NFL NFL Lore

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With Tom Brady’s retirement, all draft classes prior to 2004 are now done. Here are the last players from each draft class from 1970-2003.

Last year in the NFL in parentheses….

Source: pro-football-reference.com


2003 - #69 TE Jason Witten (2020)


2002 - #81 QB Josh McCown (2019)


2001 - #32 QB Drew Brees (2020)


2000 - #199 QB Tom Brady (2022)


1999 - #7 CB Champ Bailey, #105 WR Brandon Stokely (2013)


1998 - #1 QB Peyton Manning, #4 CB Charles Woodson, #187 QB Matt Hasselbeck (2015)


1997 - #13 TE Tony Gonzales (2013)


1996 - #26 LB Ray Lewis (2012)


1995 - #5 QB Kerry Collins (2011)


1994 - #33 WR Isaac Bruce, #36 C Kevin Mawae, #193 P Mitch Berger (2009)


1993 - #118 QB Mark Brunell (2011)


1992 - #56 K Jason Hanson (2012)


1991 - #98 K John Kasay (2011)


1990 - #5 LB Junior Seau, #329 K Matt Stover (2009)


1989 - #5 CB Deion Sanders (2005)


1988 - #6 WR Tim Brown, #68 QB/P Tom Tupa, #76 QB Chris Chandler (2004)


1987 - #1 QB Vinny Testaverde (2007)


1986 - #201 OG Ray Brown (2005)


1985 - #285 QB Doug Flutie (2005)


1984 - #1 WR Irving Fryar (2000)


1983 - #28 CB Darrell Green, #93 TE Trey Junkin (2002)


1982 - #86 K Morten Andersen (2007)


1981 - #210 QB Wade Wilson (1998)


1980 - #166 K Eddie Murray (2000)


1979 - #165 K Matt Bahr (1995)


1978 - #12 LB Clay Matthews (1996)


1977 - #275 QB Steve DeBerg (1998)


1976 - #86 OT Jackie Slater (1995)


1975 - #116 QB Steve Grogan (1990)


1974 - #125 C Mike Webster (1990)


1973 - #57 QB Joe Ferguson (1990)


1972 - #14 QB John Reaves (1987)


1971 - #27 DE Julius Adams (1987)


1970 - #346 K Mark Moseley (1986)


2004-2006 all have just one player remaining. P Andy Lee is the last remaining player from the 2004 draft, QB Aaron Rodgers is the last one left from 2005, and TE Marcedes Lewis is the last remaining player from the ‘06 draft.
 

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In the past 20 years the only two franchises to not have a pro bowl quarterback are the 49ers and Dolphins

Up until Tua the Dolphins didn't have anyone capable and had he not gotten hurt this year he almost certainly would've gotten the invite over Huntley lol. The 49ers are a bit more surprising. Teams can do a lot worse than Smith, Kaepernick, Garoppolo but it just never happened. It's not exactly a high bar, especially since the game was moved before the super bowl where at least one alternate is always called. Even the Browns had one! I'm gonna go team by team and list off the pro bowl qbs from the past 20 years that I remember off the top of my head. Some of the names are pretty funny. Please add ones I forgot!

Bills - Taylor, Allen
Jets - Favre
Patriots - Brady, Jones
Dolphins - none

Steelers - Roethlisberger
Bengals - Palmer, Dalton, Burrow
Ravens - Jackson, Huntley
Browns - Derek Anderson

Chargers - Brees, Rivers, Herbert
Chiefs - Cassel, Smith, Mahomes
Broncos - Manning
Raiders - Carr

Titans - Young, Tannehill
Jaguars - Garrard, Lawrence
Colts - Manning, Luck
Texans - Schaub, Watson

Giants - Manning
Eagles - McNabb, Vick, Foles, Wentz, Hurts
Commanders - Griffin III, Cousins
Cowboys - Romo, Prescott

Vikings - Favre, Bridgewater, Cousins
Packers - Favre, Rodgers
Bears - Trubisky
Lions - Stafford, Goff

49ers - none
Seahawks - Hasselbeck, Wilson, Smith
Rams - Bulger, Goff
Cardinals - Warner, Palmer, Murray

Falcons - Vick, Ryan
Bucs - Garcia, Winston, Brady
Saints - Brees
Panthers - Delhomme, Newton
 
The 2010 Chargers were incredible. They had #1 offense AND #1 defense in the league despite getting hammered by injuries and missed the playoffs.

Will never happen again.
 
The 2010 Chargers were incredible. They had #1 offense AND #1 defense in the league despite getting hammered by injuries and missed the playoffs.

Will never happen again.
Their Special Teams was a nightmare that season, so many blunders that cost them wins, so many "one score" losses.

Kinda like that other Chargers season in recent times where they had a lot of impossible things happen to them to cause them about 10 "one-score" losses.
 
Their Special Teams was a nightmare that season, so many blunders that cost them wins, so many "one score" losses.

Kinda like that other Chargers season in recent times where they had a lot of impossible things happen to them to cause them about 10 "one-score" losses.

Yep, ST cost them at least 5 wins that year.

So much pain in their history in the last 20 years or so. Should have had so much more success.

2006 they went 14-2 with a loaded roster and didnt win a playoff game, cursed

In the divisional playoffs, the New England Patriots faced a San Diego Chargers team who were unbeaten at home in the regular season. The Chargers boasted a roster that included nine Pro Bowlers, five All-Pro players, and league MVP running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who had shattered several league records. However, four turnovers, three of which were converted into Patriots scoring drives, eventually led to the demise of the Chargers. San Diego ended up losing despite outgaining the Patriots in rushing yards, 148–51 and total yards, 352–327, while also intercepting three passes from Tom Brady.
 
Yep, ST cost them at least 5 wins that year.

So much pain in their history in the last 20 years or so. Should have had so much more success.

2006 they went 14-2 with a loaded roster and didnt win a playoff game, cursed

In the divisional playoffs, the New England Patriots faced a San Diego Chargers team who were unbeaten at home in the regular season. The Chargers boasted a roster that included nine Pro Bowlers, five All-Pro players, and league MVP running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who had shattered several league records. However, four turnovers, three of which were converted into Patriots scoring drives, eventually led to the demise of the Chargers. San Diego ended up losing despite outgaining the Patriots in rushing yards, 148–51 and total yards, 352–327, while also intercepting three passes from Tom Brady.
Every year there is an influx of new players into a roster, rookies and vets from other winning organizations, and over decades whole rosters are changed completely ....yet, a franchise like Chargers keeps seeing the same "Chargers gonna Charger" things happen. It's amazing how a "culture" or virus sets in and keeps repeating despite those wholesale roster and coaching changes.

Defies explanation.
 
Every year there is an influx of new players into a roster, rookies and vets from other winning organizations, and over decades whole rosters are changed completely ....yet, a franchise like Chargers keeps seeing the same "Chargers gonna Charger" things happen. It's amazing how a "culture" or virus sets in and keeps repeating despite those wholesale roster and coaching changes.

Defies explanation.

Very well said, I think the Jets are very much like this also. Whatever can go wrong will go wrong. Their fans have been saying "same old Jets" for half a century.
 
Unlike the Jets though, the Chargers draft really well, like one of the best and most consistent teams in the league. The Chargers curse is like no other.
 
Even the picks they miss on tend to find success on other teams after they are released.

see: Nwosu, Justin Jones, Kyzir White in 2018.

Rayshawn Jenkins, Desmond King in 2017.
 

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The 2006 Chargers had Tomlinson, Michael Turner (before he was a star in Atlanta he was very good here, 500 yards on the season at 6.3 yards a carry) and Darren Sproles in their RB room. Jesus, what a trio.
 
A nice article about the 1965 Chargers, who were also #1 ranked in every facet of offense and defense but got trounced 23-0 by the injury ravaged Bills (note, a young Marty Schottenheimer was a Bills LB on that day). Perhaps the day, the moment, when the curse set in.

 
A nice article about the 1965 Chargers, who were also #1 ranked in every facet of offense and defense but got trounced 23-0 by the injury ravaged Bills (note, a young Marty Schottenheimer was a Bills LB on that day). Perhaps the day, the moment, when the curse set in.


So its all Sid Gillman's fault for s**t talking the opposition pre game. Never heard a HC say the things he did in my life , guaranteeing a win and talking s**t about the opposing teams QB saying hes the reason we cant lose.
 
San Diego's head coach Sid Gillman may have contributed largely to his team's state of premature exuberance and the subsequent loss. He predicted a Chargers blowout and told columnist Larry Felser of the Buffalo Evening News before the game, "You know, there is no way we can lose this game." When asked why, Gillman famously said the reason was, "Because of (quarterback) Jack Kemp. We're going to win this game because Kemp has the maturity of a 10-year-old girl."
 
How does that even happen. I guess ranking is based on yards not points right? But still pretty unbelievable

They used 72 players on the season also because of an injury crisis, 2nd most in league history (pre covid year).

Absolutely mind blowing the 2010 Chargers
 
The 2010 Chargers were incredible. They had #1 offense AND #1 defense in the league despite getting hammered by injuries and missed the playoffs.

Will never happen again.
 

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