Similar beginnings
Follow this story, a struggling franchise uses their number one overall draft pick on a big, strong-armed 21-year old to solve their quarterback problems. Sound familiar? In this case, we’re referring to Drew Bledsoe, who was drafted by the New England Patriots in 1993.
Bledsoe did oversee a renaissance in New England and led the Patriots to a Super Bowl in 1996, although they lost to the Green Bay Packers; Bledsoe proved to be the player that they had hoped for when they drafted him out of Washington State. The next year he again found postseason success but failed to get past their divisional playoff round game.
Those things occurred under Bill Parcells’ and Pete Carroll’s tenures, which eventually gave way to the Bill Belichick dynasty. In 2000, Belichick’s first in New England, he had on his staff a young scout by the name of Bob Quinn. What followed this turn of events is truly a story of the most dominant run by any pro football team in the NFL’s history by the Patriots.
Great, KITCW, we thought that this was a Lions blog?
We’re almost there, give us a sec.
Quinn, under Belichick, with the rest of the scouting staff did another amazing thing in 2000. They drafted a lanky, not-so-athletic, but fairly accomplished quarterback out of the University of Michigan, Tom Brady, even though they had an established starter in Drew Bledsoe. That sixth-round pick would change the face of their franchise forever.
Bob Quinn was part of that process. He saw Brady compete and take over for an injured Bledsoe in 2001, eventually winning the Super Bowl that season. Bledsoe made a comeback and was traded the following year to the Buffalo Bills.