*Originally published on Suite101.com in 2010; minor revisions made pertaining to Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Quarterback Matt Cassel became starting quarterback for the New England Patriots in a fashion similar to superstar quarterback Tom Brady.
Reigning 2007 NFL Most Valuable Player Tom Brady suffered a season-ending injury in the first game of the 2008 season, paving the way for Matt Cassel to become the New England Patriots starting quarterback in 2008. The promotion of Cassel to the starting lineup was not surprising, as Brady had become the starting quarterback following an injury to star quarterback Drew Bledsoe a few years earlier.
Promotion After Drew Bledsoe Injury
Brady began his career as a sixth-round draft pick of the 2000 NFL Draft. Based on his performance at the Draft Combine, teams perceived him to be incapable of being an NFL quarterback. According to statistics, Brady was too small, too slow, and generally not athletic enough to compete with other NFL players. As a result, six other quarterbacks were taken before him in the draft, with Brady beginning his career as a fourth-string quarterback.
Yet, Brady would get his opportunity to succeed at the professional level. Brady began his ascent to future Hall of Fame status when he took over the starting quarterback position for star quarterback Drew Bledsoe. Bledsoe had suffered a serious chest injury and was sidelined for most of the rest of the 2001 season; he had been the Patriots' starting quarterback since 1993.
Bledsoe had been a Pro Bowl quarterback, helping lead the team to the Super Bowl in the 1996 NFL Playoffs. However, Bledsoe played very aggressively, sometimes turning the ball over in critical situations. In nine seasons with the Patriots, Bledsoe threw for 138 interceptions, including a career-worst 27 interceptions in 1994. His completion percentage was a respectable 56.3% with New England.
In Bledsoe’s place, Tom Brady helped shape Coach Bill Belichick’s Patriots team. Coach Belichick began his tenure as head coach with a record of 5-13 overlapping two seasons. However, Brady helped the Patriots in steadying their offense, which resulted in an 11-3 mark over the team’s final 14 games. In the first of three successful Super Bowl runs, Brady threw for only 12 interceptions in 2001, while Bledsoe had recorded interception totals of 13 or more in all eight of his seasons as the starter. Brady was also able to play well in tough weather conditions. Overall, his three Super Bowl victories and consistent play have helped him become one of the most respected clutch quarterbacks in NFL history.
Promotion After Brady Injury
While Brady was a sixth-round draft pick, Matt Cassel was selected in the seventh round of the 2005 Draft. At the University of Southern California, Cassel had served as the backup quarterback behind back-to-back Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart. This meant that Cassel did not start any games in college and had not started a game since high school. Not only did he not start any games in college, but Cassel never even threw a college touchdown pass in limited playing time over the course of four years at USC.
Initially, a lack of playing time remained the trend for Cassel at the professional level. In 2007, Cassel watched as Brady helped lead the team to an undefeated 16-0 regular season and an 18-1 overall record, with the team’s only loss occurring in the Super Bowl to the New York Giants. Brady broke records in throwing for 50 touchdowns during the regular season. Brady again avoided turnovers as well, throwing only 8 interceptions and losing only 4 fumbles. For his efforts, Brady was named 2007 NFL MVP.
However, just a few minutes into the first quarter of the first game of the 2008 regular season, Brady suffered a season-ending knee injury at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs. Like seven years earlier, an unsung hero at quarterback was born. Cassel came in as a substitute for Brady and helped the Patriots win the first game of its season. In throwing for 3,693 yards, 21 touchdowns, and only 11 interceptions—all numbers similar to Brady and Bledsoe—Cassel helped lead the Patriots to an 11-5 record. The team just missed the playoffs, losing out on tiebreakers to the Miami Dolphins and the Baltimore Ravens.
Aftermath
After returning from a successful knee surgery, Tom Brady was renamed the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots. His predecessor, Drew Bledsoe, has since retired as a player. The two quarterbacks that started ahead of Matt Cassel—Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart—have seen limited success in the NFL. While Palmer has been named to the Pro Bowl a couple of times, he continues to battle injuries over the course of his eight-year career. Meanwhile, Leinart lost his starting quarterback job in the second year of his five-year career. Leinart continues to battle criticisms over his work ethic and commitment to success at the professional level. .
However, unlike Leinart, Cassel has earned respect across the NFL, including the respect of Patriots Coach Bill Belichick and former team Vice President Scott Pioli. As a favor to Cassel, and also as a favor to Pioli—who is now in the front office for the Chiefs—Belichick traded Cassel to Kansas City, allowing Cassel to become the new starting quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs. He might not have kept the long-term job in New England, and he might not have won a Super Bowl, but Matt Cassel—like Tom Brady—has worked through the opportunity of a lifetime and earned NFL starting quarterback status.
Sources:
“Brady to have season-ending knee surgery, will be placed on IR.” NFL.com. Accessed December 15, 2010.
Crouse, Karen. “Head of Class, but Not on Draft Day.” The New York Times. November 3, 2007. From NYTimes.com. Accessed December 15, 2010.
King, Peter. “Chiefs complete trade for Cassel.” February 28, 2009. CNNSI.com. Accessed December 15, 2010.
[Multiple Player Profiles.] NFL.com. Accessed December 15, 2010.
[Multiple Player Profiles.] Pro-Football-Reference.com. Accessed December 15, 2010.
“NFL Playoff Standings – 2008.” ESPN.com. Accessed December 15, 2010.
Quarterback Matt Cassel became starting quarterback for the New England Patriots in a fashion similar to superstar quarterback Tom Brady.
Reigning 2007 NFL Most Valuable Player Tom Brady suffered a season-ending injury in the first game of the 2008 season, paving the way for Matt Cassel to become the New England Patriots starting quarterback in 2008. The promotion of Cassel to the starting lineup was not surprising, as Brady had become the starting quarterback following an injury to star quarterback Drew Bledsoe a few years earlier.
Promotion After Drew Bledsoe Injury
Brady began his career as a sixth-round draft pick of the 2000 NFL Draft. Based on his performance at the Draft Combine, teams perceived him to be incapable of being an NFL quarterback. According to statistics, Brady was too small, too slow, and generally not athletic enough to compete with other NFL players. As a result, six other quarterbacks were taken before him in the draft, with Brady beginning his career as a fourth-string quarterback.
Yet, Brady would get his opportunity to succeed at the professional level. Brady began his ascent to future Hall of Fame status when he took over the starting quarterback position for star quarterback Drew Bledsoe. Bledsoe had suffered a serious chest injury and was sidelined for most of the rest of the 2001 season; he had been the Patriots' starting quarterback since 1993.
Bledsoe had been a Pro Bowl quarterback, helping lead the team to the Super Bowl in the 1996 NFL Playoffs. However, Bledsoe played very aggressively, sometimes turning the ball over in critical situations. In nine seasons with the Patriots, Bledsoe threw for 138 interceptions, including a career-worst 27 interceptions in 1994. His completion percentage was a respectable 56.3% with New England.
In Bledsoe’s place, Tom Brady helped shape Coach Bill Belichick’s Patriots team. Coach Belichick began his tenure as head coach with a record of 5-13 overlapping two seasons. However, Brady helped the Patriots in steadying their offense, which resulted in an 11-3 mark over the team’s final 14 games. In the first of three successful Super Bowl runs, Brady threw for only 12 interceptions in 2001, while Bledsoe had recorded interception totals of 13 or more in all eight of his seasons as the starter. Brady was also able to play well in tough weather conditions. Overall, his three Super Bowl victories and consistent play have helped him become one of the most respected clutch quarterbacks in NFL history.
Promotion After Brady Injury
While Brady was a sixth-round draft pick, Matt Cassel was selected in the seventh round of the 2005 Draft. At the University of Southern California, Cassel had served as the backup quarterback behind back-to-back Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart. This meant that Cassel did not start any games in college and had not started a game since high school. Not only did he not start any games in college, but Cassel never even threw a college touchdown pass in limited playing time over the course of four years at USC.
Initially, a lack of playing time remained the trend for Cassel at the professional level. In 2007, Cassel watched as Brady helped lead the team to an undefeated 16-0 regular season and an 18-1 overall record, with the team’s only loss occurring in the Super Bowl to the New York Giants. Brady broke records in throwing for 50 touchdowns during the regular season. Brady again avoided turnovers as well, throwing only 8 interceptions and losing only 4 fumbles. For his efforts, Brady was named 2007 NFL MVP.
However, just a few minutes into the first quarter of the first game of the 2008 regular season, Brady suffered a season-ending knee injury at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs. Like seven years earlier, an unsung hero at quarterback was born. Cassel came in as a substitute for Brady and helped the Patriots win the first game of its season. In throwing for 3,693 yards, 21 touchdowns, and only 11 interceptions—all numbers similar to Brady and Bledsoe—Cassel helped lead the Patriots to an 11-5 record. The team just missed the playoffs, losing out on tiebreakers to the Miami Dolphins and the Baltimore Ravens.
Aftermath
After returning from a successful knee surgery, Tom Brady was renamed the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots. His predecessor, Drew Bledsoe, has since retired as a player. The two quarterbacks that started ahead of Matt Cassel—Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart—have seen limited success in the NFL. While Palmer has been named to the Pro Bowl a couple of times, he continues to battle injuries over the course of his eight-year career. Meanwhile, Leinart lost his starting quarterback job in the second year of his five-year career. Leinart continues to battle criticisms over his work ethic and commitment to success at the professional level. .
However, unlike Leinart, Cassel has earned respect across the NFL, including the respect of Patriots Coach Bill Belichick and former team Vice President Scott Pioli. As a favor to Cassel, and also as a favor to Pioli—who is now in the front office for the Chiefs—Belichick traded Cassel to Kansas City, allowing Cassel to become the new starting quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs. He might not have kept the long-term job in New England, and he might not have won a Super Bowl, but Matt Cassel—like Tom Brady—has worked through the opportunity of a lifetime and earned NFL starting quarterback status.
Sources:
“Brady to have season-ending knee surgery, will be placed on IR.” NFL.com. Accessed December 15, 2010.
Crouse, Karen. “Head of Class, but Not on Draft Day.” The New York Times. November 3, 2007. From NYTimes.com. Accessed December 15, 2010.
King, Peter. “Chiefs complete trade for Cassel.” February 28, 2009. CNNSI.com. Accessed December 15, 2010.
[Multiple Player Profiles.] NFL.com. Accessed December 15, 2010.
[Multiple Player Profiles.] Pro-Football-Reference.com. Accessed December 15, 2010.
“NFL Playoff Standings – 2008.” ESPN.com. Accessed December 15, 2010.