Todd Blackledge
Tony Eason
Dan Marino
Ken O’brien
John Elway
Dan Marino
Jim Kelly
All first round picks.
Crazy!!!!
Tony Eason
Dan Marino
Ken O’brien
John Elway
Dan Marino
Jim Kelly
All first round picks.
Crazy!!!!
1983 QB draft class
- Thread starter zappaa
- Start date
Elway and Marino among the best ever IMO.
Having seen him at Pitt I never got why Marino lasted so long in that draft.
Elway played a summer of A ball with the Yankees
I remember the Colts traded with Denver because Elway threatened if they took him, he would play baseball instead.
I wish Andrew Luck had bucked the Colts.
He was a HOF QB wrecked by the Colts lack of OL.
Drafted in 2012 (same year as Tannehill and Cousins) he would still be playing
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Jim Kelly started his career in the USFL with the Houston Gamblers. His Wiki entry for the Gamblers is pretty crazy stuff.
Although he believed that team owner Ralph Wilson would not bring in the right players to build a championship team,[7] Kelly was resigned to playing for the Bills. While meeting with the team to negotiate his contract, however, a Bills secretary mistakenly let Bruce Allen, general manager of the rival United States Football League's Chicago Blitz, reach Kelly on the telephone; Allen persuaded Kelly to leave the meeting. Kelly later claimed that the USFL offered him his choice of teams because of the league's interest in signing quarterbacks. He signed with the Houston Gamblers, who played in the climate-controlled Houston Astrodome, and said, "Would you rather be in Houston or Buffalo?"[9]
In two seasons in Houston, leading offensive coach Mouse Davis's run-and-shoot offense, Kelly threw for 9,842 yards, 83 touchdowns, and 45 interceptions with a 63% completion percentage for an average of 8.53 yards per attempt. He was the USFL MVP in 1984, when he set a league record with 5,219 yards passing and 44 touchdown passes. Kelly's USFL records eclipsed those of fellow league quarterbacks Doug Williams and Steve Young. When the Houston Gamblers folded, Kelly went to the New Jersey Generals and was slated as their starting quarterback. Kelly appeared on a cover of Sports Illustrated while holding a Generals' helmet, but the league collapsed before he ever fielded a snap with the Generals.[10]
Houston Gamblers[edit]
Because of fellow quarterback John Elway's well-publicized reluctance to play for the Baltimore Colts, which chose him in the 1983 NFL Draft, Kelly's agent asked whether there were any teams he would not play for. Kelly, who disliked cold weather, listed the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, and Buffalo Bills. He was pleased to see while watching the 1983 draft on television that the Bills did not select him as the 12th pick in the first round, but learned from his agent that the team had another first-round pick; the Bills chose Kelly as the 14th pick. Although Kelly at the time stated that he had expected the Bills to choose him, he later said, "You have to say those things ... I cried. (Laughs) I didn't really literally cry. I just had tears. I'm like, 'You got to be kidding me.'"[9]Although he believed that team owner Ralph Wilson would not bring in the right players to build a championship team,[7] Kelly was resigned to playing for the Bills. While meeting with the team to negotiate his contract, however, a Bills secretary mistakenly let Bruce Allen, general manager of the rival United States Football League's Chicago Blitz, reach Kelly on the telephone; Allen persuaded Kelly to leave the meeting. Kelly later claimed that the USFL offered him his choice of teams because of the league's interest in signing quarterbacks. He signed with the Houston Gamblers, who played in the climate-controlled Houston Astrodome, and said, "Would you rather be in Houston or Buffalo?"[9]
In two seasons in Houston, leading offensive coach Mouse Davis's run-and-shoot offense, Kelly threw for 9,842 yards, 83 touchdowns, and 45 interceptions with a 63% completion percentage for an average of 8.53 yards per attempt. He was the USFL MVP in 1984, when he set a league record with 5,219 yards passing and 44 touchdown passes. Kelly's USFL records eclipsed those of fellow league quarterbacks Doug Williams and Steve Young. When the Houston Gamblers folded, Kelly went to the New Jersey Generals and was slated as their starting quarterback. Kelly appeared on a cover of Sports Illustrated while holding a Generals' helmet, but the league collapsed before he ever fielded a snap with the Generals.[10]
We're not talking about the real legend here: Kenny O'Brien!
The only QB in NFL history to compile 100 passing TD's, and zero rushing TD's.
Marino was so good he got picked twice in the first round
Marino was beat pure passer in his day and maybe ever. Really quick release but never much of a D while he played. Kelly 0-4 in Super Bowls but as a Giants fan I can say one was not his fault at all. Elway one of the best all around QB’s ever.
Marino was beat pure passer in his day and maybe ever. Really quick release but never much of a D while he played. Kelly 0-4 in Super Bowls but as a Giants fan I can say one was not his fault at all. Elway one of the best all around QB’s ever.
In retrospect, the most amazing thing of the 1983 draft is that QBs Blackledge, Eason and O’Brien were drafted before Marino. As a lifelong Jet fan , the failure to draft Marino in 83 is one of those infamous Jet memories from the past. There were unfounded rumors leading up to the draft that Marino had a drug problem. ESPN’s segment “Elway to Marino” about the ‘83 draft is very good.
Clearly teams made a big mistake, but his senior season was not as good as his junior.
The Eagles picked Michael Haddix, passing on Marino, Kelly and Bruce Matthews. To say the least, Eagles fans were perplexed, even without the foresight of these HOFers.
There rumors about Marino and drugs. With no real basis and which created further rumors of who was the source of the drug rumor. His college coach even blamed Vegas because Pitt never covered the spread and he thought gambling rings were out to hurt Marino simply for spite. Crazy stuff
Been so long can’t remember if the rumors started during/after the ‘82 season. But, said rumor was frequently talked in relation to him and some people used it as a descriptive nickname. His senior season (Pitt pre-season #1) being worse than junior season only fueled things.
To his credit, he never showed any type of issue with it in the pros so the previously used unfounded term is a pretty good description.
Even the Steelers past on Marino.
He grew up in the in Oakland section of Pittsburgh literally in the shadows of old Pitt Stadium and Three Rivers.
He was also extremely close to the Rooney’s
He grew up in the in Oakland section of Pittsburgh literally in the shadows of old Pitt Stadium and Three Rivers.
He was also extremely close to the Rooney’s
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Marino may have been best ever QB…coming from a Jets fan
An example of how bad Jet QBs have been Joe Namath still holds the record for most passing yards in a season, with a 14 game schedule.
Which makes it even crazier that they wouldn't be able to see through these rumors.
Tony Dungy has said that Bradshaw thought he would play a few more years and the Rooneys and Noll thought it would be too much for all involved to draft a QB and upset TB.
Plus Marino went from 37 TDs as a junior to only 17 as a senior. The drug stuff was along wth that. The Steelers had already had rough time with Gilliam and drugs and violence and sketchy associations. Marino being a local didn't help in that regard. Getting out of PA and going to FL was maybe a good thing.
To make 1983 draft worse, the Steelers first rounder - Gabriel Rivera was paralyzed in a car accident in October 83. It had been Noll's intention to begin rebuilding the defense and Rivera was expected to be a beast in the Steeler mold.
All things taken together its not so crazy the Steelers passed in Marino
Rivera highlights #69 (check out about 1 minute in where he makes a LT type penetrating tackle)
Plus Marino went from 37 TDs as a junior to only 17 as a senior. The drug stuff was along wth that. The Steelers had already had rough time with Gilliam and drugs and violence and sketchy associations. Marino being a local didn't help in that regard. Getting out of PA and going to FL was maybe a good thing.
To make 1983 draft worse, the Steelers first rounder - Gabriel Rivera was paralyzed in a car accident in October 83. It had been Noll's intention to begin rebuilding the defense and Rivera was expected to be a beast in the Steeler mold.
All things taken together its not so crazy the Steelers passed in Marino
Rivera highlights #69 (check out about 1 minute in where he makes a LT type penetrating tackle)
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Marino. If you want to get down, down on the ground. Having said that, LOVE the way that dude threw the ball.
being a Jets fan as well he was 100% the best QB whenever he played and lit up the Jets
If Marino didnt have the fastest release ever he would not have been the best QB ever. Personally my #1 is Drew Breez 1A Tom.Brady