple times. Faded after he left the Niners system, bounced around. But man, his peak was legit fun.
- Jake Plummer: “The Snake”! Forget the bad later years in Denver for a second. In Arizona? He was that franchise during brutal times. Made something out of almost nothing. Got those Cardinals teams to the playoffs? That deserves credit.
- Drew Bledsoe: Okay, okay, got overshadowed massively by Brady. But listen, before the injury? Elite pocket passer, big arm, dragged those early Patriots teams kicking and screaming. Got them to a Super Bowl! Then got replaced by the GOAT. Makes it easy to forget how good he was in his own right before that.
The Realization
Sitting back after all this, coffee cold by now. Hit me: so many of these QBs got dinged for stuff they couldn’t control. Didn’t win the big one (Gannon lost his only shot), got replaced by legends (Bledsoe), played in smaller markets or for less glamorous teams (McNair, Garcia, Plummer), or just had their styles overshadowed by flashier eras.
Their peak performance? Legit elite for stretches. Their toughness? Off the charts (McNair played half a season practically broken once!). Their leadership? Carried franchises. But history likes simple stories, often based just on rings or longevity with one team. Makes zero sense not to appreciate these runs more.
My Takeaway
This deep dive was a reminder, honestly. Football history gets flattened too often. We focus way too much on the absolute very top tier legends and forget the warriors who balled out brilliantly, just maybe didn’t have the perfect storybook ending or play in New York. Steve McNair’s co-MVP and toughness? Deserves respect daily. Rich Gannon’s crazy late-career rocket ride to MVP? Needs more hype. Jeff Garcia’s ninja mobility keeping the Niners relevant? Underrated fun. Jake Plummer balling in the desert? Underrated journey. Drew Bledsoe’s franchise QB status pre-Brady? Absolutely valid.
Gonna keep bringing their names up in conversations. Respect the grind, the peaks, and the guys who delivered when it was all on their shoulders, even if the final trophy shelf isn’t as stacked as some others. These cats earned their stripes. 🏈
