In American Football the most important player on the team is by far the quarterback. He is the general in charge of the flow and speed of the game and it is his performance in executing plays that will either bring the team to victory or utter defeat.
For those teams that are lucky to have a special quarterback, it can be difficult to let him go when he has reached the end of his career. The best quarterbacks of the past decade including the top quarterback Payton Manning, played way past their primes because their teams did not want to let them retire and lose their leadership. In the end, father time caught up with them and they not so gently rode off in to the sunset.
Two Top Quarterbacks are Near the End
There are two Super Bowl winning quarterbacks in the NFL right now that are hearing the retirement call, and yet their teams are doing all they can to keep them in the game and leading their teams for more years. Throughout their careers the odds have been with them and betters have made millions on their contests.
Here is a look at the top quarterbacks who perhaps should be retired but have signed on for another season meaning that in 2018-19 we can count on continuing to see them trot out onto the field every Sunday.
Ben Roethlisberger – Pittsburgh Steelers
Big Ben Roethlisberger entered the NFL in 2004 and immediately drew comparisons to the all-time greats. His ability to remain cool in the pocket and even thrive outside of it drew comparisons to his idol John Elway. And, he has certainly put up Elway type numbers. Ben has been one of the most efficient passers in NFL history. He ranks 9th all-time in NFL passer rating (94.0), tied for 6th in yards per attempt (7.93), and tied for 10th in completion percentage (63.85%) among quarterbacks with a minimum of 1,500 career attempts. He also has the fourth highest career winning percentage (.710) as a starter in the regular season among quarterbacks with a minimum of 100 starts.
When Roethlisberger is on the field, the Steelers are one of the top teams in the league and always a threat to take it all. Lately however injuries have slowed Ben down. He was hurt in 2015 and 2016 prompting many to think that he was going to make 2017 his final outing. But to the surprise of many he announced after the 2017 season he was coming back and told Pittsburgh to not draft a replacement quarterback. The upcoming season will determine how much Big Ben has left in the tank and if the Steelers are doing the right thing by keeping the 36 year old as their only viable quarterback option.
Eli Manning – NY Giants
Eli Manning entered the league the same year as Big Ben and has also won two Super Bowls, cementing his entry into the Hall of Fame in the process. He has career top ten statistics in passing yards, completions and attempts. He has had a healthy career which has certainly kept his numbers going up, but he also has been a winner and is known for his clutch plays especially during the playoffs.
After two brutal seasons in a row with injuries to the Giants top receivers, an ineffective offensive line, and an underwhelming Eli many thought that perhaps Eli would retire after last season. But the Giants announced Eli would be the Giants starting quarterback in 2018. To ensure this was the case, the Giants who picked second in this year’s draft bypassed a number of high potential quarterbacks and selected running back Saquon Barkley. They also picked a highly touted offensive lineman with their second round pick with the hopes of protecting Eli better this season. The Giants are now loading up on receivers and with a healthy Odell Beckham Jr. returning and a rejuvenated Eli, the team has legitimate shot to contend again.
Two winning quarterbacks who have the highest competitive spirits and will to win. The 2018-19 season will reveal if they have the skills remaining to take their teams to the Super Bowl one more time. For those looking to bet on their games, the best sites provide strategy guides to help you improve your betting skills. You can make better choices when betting on games throughout the year and based on specific matchups in each game.
