20 most disappointing Cleveland Browns quarterbacks of all-time
By Randy Gurzi
Most disappointing Cleveland Browns quarterbacks: 14. Doug Pederson (2000)
Before rising to fame as a Super Bowl-winning head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles, Doug Pederson was a long-time backup quarterback in the NFL. Undrafted in 1991 out of Northeast Louisiana, Pederson started with the Miami Dolphins before giving it a try in the World League of American Football.
Eventually, he caught on with the Packers where he spent four seasons behind Brett Favre. Pederson threw just 24 passes in those years and then joined the Eagles where he played in 16 games with nine starts. He struggled there and considering retiring afterward but the Browns convinced him to sign a two-year deal in 2000, replacing Ty Detmer as the experienced backup when Detmer was lost to a knee injury.
Pederson ended up being called on to start eight games that season when Tim Couch was hurt — and the results weren’t pretty. Cleveland was just 1-7 with Pederson starting and his numbers were nothing to brag about. The 32-year-old completed just 55.7 percent of his passes for 1,047 yards with two touchdowns and eight interceptions.
He was let go the following season and spent four more seasons with the Packers as their No. 2 quarterback behind Favre. Pederson was never supposed to be the guy in Cleveland but he wasn’t even able to keep the team treading water when he was called upon.