Being a good quarterback in the NFL requires a rare blend of physical ability, intellect and unwavering discipline.
For any Kobe Bryant fans, you could describe the level of discipline required to succeed in the NFL as ‘Mamba’ caliber.
With that said, all of those things don’t always translate into success in the league.
Sometimes the slowest guy on the bench can turn into a Hall of Fame player based on discipline and smarts; and, conversely, the fastest but least disciplined can succeed on sheer willpower and athleticism.
You could argue that the most important attribute is one that I haven’t even listed yet, and that is height.
That’s the one thing we can’t control, but as important in terms of a game like football as a QB.
It’s a luxury not every QB has, and there are still a few who are successful without it, but the ability to look over the opponent’s defense and see the shifts and subtle nuances of their schemes makes all the difference .
Whether those players end up being immortalized in the Hall of Fame depends on whether they possess those other things we talked about.
Not the greatest, but the tallest quarterback to ever play in the NFL?
Primary Team: Oakland Raiders
Source: seattlepi.com
Marc Wilson was an NFL quarterback for 11 seasons split between the Oakland Raiders and the New England Patriots.
The 6’6 Wilson was drafted by the Raiders in the first round of the 1980 NFL draft.
Three years later, Oakland won the Super Bowl, but in bittersweet fashion when Marc, who had earned the starting job, suffered a shoulder injury that took him out just a few games before the championship.
You could make a case that Wilson’s most successful venture wasn’t football, but rather real estate.
After learning the ropes from a dear friend who was profitable in the real estate arena, he went solo and founded Wilson Pacific Partners.
Primary Team: Detroit Lions
Source: Utahvalley360.com
Scott Mitchell spent 12 seasons in the NFL.
He was selected in the fourth round as a 93rd overall pick by the Miami Dolphins in the 1990 NFL Draft and stood above the rest at 6’6 ½.
He had some pretty big shoes to fill right out of the gate as a backup to Marino who had to assume the starting role after Marino went down with an injury in 1993.
Signed by the Detroit Lions in 1994, Mitchell set a single-season record in Lions history for most touchdown passes at 32 in 1995.
Post-career life hit Mitchell hard.
Heavy even for a man of his height, he decided to make an appearance on the popular reality show, The Biggest Loser.
Primary Team: Dallas Cowboys
Source: howtheyplay.com
Sonny Gibbs was a 6’7 quarterback who had a very short time in the NFL.
In this case, his height was a non-factor, which again makes the point that it takes more than just genetic makeup to succeed in the big leagues.
Gibbs was drafted in the second round as an 18th overall pick even before his college eligibility was over!
In 1963 he entered the league as the tallest QB until Dan McGwire, who we will visit later, entered the league and broke the record.
Gibbs had a successful collegiate career and was the second leading passer in his conference completing 89 of 169 throws.
He received the Rogers Trophy as team MVP in his junior season for the University of Texas.
Primary Team: New York Giants
Seasons: 8 (active)
Mike Glennon is the current quarterback for the New York Giants.
This 6’7 athlete went as the 73rd pick in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
A journeyman, Glennon has played for the Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars and now the Giants.
He just signed a one-year, $1.35 million contract that likely means he’ll be off to a new destination by this time next year.
Glennon has prepared himself well for retirement with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a Master’s Degree in Liberal Studies.
He also has a brother, Sean, who was a quarterback for Virginia Tech from 2004 to 2008.
Paxton Lynch was a 6’7 quarterback for the Denver Broncos from 2016 to 2018.
His tenure at the NFL level has been unremarkable.
He made just four starts until his release before the 2018 season after tryouts for the Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers.
He is the current quarterback (2021) of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League.
During his high school career at Trinity Christian Academy in Florida, he passed for 2,099 yards and was named a three-star recruit.
In his college career, he ranks second all-time in completions, attempts, completion percentage, passing yards and passing touchdowns for the Memphis Tigers.
Primary Team: Denver Broncos
Primary Team: Denver Broncos
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
The 6’7, 240 lb. Osweiler played six seasons in the NFL.
Although his career was not that of an All-Star, he is an NFL champion as a backup for the Peyton Manning-led Broncos in a loss to the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50.
In October 2019, Osweiler announced his retirement after bouncing from team to team.
After his title win with the Broncos, he inked himself a four-year, $72 million contract with the Houston Texans based on his midseason performance while Manning was hurt.
He struggled and threw a franchise-record 16 interceptions.
Primary Team: Green Bay Packers
Source: archive.jsonline.com
Frank Patrick was a 6’7 QB drafted in 1970 as the 251st pick in the 10th round of the NFL Draft.
His total career stat line consists of no touchdowns and two interceptions, 107 yards, and a QB rating of 14.2
Despite lackluster career numbers, Patrick played basketball and football for the University of Nebraska.
He only played QB for one year in college and was used as a safety and tight end during his senior year.
Frank Patrick wasn’t even drafted as a quarterback!
He was brought in as a tight end, but the Packers decided to use him as the quarterback in the middle of an offense.
Dan McGwire
Primary Team: Seattle Seahawks
Height: 6’8
Height: 6’8
Height: 6’8
Height: 6’8
Seasons: 5
Seasons: 5
Seasons: 5
Seasons: 5
Seasons: 5
Seasons: 5
Seasons: 5
Source: reviewjournal.com
Dan McGwire is the tallest NFL QB to ever enter the league at 6’8 and 240 lb.
He was drafted as the 16th pick in round 1 of the 1991 NFL Draft to the Seattle Seahawks.
He never lived up to the expectations that come with such a high draft pick and was considered a bust.
Especially considering that in the same draft, Brett Favre went in the second round.
In his only extended playing time in the league, he started three games resulting in a 1-2 record and threw 105 passes while completing 51 of them for one touchdown.
Dan’s brother is Hall of Fame baseball all-star Mark McGwire, best known for his awesome home run power.