The NFL’s Greatest Overlooked Quarterbacks ep. 1

Throughout NFL history, a multitude of legendary quarterbacks have played the game. Most of them, we have committed to memory forever. With the likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees to look back on, what happens to the other great quarterbacks that have faded from memory? Let’s take a look at one of the best quarterbacks from the past that may have slipped our memory.

The 1995 NFL Expansion

The year is 1995. The NFL has introduced two new teams to the league as part of an expansion: the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars. As history would see it, teams playing in their inaugural season have never performed well and for self-evident reasons. The Panthers finished with a 7-9 record, tied for 3rd place in the NFC West.

The Jaguars would likely perform much worse with a 4-12 record, which would place them at the bottom of the AFC North. While falling short of the 7-9 record achieved by the Panthers, the Jaguars still had one of the best seasons recorded by a new team in the league. Steve Burlein was selected first overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars, but would quickly lose his starting job after performing less than acceptably.

Enter Mark Brunell, a two-year quarterback backing up future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre. As destiny would foresee it, he would land in Jacksonville after only two games played with the Green Bay Packers due to a Draft-Day trade that included a Third and a Fifth-round selection of the 1995 draft.

While the Jaguars finished with one of the worst records in the league, they still had a few bright spots to look forward to in 1996. Those included future Hall of Famer lineman Tony Boselli, who was selected second overall in the 1995 draft, James Stewart, who was also taken in the 1995 draft, Jimmy Smith, who signed with the Jaguars in the offseason, and 1995 Draft-Day acquisition Mark Brunell.

Mark Brunell and the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Marvelous 1996 NFL Season

In 1996, the Jacksonville Jaguars experienced one of the most remarkable turnarounds in NFL history for a new franchise. Going from 4-12 to 9-7 and clinching a playoff berth. Mark Brunell led the second-year Jacksonville Jaguars to the playoffs, being one of three teams ever to do so.

In his first full season with the team, Mark Brunell would throw for a league-leading 4,367 yards to go along with 19 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. Still, not the numbers you would like to see from your quarterback, but hey, he’s in the playoffs and we’re set to face off against the Jim Kelly-led team. Buffalo Bills.

Madness at Rich Stadium

The Bills were set to host the Jaguars and were expected to give the young team a humbling experience; however, those expectations did not unfold as planned.  After back-and-forth scoring and gasp after gasp from the Buffalo crowd, the game was tied at 27 after a Mark Brunell to Jimmy Smith receiving touchdown, which energized this young team to no end.

On a 3rd and 8, late in the 4th, legendary quarterback Jim Kelly would take his last snap after being met in the backfield by Jaguar safety Chris Hudson. This ended in a Jaguar fumble recovery, which set up the second-year franchise for the 45-yard go-ahead field goal and their first postseason win. The field goal swerved but ultimately hit the crossbar and put the Jags ahead with a final score of 30-27 after the Bills failed to move the ball with their remaining drives. The Jaguars would advance to the AFC’s Divisional Round to face the 13-3 Denver Broncos.

“The Ambush at Mile High”

Led by former league MVP John Elway and future NFL MVP Terrell Davis, the Denver Broncos were tied for the best record in the league at 13-3. The Jaguars entered this game as +14 underdogs.

The Broncos entered the 1996 season with an undefeated home record. And asserted dominance in the first quarter against the Jaguars with a 12-0 score. The Jaguars shifted the balance of the game in their direction, commanding a 13-12 lead to end the first half and then 20-12 to end the third after Mark Brunell tossed an outstanding 31-yard TD to Kennan McCardell. After another passing touchdown from Brunell, the Jaguars were up 30-20. The final score was 30-27, and the Jaguars, led by Mark Brunell’s exceptional performance, were able to pull off a massive upset and clinch a spot in the AFC Conference Championship.

A Stumble in Foxborough

Onto the AFC Championship. Mark Brunell led a hungry Jaguars offense and was looking to make history by clinching a Super Bowl appearance just two years after the franchise’s debut. This was indeed a legacy run, led by Mark Brunell, who consistently emerged victorious from games. Well, most of them.

The Jaguars would travel to Foxborough to face the AFC East Champions, the New England Patriots. One of the league’s best defenses, with quarterback Drew Bledsoe taking snaps. The game was as nasty as they come. One offensive touchdown, less than 200 passing yards from both quarterbacks, and three interceptions.

Mark Brunell faced constant pressure and was only able to complete 20 of his 38 passes, resulting in 190 yards. He also turned the ball over three times, 2 of those being crushing interceptions that ultimately put the game away for Jacksonville. Victory was there, the 3-year quarterback couldn’t get a grasp of it and would eventually fall to the Patriots 6-20, and just like that, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Cinderella Story-esque year was finished.

1997

Mark Brunell has had several years to showcase his skills. He led the league in passing yards in 1996,  was 4th in passing yards in 1997, and suffered a left ankle sprain in 1998 that sidelined him for the last three games of the regular season. All these years, he has led the Jaguars to a record above .500 and a trip to the postseason. The Jaguars finished with an 11-5 record, tied for the best in the AFC Central Division with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

With the Steelers winning the Division winner tie-breaker, the Jaguars would once again clinch the 5th seed in the AFC and play in the Wild-Card on the road. Mark Brunell would have his not-so-longed-for rematch against the Denver Broncos in Mile High, and just as quickly as the Jags entered the postseason, they would leave after suffering a 17-42 loss to the eventual Super Bowl Champions. Brunell was sacked three times and threw an interception to go along with a fumble, and only 203 yards passing.

1998

In 1998, Mark Brunell was poised to have a much better outcome. He came right out of the gates smoking with four straight wins, 846 passing yards, and a 7-4 TD to Interception ratio. Mark Brunell would sit out in a week 6 matchup against the Dolphins. The Jaguars would win the game 28-21, moving to 5-0 on the year. After coming back, Brunell would go on to lose his first of three losses obtained during the year to the Buffalo Bills 16-17 and then lose the following week to the Denver Broncos 24-37, where Brunell would throw three touchdowns and no interceptions, but still come out on the bottom.

Okay, back-to-back losses to put the Jags at a 5-2 record, not the worst thing in the world. Going to Baltimore next week has got to be a win, or Brunell and the Jags would be in some trouble. The Jaguars would travel to Baltimore and have their best game of the year, winning in style 45-19, with two passing touchdowns from Brunell. This would start an eventual 3-game winning streak and put Jacksonville in a comfortable 8-2 spot. As fate would have it, they were set to play their biggest game of the year thus far.

Matching up against their Division Rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jags would once again fall to the Steelers 15-30, and Brunell would have his worst game of the season, throwing three interceptions and just one touchdown. Unlike 1997, the NFL’s AFC Central Division lacked the competitive nature it once had. The Jaguars were sitting high at the top with an 8-3 record and would march into Cincinnati the next week, 34-17, and come out victorious, putting them at an excellent 9-3 record.

Week 14

Mark Brunell and the Jaguars were on top of the world right now. Holding a 9-3 record with the postseason visible through the mist, and an easy opponent in the Detroit Lions, to bolster their confidence even more. Brunell recorded one attempted pass and was carted off the field, and would be sidelined for the remaining regular season with a sprained left ankle.

Despite leaving early, the Jaguars were able to come out victorious in this one; however, troubled waters lay ahead for the young franchise. The Jaguars would go on to lose two of their final three games without Brunell and finish with an 11-5 record. This time, they would host their opponent at EverBank Stadium.

1998-99 NFL Postseason

Confusion spread about whether Mark Brunell would be able to play in the Jaguars’ postseason home debut. MRIs showed that he wasn’t. Regardless of what doctors said, Brunell suited up for the Jags and was persistent in extending the season. Brunell did not play great. He had one touchdown, 161 yards, and went 14-34 passing, yet the Jaguars still came out with a win, 25-10, and would head to New York to play the Jets in a chance to clinch their second AFC Championship appearance in three years as a franchise.

Brunell’s play was questionable. He looked sluggish and not ready to play the team’s most crucial game of the year. He would throw for 156 yards on 12-31 passing, with three touchdowns and three interceptions, as the Jaguars fell to the Jets, 24-34, and once again faced disappointment to end the season

.In a post-game conference, Brunell, defeated on all ends, had this to say: “We were supposed to beat the Jets.” Acknowledging his mismanagement of time and the team’s mistakes. There was a lot to build on for the Jags. They had one of the best receiving corps in the league, a rookie Fred Taylor whose stats were overshadowed by rookie sensation Randy Moss, and an above-average defense. This Jaguars team was not done yet.

1999: The NFL’s Best Team

The Jacksonville Jaguars are now entering their 5th season as a franchise. Fred Taylor is set to start a sophomore season equivalent to his rookie campaign, and star wide receiver Jimmy Smith is looking towards obtaining his 4th straight 1,000-yard season. The defensive unit is looking to improve significantly after allowing the 8th most points in games, following the signing of former Carolina Panthers head coach Don Capper to take control of the defense. To tie it all together, quarterback Mark Brunell is aiming to earn his 3rd straight Pro Bowl selection.

The 1999-00 season was set to begin, and the Jaguars would host the San Francisco 49ers in a week one matchup. What we would witness would be something never to be expected. The Jaguars would dominate the 49ers in all four quarters, allowing only three points for the entire game. The defense forced five turnovers and scored a touchdown on 4 of them. The defense had scored more touchdowns than they allowed points. The final score was 41-3 and was over as soon as it started.

Mark Brunell would throw a touchdown to go along with 265 yards passing as the offense was able to coast the entire game. This would be an ongoing theme for the 1999 season. The Jaguars would win in Carolina 22-20 the following week before facing their soon-to-be nemesis, the Tennessee Titans. Just like Superman has a weakness to Kryptonite, the Jaguars could not stop falling to the Titans. While week three was a closer final score, Brunell struggled heavily. Throwing three interceptions to just one touchdown.

The season is still early, a loss early doesn’t mean too much in the grand scheme of things, right? It doesn’t. The Jaguars, led by a ferocious defense and a conservative-style offense, would win 11 games in a row with only two finishing as ‘one-score’ games. 13-1 was the record the Jaguars held going into week 16. Still to clinch home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs, the Jaguars would face their Division rival, the Tennessee Titans.

Week 16: Jacksonville at Tennessee

The theme of the year for the Jags was defense. Brunell wasn’t having a statistically significant year, and Fred Taylor battled a pulled hamstring earlier in the year. Don’t get it twisted, the Jags needed this one. A victory over the Titans means everything to a team that’s only loss was incurred to Tennessee. Steve McNair had his best game of the year, throwing five touchdowns against an excellent Jaguars team. Those five touchdowns accounted for just less than half of what he had all year, finishing with 12 passing touchdowns. It was a massacre.

Mark Brunell suffered a significant knee injury that would sideline him after a Fred Taylor rushing touchdown. The game was over. The Titans forced three turnovers and had a 97-yard kickoff return to go along with five passing touchdowns. It was the worst display of defense the Jaguars had all year. Brunell would sit out in the week 17 matchup against the Bengals, where the Jaguars were able to get the job done and move to 14-2 on the year, clinching home-field advantage in the AFC.

The Jaguars suffered two losses during the regular season, both of which came at the hands of the Titans. We didn’t know it yet, but the Jaguars and Titans would enter one of the biggest rivalries in the NFL at the time. The Jaguars have dominated every team except the Tennessee Titans that they’ve played this year.

All while Mark Brunell didn’t have to contribute much. He finished the season with 14 touchdowns to 9 interceptions and just barely getting over the 3,000 passing yard mark. The defense had the most sacks (t-57), turnovers (29), and allowed the least amount of points scored during the regular season (217). History suggests that the Jaguars had the 5th most manageable schedule in NFL history, but domination doesn’t come solely from ‘easy’ games.

1999-00 Postseason: “We’re not going anywhere. We’re going to the Super Bowl.”

The Jaguars were riding high. Finishing with a league-best 14-2 record in the NFL and encountering but one issue along the way. The odds of that happening again are too low to be a concern. Right? Well, Jacksonville was able to rest in the Wild Card round, but the Divisional Round was just days away. The 6th-seeded Miami Dolphins won their Wild Card matchup against the Seattle Seahawks 20-17 and would face the Jaguars on the road.

Jacksonville hosted a scrappy 9-7 Dolphins team that started the year 7-1 but lost six of their final eight contests to squeeze into the postseason barely. Jacksonville has been in that very spot before in 1996 after upsetting the Denver Broncos to advance to the NFL’s AFC Championship. We would not see an upset in this one. It was a complete demolition job.

The final score was 62-7 and is known as the most lopsided victory in the NFL’s postseason history. Points coming from all angles for the Jaguars, forcing Dan Marino to have one of the worst games of his career, as well as ending his legendary career. It was so bad that the Jaguars’ backup QB, Jay Fielder, outplayed Marino significantly after Brunell received the courtesy of sitting out the rest of the game.

The 1999-00 NFL AFC Championship

The Jaguars were on pace to make history. They’ve already made two AFC Championships and are on the brink of having one of the most dominant seasons in NFL history. The only trouble? Staring them dead in the eyes in their biggest game of the year. Mark Brunell and the Jaguars have not struggled against any other team this year. 4 of Brunells interceptions.

Almost half of his 1999 total came against this Titans defense, 28% of the defense’s total points allowed came from this Titans team, and of course, Jacksonville’s worst game came in a week 16 blowout against Tennessee. However, things are different now; Jacksonville is hosting this game and is coming off the most dominant performance ever recorded in the NFL postseason.

What makes this situation even crazier is that Tennessee wasn’t meant to make it out of the Wild-Card round. As we know it now as the Music City Miracle, the Titans pulled off one of the most absurd go-ahead kick-off returns in NFL history against the Buffalo Bills. Tennessee was sent to take down this Jaguars team, and we were able to witness it on one of the biggest stages of the season thus far.

Would history repeat itself, or were the Jaguars going to flip the script and make history by making a Super Bowl appearance in their 5th season of being a franchise? Regardless of whose side you were on, this game was disappointing. Mark Brunell struggled. That seems to be a theme in these ‘must-win’ games. Tossing two interceptions to one touchdown, and struggled to move the ball down the field when it mattered.

The final score was 33-14, and the Tennessee Titans would advance to their first Super Bowl in franchise history. Tennessee had completed the sweep of the Jaguars, going 3-0 throughout the season. Devastation ruled over Jacksonville, and the questions began to arise whether Mark Brunell was able to be that guy. He had been given everything. The league’s best defense, one of the best receiving cores in the league, and an exceptional backfield led by Fred Taylor.

2000-2002: Mark Brunell’s Best Years

While the 1996 and 1999 AFC Championship appearances ended in disappointment, Brunell didn’t let his talent go into question. He would go on to deliver some of his best individual seasons of his career.

2000-01 season

While the defense took a hit in the 2000 NFL season, Brunell remained consistent, throwing 20 touchdowns to 14 interceptions (13th most) with the 8th most passing yards in the league, at 3,640. Brunell earned an invite to the prestigious Pro Bowl—his third in his career. Brunell’s standout game of the year was in a 23-17 overtime victory against the Cowboys, where he threw three touchdowns and no interceptions, ending a three-game losing streak.

Brunell would carry his momentum throughout the remainder of the Jags’ final eight games with eight touchdowns and four interceptions. Still, after losing two necessary wins, the Jaguars would enter the offseason early. The Jaguars stumbled drastically from their 1999 season, finishing with a disappointing 7-9 record and missing out on the NFL postseason for the first time in Mark Brunell’s tenure with the team.

2001-02 season

Mark Brunell started the new season out on a good note. Throwing for three touchdowns in the season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers and won the following week against the Titans. The Jaguars’ next 5 weeks all ended in losses, 3 of which were one-score games. Brunell performed adequately, but not winning is its statistic, and a 2-5 record is not a desirable outcome.It was clear this wasn’t Brunell’s or Jacksonville’s year. Brunell fell out of the top 10 in passing yards and touchdowns, holding the 13th spot with 3,309 yards and 11th in passing touchdowns with 19. Jacksonville struggled all year and finished with a 6-10 record.

2002-03 season

Despite the team’s lack of success, Brunell has strung together some great years for the franchise. Sitting inside or just outside of the top 10 in major statistical categories. Mark Brunell entered the 2002 season ready to restore Jacksonville as a competitive franchise and return to the postseason. In a week one matchup against Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts, the two quarterbacks would valiantly battle.

With Peyton and the Colts controlling a vast majority of the game, Brunell led a drive in the middle of the third quarter, facing a 10-14 deficit. He would find Pat Johnson for an 18-yard touchdown and take a three-point lead after a made extra point. Peyton struck back immediately, and in three plays, they found the endzone to take back the lead. After another Colts touchdown, Brunell faced an 11-point deficit.

Fred Taylor would find the endzone with just less than 6 minutes left, but that would be the final score. The game finished 25-28, and Jacksonville began the new season out 0-1 after an exceptional performance from Mark Brunell. Jacksonville would win its next three games, but it failed to find a consistent rhythm of winning. They entered week 12 with a 5-5 record. Still having a chance to revitalize the season and push for the postseason, but after losing 5 of their next six games, the damage was done, and Jacksonville once again ended the year with a 6-10 record.

Despite the team’s poor record, Brunell performed exceptionally well. He limited his interceptions to just seven while throwing for 17 touchdowns. One of the best TD-interception ratios recorded that year from any quarterback, but the league was changing. Teams longed for a quarterback who could throw for 20+ touchdowns, and Brunell wasn’t that guy. Brunell only threw for 20 or more touchdowns three times in his career.

2003: Mark Brunell’s Injury and Benching

In 2003, Brunell only played in three games, all of 3 resulted in losses. In a week 3 matchup against the Colts, Brunell suffered a laceration on his left elbow. He would undergo surgery on a bursa sac that had swelled up and not healed properly. Jacksonville finished with a 5-11 record and could not get out of the declining phase. Mark Brunell would not return as the team’s starting quarterback after being benched in favor of Byron Leftwich. Brunell would leave the franchise at the end of the season.

Leftwich was drafted by Jacksonville to transition him to the starting role and move the team in a different direction.It was a sad year for Jacksonville, moving on from their franchise quarterback who had brought them their only success in their franchise, but players get older, and eventually, a team is forced to make a heartbreaking decision. The Washington Redskins traded a third overall pick for Brunell, and thus began a new era for the 34-year-old quarterback.

Brunell Takes Over in Washington

You probably don’t even remember Mark Brunell being the starting QB of Washington, but he spent 4 seasons with the team, being the full-time starter in three of those years before accepting a bench role in his final year with the team. In his first year with his new team, he suffered another hamstring injury that kept him out of all but nine games of the year, resulting in an unremarkable seven touchdowns to six interceptions and a 3-6 team record.

Brunell Returns to the Postseason

In his second season with the team, Brunell played all 16 games and obtained a 10-6 record, good enough to clinch the 6th seed in the NFL’s NFC Playoffs. Brunell threw the 9th most touchdowns in the NFL with 23, with only 10 interceptions, and was 14th in the NFL with 3,050 passing yards . The 36-year-old veteran still had some kick in him. Washington was set to visit Tampa Bay in the 2005-06 Wild Card round.

Washington would come out victorious 17-10 after a fumble recovery touchdown and a Clinton Portis rushing touchdown. Brunell was a non-factor, attempting only 15 passes, one of which was an interception. Regardless, Brunell would advance to the Divisional round for the first time in 6 years. Washington would visit the NFC’s best team, the Seattle Seahawks, for the NFL’s Divisional Round of the playoffs.

Brunell would have a decent game, throwing a touchdown that came in a much-needed time and 242 passing yards, but Seattle’s defense stifled Washington on almost every drive, shutting down legendary running back Clinton Portis. Seattle would go on to advance to the Super Bowl after crushing the Carolina Panthers.

Mark Brunell’s final year as a starter

Washington was now stuck in an age of regression. Star Clinton Portis is coming off his best season with the team, but would enter injury problems. Aging Mark Brunell was unable to keep up with the fast-paced league, and Washington would finish the season with a 5-11 record. Brunell was never able to regain his competitive nature and accepted a bench role for the remainder of his career. Mark Brunell would serve as a backup on the NFL’s Super Bowl Champions, the New Orleans Saints, and would finish his career with the New York Jets.

Where Does Mark Brunell Rank for Quarterbacks?

Nowadays, we as fans are accustomed to seeing multiple quarterbacks throw for over 4,000 yards and easily rack up 25- 30+ touchdowns, yet some don’t even rank in many people’s top 10 quarterbacks of the league. Brunell never held any top league titles. He was a great quarterback who could win games and provide an exceptional statline (for the time). He achieved success with a brand-new franchise for many years, but was never able to win that one more game to alter his legacy.

Mark Brunell will always be remembered as that quarterback who almost got it done, but never had the numbers or the wins to cement his legacy as an all-time quarterback. The 14-2 Jaguars were the highlight of Brunell’s career, but he had many years that were better than what he produced during that season . Brunell will never make the Hall of Fame, and in 10 years, you may not hear his name again, but he should always be remembered as the quarterback of a brand-new franchise and for bringing immediate success. No quarterback has been able to do that.

Brunell finished his career with 3 Pro Bowl selections, 32.072 passing yards, 184 passing touchdowns to 108 interceptions, two AFC championship appearances, and a 5-10 postseason record. After reading this, who do you think Brunell compares to in the NFL now? What do you think a Super Bowl appearance would do to his legacy as we know it now?

Final Thoughts: In the Next Episode of Overlooked Quarterbacks

In the following article, we’ll be taking a look at a quarterback who was able to carry his team out of the depths of the NFL to the Super Bowl, where he would fall just short to a legendary play that overshadows his career. I hope you enjoyed reading this tribute to Mark Brunell’s legacy and will continue to remember a great NFL quarterback.