Best Rookie QB Ever

Is Matt Ryan the best rookie QB ever? On ESPN's Mike and Mike show, Greenburg indicated that Ryan may be having the best rookie season for a quarterback since Dan Marino. He has benefited from an excellent running game and strong offensive line but does show poise that is rare in rookie qb's.



Let's look at some of the numbers. Since 1970 there have been 3 rookie quarterbacks to win the AP Offensive rookie of the year. Dennis Shaw was on a bad Buffalo team that went 3-8-1 in 1970 an he threw for 2507 yds, 10 td's with 20 Int's. Ben Rothlisberger was 13-0 in 2004 with 2621 yds, 17 td's and 11 int's. Finally Vince Young was 8-5 with 12 td's and 13 int's.

Among Hall of Famers who started a majority of their team's games as a rookie only Otto Graham and Dan Marino have better numbers. On the balance I would say that I would place him in the top 5 behind only Graham, Marino, Rothlisberger, and somewhere around Jim Kelly at this point of the season. Not to be forgotten is another rookie this year Joe Flacco who has done an excellent job himself of guiding a 7-4 Ravens team with 1996 yds 10 td's and 9 int's.

	Name	record	yds		td				int
.	aikman	0-11	1749		9				18
.	baugh	8-14	1127		8				14
.	bradshaw	3-5	1410		6				24
.	elway	4-6	1663		7				14
.	fouts	0-5-1	1126		6				13
.	graham	12-2	1834		17				5	age 25
.	griese	3-7	2005		15				18
.	jurgensen	4-8	470		5				8
.	kelly	4-12	3593		22				17
.	luckman	8-3	636		5				4
.	marino	7-2	2210		20				6
.	moon	3-13	3338		12				14
.	namath	3-5-1	2220		18				15
.	tarkenton	2-8	1997		18				17
.	tittle	7-7	2522		16				9
.	unitas	4-3	1498		9				10
.	Average		1837		12				12
	Ryan	7-4	2418		11				6