Heisman Trophy Winners: Top 20 NFL careers of all time
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Stanford has produced some solid NFL quarterbacks, but surprisingly, Jim Plunkett was the only one to ever win the Heisman Trophy. Guys like Andrew Luck and John Elway came close, but Plunkett was the cream of the crop when it comes to Cardinal quarterbacks and his NFL career was pretty successful, too.
Back in a time when passing the ball wasn’t first priority, Plunkett was one of the premier players in the entire nation, regardless. He broke the Pac-8’s records, at the time, for passing yards and touchdowns in 1969 and then he surpassed his own records the next season, winning the 1970 Heisman Trophy.
As the first pick in the 1971 NFL Draft to the Boston Patriots, he was expected to be the top gunslinger in the league for years to come.
Plunkett’s career didn’t take off right away, though. He spent his first five years with the Patriots — who then had changed their named to the New England Patriots — struggling with interceptions and even throwing eight touchdowns to 25 picks in his second year.
The former Cardinal bounced around a bit and was looking like a major bust until he took advantage of an injury at quarterback for the Raiders in 1980, leading them to a Super Bowl victory.
It didn’t take long before he was sent back to reserve duties, though, and yet again he assumed the starting job when an injury took place in 1983 when he led the Raiders to yet another Super Bowl victory. Plunkett finished his career with 25,882 yards, 164 touchdowns, 198 interceptions, two Super Bowls and a Super Bowl MVP. Not too shabby.
Next: 17. Vinny Testaverde, Miami(FL)