Cam Newton has earned the precise to stake his declare for the Content material Clickbait King throne. He was a former MVP, Heisman Trophy winner, nationwide champion and Tremendous Bowl competitor. Newton just lately caught a wave of backlash for classifying Brock Purdy, Dak Prescott, Jared Goff and Tua Tagovailoa as recreation managers. Technically, he didn’t insult them, however once you use that phrase, it’s implied. Returning fireplace at Newton is a waste of time. For him to throw shade at recreation managers isn’t shocking. Newton was constructed like a tree, used to sling cannonballs and sometimes cashed it in together with his legs. You took the great with the unhealthy. Newton’s MVP season in 2015 was his magnum opus, even when he fell in need of profitable a Tremendous Bowl At his peak, he was a high-risk, even higher-reward gunslinger till shoulder accidents restricted him.
However let’s be clear right here, if the quarterbacks he disparaged are recreation managers then possibly we must always rethink the damaging connotation and re-evaluate how we discuss these famous person pocket executives. For many years, recreation supervisor has been a backhanded praise for gun-shy, less-skilled quarterbacks who function finest behind the scenes, permitting their playmakers and protection to prepared the ground.
If we’re evaluating gamers as recreation managers compared to Newton or Josh Allen, then we’re shedding nuance.
Productiveness-wise, you possibly can make a case for Goff, however we have to redefine how we discuss recreation managers as a complete. Most of those recreation managers are literally famous person expertise managers placing up blockbuster numbers.
This requires a blind résumé check.
Quarterback A: 3,400 complete yards, 23 touchdowns, seven interceptions, 3,300 yards, a 60% completion price, 4.5 TD%, 1.4 INT%,
Quarterback B: 3,900 complete yards, 30 complete touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 61.7% completion price, 7.1 TD%, 2.0 INT%,
Quarterback C: 3,700 complete yards, 28 complete touchdowns, 14 interceptions, 60.8 completion price, 5.9 TD%, 3.0 INT%,
Quarterback D: 3,700 complete yards, 30 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 6.2 TD%, 1.3 INT%, 69.3 completion price,
Quarterback E: 3,700 complete yards, 27 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, 7.0 landing share, 1.9 INT%, 70.2 completion price
Spoiler alert:
Quarterback A is Alex Smith, the Michael Scott of recreation managers in 2013, his first season as a Kansas Metropolis Chief. That yr, he tossed 23 touchdowns, his career-high till his last season as a Chief when he had Tyreek Hill at his disposal and nonetheless couldn’t match up with Newton’s finest non-MVP marketing campaign in both yardage or scores. In the meantime, Quarterback B is Cam Newton throughout his third season within the league. Newton was simply starting his ascent, however the distinction in manufacturing is huge. Even when he surrendered twice as many turnovers as Smith. He was explosive and extremely flammable like all dynamic quarterback.
Quarterback C is a younger Tom Brady firstly of his prime through the 2005 season. He’s the Ari Emanuel of expertise managers, however he began out as a lowly supervisor earlier than evolving right into a quarterback mogul, leaving the file e-book in tatters.
The latter two are Prescott and Purdy. Each of them are pushing P(assing yards and keepin’ it actual) on the prime of the NFC standings. It’s not even value analyzing how illogical it’s for anybody to discuss with Prescott as a recreation supervisor, a lot much less somebody who ought to know higher corresponding to Newton. Prescott has at all times had the load of the world on his shoulders because the Cowboys’ Lone Star quarterback. Dak’s Scooter Braun administration fashion is on the rebound after shedding a lot of the bandwagon following a uncommon turnover-happy 2022 season.
The notion of Purdy as a Darryl Philbin-caliber warehouse supervisor is comprehensible. The previous Mr. Irrelevant is model new on the nationwide panorama after assuming the 49ers beginning job barely a yr in the past, he’s type of a sq. and he bears a robust resemblance to Mark Madsen. However anybody who’s watched him since school is aware of that Purdy is a component Kris Jenner behind the scenes managing Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, whereas sometimes giving followers whiplash together with his daredevil tendencies.
This season although, he’s been a Marvel superhero and a attainable MVP throughout a down yr total for quarterbacks. Recreation managers sometimes don’t earn the best big-time throw price (25+ yard completions) in three a long time whereas throwing single-digit interceptions by means of 14 weeks, or main the league in touchdowns per go try. Have an issue with receivers juicing quarterback yardage totals after the catch? Recreation supervisor Patrick Mahomes led the complete league in yards after-catch common in each of his MVP seasons.
Take a guess at who leads the league in air yards, which measures what number of yards a go travels behind the road of scrimmage earlier than being caught? It’s Tua Tagovailoa, the Wealthy Paul of recreation expertise managers. Purdy and Prescott be part of him because the league leaders, comprising three of the 4 league leaders. Tagovailoa must be as grateful for Tyreek Hill as Paul is for crossing paths with LeBron James, however he’s carving out a path as one of the crucial correct deep-ball passers within the league. Most significantly, he’s a steady and reliable steward of the Dolphins’ assault. He may stand to be slightly extra clutch, however he’s the engine behind Mike McDaniel’s scheme.
If being a recreation supervisor is unsuitable, I don’t need to be proper. Nearly each quarterback within the league would commerce locations with these recreation managers. Hell, Cam Newton nonetheless needs he might be them. All in all, recreation supervisor shouldn’t be an insult. It’s a badge of honor.
Comply with DJ Dunson on X: @cerebralsportex
