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NFL Rankings: Top 10 seasons by a rookie QB

By Phil Watson

Dan Marino might have been the last of the first round picks in the famous 1983 quarterback draft, but he was the first to shine in the NFL.
Dan Marino might have been the last of the first round picks in the famous 1983 quarterback draft, but he was the first to shine in the NFL. /
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Robert Griffin III was a dual-threat sensation as a rookie in 2012. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA Today Sports
Robert Griffin III was a dual-threat sensation as a rookie in 2012. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA Today Sports /

2. Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins, 2012

Robert Griffin III was the second overall pick in 2012 out of Baylor, coming off a Heisman Trophy winning campaign.

He didn’t disappoint, leading Washington to a 9-6 record in his 15 starts while completing 65.6 percent of his passes for 3,200 yards and 20 touchdowns with only five interceptions. Griffin became the only rookie since the merger to lead NFL quarterbacks in interception percentage, a sterling 1.3 percent, tying for the league lead with Tom Brady of the Patriots.

He also led the NFL with 8.14 yards per attempt and ran for 815 yards and seven touchdowns, also leading the NFL in yards per rushing attempt at 6.8.

Washington reached the postseason, which turned out to be a disaster for Griffin. He came into the Wild Card Playoff against the Seahawks nursing a knee injury, which he finished off in the 24-14 loss, during which he was 10-for-19 for 84 yards and two touchdowns with one pick.

Griffin topped the 300-yard mark three times and his season-high was a 323-yard performance in a win at Tampa Bay on Sept. 30.

He also posted a statistically perfect 158.3 rating in a 31-6 win over the Eagles on Nov. 18, when he was 14-for-15 for 200 yards and four touchdowns. In a 38-26 win over the Vikings on Oct. 14, Griffin ran for 138 yards on 13 carries, with two touchdowns.

His passer rating of 102.4—the highest ever posted by a rookie—compared to the league collective rating in 2012 of 85.5.

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