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History of Rookie NFL Quarterbacks starting Week 1

By Josh Barnhill

Aug 25, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) throws a pass against the Seattle Seahawks during a NFL football game at CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks defeated the Cowboys 27-17. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 25, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) throws a pass against the Seattle Seahawks during a NFL football game at CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks defeated the Cowboys 27-17. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Rookie Quarterback Dak Prescott will start in Week 1 of his NFL career for the Dallas Cowboys.

Most of the history surrounding rookie QBs who start in Week 1 involves first round draft picks on bad teams. These QBs were brought in to save the franchise, and the team is in bad shape anyway, so they figure why not throw him into the fire?

Dak Prescott’s situation is a lot different. The Cowboys are a good team, and Dak is a 4th round draft pick. There was never any intention to start him Week 1 or at any point in year one, but due to Tony Romo’s injury and Dak’s great play in the preseason he’s received the opportunity.

Here’s the list of recent rookie quarterbacks getting the start in Week of of their career. I only went back to 2008 because in 2007, 2006 and 2005 there were no rookie QBs who started game one. Going back even further than that there’s Peyton Manning and a few others but not many. The round each QB was drafted is in parenthesis:

2008:

  • Matt Ryan (1st round)
  • Joe Flacco (1st round)

2009:

  • Matthew Stafford (1st overall)
  • Mark Sanchez (1st round)

2010:

  • Sam Bradford (1st overall)

2011:

  • Cam Newton (1st overall)
  • Andy Dalton (2nd round)

2012:

  • Andrew Luck (1st overall)
  • Robert Griffin III (1st round)
  • Ryan Tannehill (1st round)
  • Brandon Weeden (1st round)
  • Russell Wilson (3rd round)

2013:

  • EJ Manual (1st round)
  • Geno Smith (2nd round)

2014:

  • Derek Carr (2nd round)

2015:

  • Jameis Winston (1st overall)
  • Marcus Mariota (1st round)

It’s hard to accurately compare Dak Prescott with any of these quarterbacks considering he was drafted in the 4th round, while 13 of these 17 were drafted in the 1st round including five No. 1 overall picks.

Dak will be the lowest drafted QB to start week 1 in 39 years.

In fact, he’s the first 4th round QB to start Week 1 since Kyle Orton in 2005. Furthermore, he’ll be the second lowest overall pick (135) to ever start at QB in Week 1 of his rookie year behind Randy Hedburg in 1977 who was 196th overall.

Some of these quarterbacks have had pretty rocky careers, but the majority of them have been solid signal callers in the NFL if not great players. Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco sort of started this trend (it had only happened 21 times prior to 2008 since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger) as they both made the playoffs as rookies, but that hasn’t happened as much with the other QBs.

Dak is in a different spot than most of these QBs because he’s getting the job due to injury. That’s not to say he hasn’t earned it, because he wouldn’t be starting for the Dallas Cowboys had he not played great in the preseason and developed a rapport with the coaching staff and players around him. He hasn’t been given the job forever – just until Tony Romo comes back.

It’s kind of hard to believe the whirlwind Dak has been on during the month of August that lead him to the starting job in Week 1 but it has happened and we’re all wishing him the best!

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