When Tommy DeVito came crashing back to earth against the New Orleans Saints, it was the latest example of the NFL media’s backup QB hype machine in full effect. They spent the past two weeks hyping up the New York Giants player who was destined to fail. And now, they will go back to ignoring him as if DeVito never existed.
Make no mistake, I’m not blaming Tommy DeVito, Joshua Dobbs or any other backup quarterback who gets thrust into the spotlight. No, this situation is contrived entirely by broadcasters, pundits and football talking heads who should know better. This is a plea to stop wasting our time with a never-ending stream of backup quarterback hype.
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Tommy DeVito, Joshua Dobbs & the media’s backup QB hype machine
Backup quarterbacks are interesting. They represent equal parts hope and doom. It is the football equivalent of life insurance. You don’t want to use it but having it can be invaluable. Their role is unlike anything else in sports.
Sometimes, you get a passer like Kurt Warner or Brock Purdy who happens to be in the right place at the right time to forge a career. Others like Nick Foles, Doug Williams and Jeff Hostetler win Super Bowls. However, most are stopgaps that can get your team through a few games and nothing more.
And you know what, I don’t even mind giving these guys their 15 seconds of fame. Most of them have interesting stories worth telling. The problem is that the narrative keeps skewing from backup quarterback does good to they are the answer. This isn’t just a guy but one who could be THE guy.
It’s a stupid waste of time that ignores reality. We have volumes of evidence that show not only are these passers not the answer but they eventually come crashing back down to earth in a week or two.
This, by the way, makes a lot of sense. Backup quarterbacks are usually unorthodox and there isn’t much a defense can do to prepare for them. Once there is tape to study, they make adjustments which almost always see the second stringer befuddled.
Yet, NFL media can’t help themselves in proclaiming that a backup quarterback doing well is somehow proof they may be the team’s answer at the position. Let’s go to the examples.
In the pandemic season, Washington Football Team was cycling through quarterbacks in hopes of finding something. Eventually, Taylor Heinicke got a shot and it just happened to be in the playoffs. The color commentator for that matchup against the Buccaneers was Tony Dungy, who spent the entire time trying to convince viewers the backup could be the answer for the Commanders.
It was laughable. Sure, Heinicke had a few moments. But the good ol’ WFT never led the contest at any point and didn’t look threatening. What’s more, most of what Heinicke did was wild and clearly unsustainable. This is something that has been clearly evident throughout the rest of his NFL career.
This year, we got a double dose of backup quarterback hype with Josh Dobbs. He started the season in Arizona and had a few good starts which led to talk about how the Arizona Cardinals may have found something. Then he crapped out entirely and was traded to Minnesota.
The same scenario played out again only a few weeks later. A couple of good games, a lot of talk about how Dobbs may be the answer and then the crapping of the bed. How did none of these talking heads trying to champion Dobbs not recognize this?
However, the absolute worst case can be found with Mike White. In 2021, the New York Jets unexpectedly turned to White who tore up the Cincinnati Bengals defense. Everyone started freaking out and proclaiming Mike White was going to be a franchise quarterback. He proceeded to get injured by the Colts the following week and wasn’t heard from again for more than a year.
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When White reemerged for the Jets, we were forced to sit through backup quarterback déjà vu. White started against the Chicago Bears and was impressive against a lousy football team. The media spent the next week talking him up as a potential savior before he went out and laid an egg in his next two starts.
Look, there is nothing wrong with highlighting backup quarterbacks that do well. In fact, they should be celebrated. But the moment that turns into hot takes about them being any sort of answer at the position, well, please stop.
Because on the rare occasion a backup quarterback does turn out to be the answer, those NFL talking heads can’t wait to rip them apart for their shortcomings. Brock Purdy went from a darling to a system player in a year’s time.
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