Top rookie seasons of the Super Bowl era: Quarterbacks
By Elliot Harrison
NFL Media analyst
Published: April 16, 2015 at 01:49 p.m. Updated: April 17, 2015 at 09:54 a.m. 233 Likes | 152 Comments
In a series leading up to the 2015 NFL Draft, NFL Media historian Elliot Harrison will rank the five best rookie seasons from the Super Bowl era at each major position group. Previously, Elliot examined wide receivers and defensive linemen; today, he eyes quarterbacks who dazzled as newbies.
TOUGHEST OMISSIONS: Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts, 2012 (54.1 percent completion rate, 4,374 yards, 23 touchdown passes, 18 interceptions); and Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons, 2008 (61.1 percent completion rate, 3,440 yards, 16 touchdown passes, 11 interceptions). (Of course, I'm willing to hear all arguments on the matter @HarrisonNFL.)
2) Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers, 2004
Regular-season stats: 66.4 percent completion rate, 2,621 yards, 17 touchdown passes, 11 interceptions, 14 games played (13 starts).
If not for a Pittsburgh native, Roethlisberger's rookie campaign would rate as the best ever by a quarterback in the NFL. After relieving Tommy Maddox in Week 2, the kid from Miami of Ohio went 13-0 as a starter. The 11th overall pick in the 2004 draft compiled a noteworthy passer rating of 98.1 -- but more importantly, he showed the football world that a big, strong "pocket" passer could make streetball plays outside of the pocket. Before the Cowboys took on the Steelers that year, legendary head coach Bill Parcells said Roethlisberger was the most impressive rookie quarterback since Dan Marino (the aforementioned Pittsburgh native) -- and that was only in Week 6. Bill Cowher and Co. only asked their rookie phenom to do so much, smartly building a run game around Big Ben that required him to drop back less than 30 times per game, much like the Falcons and Seahawks later did with Ryan and Wilson, respectively. Roethlisberger -- who won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award -- became the first rookie quarterback since the merger to lead his team to the conference championship game.
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