Cleveland Browns: Cody Kessler and the debuts of rookie QBs
By Thomas Moore
The Cleveland Browns are turning to quarterback Cody Kessler as the starter on Sunday. Can he succeed where other rookie quarterbacks have failed?
Since joining the NFL in 1950, the Cleveland Browns have drafted 47 quarterbacks.
Some, like Milt Plum, Brian Sipe and Bernie Kosar, have gone on to success. Many others, like Bob Ptacek, Rick Norton, Paul McDonald and Eric Zeier, have not.
On Sunday against the Miami Dolphins rookie Cody Kessler adds his name to the list as injuries to Robert Griffin III and Josh McCown have put the third-round pick on the field sooner than expected.
This is the 15th consecutive season that the Browns have started multiple quarterbacks and the eighth time they have started at least three quarterbacks in a single season.
Kessler is also the ninth quarterback that the Browns have drafted since 1999 who will start a game for the team. None of the previous eight won their debut, so if Kessler can pull out a win against the Dolphins it will truly be one for the records books.
“For me I have not looked at it as a dream come true,” Kessler said earlier this week. “For me I look at it as I want it to be positive. I want to go out and play my best and do everything I can possible to help this team get a win. Obviously I have worked, like I said, very hard to get here, but you have to perform now. That is what keeps you in this league.”
As we get ready for what may come on Sunday, let’s take a look back at how the debuts of the Browns rookie quarterbacks since 1999.