Developing a quarterback is becoming a relic — it’s just not how the NFL operates anymore.
Unless a team has the luxury of an established starter to mentor a young quarterback—think Patrick Mahomes learning behind Alex Smith in Kansas City, Lamar Jackson behind Joe Flacco in Baltimore, or Jordan Love sitting behind Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay—the days of gradually grooming a quarterback are fading fast.
Sure, some can handle stepping in immediately as the starter, whether it be C.J. Stroud or Jayden Daniels, but many end up thrown into the fire, left to sink or swim, and more often than not, they’re sinking.
Appearing on ESPN Radio’s UnSportsmanlike Wednesday, NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. landed at the conclusion that in the NFL, you’re no longer allowed to develop a quarterback. Not in the literal sense, but the league’s demand for instant gratification means few teams are willing to endure the growing pains of a young quarterback learning on the job.
The NFL doesn’t develop quarterbacks anymore.
“Mistakes aren’t tolerated anymore. You’re expected to play at a seven year veteran level when you’re a rookie second year QB.”@MelKiperESPN on the NFL chewing up and spitting out young QBs https://t.co/L9pf9qkMEe pic.twitter.com/ANYF5XZSDv
— UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio (@UnSportsESPN) October 30, 2024
Take the Indianapolis Colts, for instance. Even after flashes of brilliance from Anthony Richardson, they’ve turned back to Joe Flacco, signaling impatience that echoes Kiper’s larger point: rookie mistakes just aren’t tolerated.
That’s what Kiper’s getting at here, as he explained how the NFL’s demand for instant veteran-level performance leaves no room for young quarterbacks to learn through error.
“You mentioned the word; it doesn’t exist anymore,” Kiper told co-host Chris Canty. “Develop doesn’t exist. They don’t develop quarterbacks anymore. They force-feed them; they expect them to be great; they don’t like them to work through struggles; struggles are not tolerated anymore from a young quarterback. Bad reads, inaccurate throws, interceptions — mistakes aren’t tolerated anymore.
“You’re expected to play at a seven-year veteran level when you’re a rookie, second-year quarterback. The development, the growth of a quarterback to work through, make progress, you’re not allowed to anymore. You’re not allowed to because, mentally and physically, you’re destroyed. You’re destroyed by getting beat up because you’re out, maybe some of these quarterbacks, behind a bad offensive line. Or, they’re getting beat up mentally by everybody — media, fans, everybody, saying, ‘You stink.’ ‘You shouldn’t have drafted this guy.’ ‘Let’s draft this guy this year; get him out of here.’
“It wasn’t like that back in the day, and now, we’re chewing them up and spitting out early. So, the development of a quarterback doesn’t exist. That’s why I get down to who needs to go back, get as much time in college as you’re allowed to get. Get as many starts in college as possible. Eli did it, Peyton did it, others have done it. Go back and get those extra dozen-plus starts, and that’ll help you deal with the scrutiny and the expectations that are there for a rookie, second-year quarterback in the National Football League.”
In essence, Kiper’s not just talking about development; he’s pointing out an existential threat to the quarterback position itself.
By pushing young quarterbacks to deliver veteran-level results right out of the gate, the NFL is losing sight of what makes a franchise QB in the first place. As Kiper puts it, the NFL may be driving its future franchise quarterbacks out of the league before they get a fair shot.
And it appears that Anthony Richardson is the latest quarterback to fit that archetype.