The NFL, like the world in which it exists, seemingly favors instant gratification over development.
Ben Goessling of the Minnesota Star Tribune analyzed Tuesday why the inverse of that stance is wiser when it comes to bringing along a quarterback – and he cited a handful of examples to make his point.
The first name he listed is 30-year-old and 2018 No. 1 overall draft pick Baker Mayfield, who's won 60 percent of his starts and boasts an 81:27 TD-INT ratio since joining Tampa Bay, his fourth team, in 2023.
Mayfield was a sub-.500 quarterback with 102 TDs and 64 INTs from 2018-22.
Now, he is getting MVP mentions.
To paint a fuller picture of the patience that can be rewarding in a league that wants quick results, Goessling rattled off the following formerly cast-off QBs: Sam Darnold, Jared Goff and Daniel Jones.
Minnesota knows all three intimately; the former and latter were further developed by Head Coach Kevin O'Connell and staff in the Vikings building last season. Darnold, of course, revived his career in Purple, with personal bests in completion rate (66.2), touchdown percentage (6.4) and passer rating (102.5). And Jones had a proper reset, gleaning insights mid-season after he was released by the Giants.
So far in 2025, Darnold is raising the bar; he's completed 70.8 percent of his passes for Seattle, which is first in the NFC West through Week 6, and generated a 6.8 TD% and 116.0 rating. Meanwhile, Jones has 12 total touchdowns for Indianapolis, which cemented this past Sunday its best start (5-1) since 2009 when Peyton Manning won the Most Valuable Player Award and the Colts advanced to Super Bowl XLIV.
And Goff, the 31-year-old selected 1st overall in 2016, is putting up his sharpest numbers yet in his fifth season as a rival to the Vikings. He leads the NFL in completion rate (75.9) and passing touchdowns (14).