Quarterbacks Take Over the NFL 4 Amazing Athletes Light Up the Field 6 Rivalries Rile Up Rabid Fans 8 The Super Bowl Becomes Super Big 10 The NFL Draft Hits the Big Time 12 Diehard Fans Create an Awesome Atmosphere 14 Stunning Stadiums Showcase the Stars 16 Traditions Make Sundays Come Alive 18 TV Brings Fans into the Games 20 Fantasy Football Takes Over 22 Fans Expect the Unexpected 24 The NFL Is Everywhere 26 Fun Facts and Stories 28 Glossary 30 For More Information 31 Index 32 About the Author 32 TABLE OF CONTENTS
There has never been a better time to be a quarterback in the National Football League NFL Of course quarterbacks have always been important They lead a team’s offense They touch the ball on every play But the NFL has made quarterbacks even more important Football began as a running game The first quarterbacks were not even allowed to throw forward passes However NFL teams began passing more and more Fans loved it So the league made it easier to pass Rule changes protected quarterbacks and gave receivers more room to make plays Today’s rulebook basically encourages quarterbacks to pass New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees in a 2014 game QUARTERBACKS TAKE OVER THE NFL 1 4
Having a good quarterback is essential these days Just ask the New England Patriots Tom Brady led that team to its fourth Super Bowl win in February 2015 The Denver Broncos Peyton Manning has set dozens of passing records Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees are expert passers too And Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has another weapon When there are no open receivers he can take off and run down the field himself Quarterbacks dominate the league’s major awards Meanwhile the Super Bowl almost always features star quarterbacks It’s no surprise so many teams pick quarterbacks in the first round of the NFL Draft each year It’s clear that you are witnessing some of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game out there right now said Brees Yet he added Maybe our best is yet to come 7 Seasons in which a quarterback won the NFL Most Valuable Player MVP Award from 2007 to 2014 In 18 NFL Drafts from 1998 to 2015 the first pick was a quarterback 13 times The forward pass was illegal in organized football until 1906 5 New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady won his third Super Bowl MVP Award in February 2015
