With young quarterbacks Anthony Richardson and Bryce Young being benched and replaced for their respective teams, a comeback is their only choice. While it’s been announced Young will start for the Carolina Panthers in Week 10 against the New York Giants, Richardson remains on the sidelines as veteran Joe Flacco takes over.
This doesn’t mean the end of the line for Richardson. Legendary signal-callers have been through it too.
Drew Brees went through it.
During his third NFL season in 2003, after the then-San Diego Chargers went 1-7, the 13-time Pro Bowl quarterback was benched in favor of Doug Flutie. It’s a tad different since Brees had less pressure on his situation and wasn’t a starter in the first game of his rookie season.
Kurt Warner also had his time riding the pine pony. Multiple times. In 2002, after an 0-6 record, Warner was sidelined with an injury. He also was the backup of then-rookie quarterback Eli Manning with the New York Giants in 2004.
As a backup, he had thought about retirement earlier than expected.
“Coming to practice every day, believing you’re the best player and never getting the chance to play, running scout team after being in the league and winning MVPs and going to Super Bowls, it was mentally exhausting,” Warner said in an interview with ArizonaCardinals.com in 2023. “That’s why retirement came to mind.”
Warner eventually became a Hall of Famer after multiple stints on the bench.
Richardson’s setback won’t last forever. He received words of encouragement from Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell after their Week 9 game.
.@Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell had some words of encouragement for @GVOaant ❤️ pic.twitter.com/TaXW9dFaMx
— NFL (@NFL) November 7, 2024
“Hey, do me a favor and remember something,” O’Connell said after the game. “You’re a bad dude, and you’re going to play a long time in this league.”
