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Tom Brady heads list of backup QBs to lead team to Super Bowl, with Brock Purdy in line to join group

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Could we see a backup quarterback starting in Super Bowl 57? Yes, there is a chance. 

The 49ers took care of business in the divisional round, defeating the Cowboys 19-12 to advance to their second consecutive NFC championship game. They were led by rookie Brock Purdy, who began the season as San Francisco’s No. 3 quarterback. Purdy will try to stay perfect as a starter when he takes on the Eagles on Sunday.

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And there was a moment last weekend when it was thought the AFC favorite might need to be led by a No. 2 if it got to the big game. While the Chiefs defeated the Jaguars 27-17 to advance to their fifth straight AFC title game, Patrick Mahomes sprained his ankle and briefly left the contest. It was obvious once he returned that the MVP candidate was not at 100 percent. 

MORE: How 8 great games make the case for Brock Purdy being the best rookie QB of the Super Bowl era

The Chiefs turned to journeyman Chad Henne to lead the offense while Mahomes was being examined. Henne led a key 96-yard touchdown drive in the first half. 

Mahomes wii start Sunday against the Bengals, but if his condition worsens, KC may need to turn to Henne.

MORE: Chad Henne has experience leading Chiefs to playoff wins

The last time an NFL club made it to the Super Bowl with a backup QB was 2018. The Sporting News takes a look at all of the backups who took teams to a Super Bowl.  

Backup quarterbacks to lead their team to a Super Bowl

Earl Morrall, Colts

Result: Lost Super Bowl 3

Morrall entered the 1968 season as the backup to Johnny Unitas, but a preseason injury to the Colts’ starter forced Morrall into a starting role. Morrall exceeded all expectations as he led the Colts to a 13-1 record. He was voted NFL MVP.

In Super Bowl 3, however, Morrall threw three interceptions and was replaced by Unitas, who could not lead Baltimore to a comeback. The Colts lost 16-7 to Joe Namath and the Jets. 

TSN ARCHIVES: Jets stun Colts in Super Bowl III, back Namath’s guarantee

Craig Morton, Cowboys

Result: Lost Super Bowl 5

Morton is a borderline choice: he made 11 starts during the 1970 season, but he was held out of the season opener as he continued to recover from offseason shoulder surgery. The injury nagged at him throughout the season and head coach Tom Landry switched between him and Roger Staubach.

Despite the shoulder concerns, Morton finished third in the league in passer rating and helped Dallas to the Super Bowl. Morton completed less than 50 percent of his passes and threw three picks in the big game, leading to a 16-13 loss to the Colts. 

Roger Staubach, Cowboys

Result: Won Super Bowl 6

Morton began the 1971 season as Dallas’ starter, but Staubach took over by Week 8. He quarterbacked Dallas to 10 consecutive wins and brought the team back to the Super Bowl. 

In Super Bowl 6, Staubach completed 12 of 19 attempts for 119 yards and two touchdowns. Dallas defeated Miami 24-3 to earn the franchise its first Super Bowl win, and Staubach was named the game’s MVP. 

DALLAS MOUNT RUSHMORE: Roger Staubach, Emmitt Smith, Dirk Nowitzki, Bob Lilly voted best of the best

Vince Ferragamo, Rams

Result: Lost Super Bowl 14

A broken pinky suffered by Pat Haden gave Ferragamo a chance to be the Rams’ starter during the 1979 season. His individual numbers were not impressive, as he completed less than 50 percent of his passes and threw 10 interceptions to five touchdowns. But the Rams went 4-1 under him and got to the postseason. 

After back-to-back road wins, the Rams met the Steelers in Super Bowl 14 at the Rose Bowl in nearby Pasadena. Los Angeles led after three quarters but Pittsburgh stormed back in the fourth to earn a 31-19 win. 

Jim Plunkett, Raiders

Result: Won Super Bowl 15

Plunkett was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1971 NFL Draft, selected by the Patriots, but he did not find success in New England. After a brief spell with the 49ers, he found himself with the Raiders. He spent two seasons as a backup. But in 1980, he became the starter after Dan Pastorini fractured his leg. 

Plunkett went 9-2 as a starter and the Raiders secured a wild-card berth. When he led Oakland to a 27-10 victory over the Eagles in Super Bowl 15, the Raiders became the first wild-card team to win a Super Bowl. Plunkett was named MVP of the game after throwing for 261 yards and three touchdowns. 

Doug Williams, Washington

Result: Won Super Bowl 22

When Williams rejoined the NFL from the USFL in 1986, he signed with Washington to be the backup to Jay Schroeder. In 1987, Williams started just two games but replaced Schroeder three separate times, leading the team to victory each time. 

Washington coach Joe Gibbs named Williams his starter for the playoffs, and it paid off. The club thumped the Broncos 42-10 in Super Bowl 22 thanks to Williams’ 340 yards and four touchdowns passing. Williams not only earned Super Bowl MVP honors, he also made history as the first Black quarterback to start a Super Bowl. 

Jeff Hostetler, Giants

Result: Won Super Bowl 25

Hostetler was ready to retire after the 1990 season because of a lack of playing time, but when Phil Simms suffered a severe foot injury late in the year, the mustachioed signal-caller’s time had arrived and he took over at QB. 

The Giants’ defense made Hostetler’s life very easy. New York held opponents to under 12 points per game in its three postseason games. Hostetler didn’t need to do much in the passing game, but he made sure to not turn the ball over. In Super Bowl 25 against the Bills, he led a methodical ball-control attack, but New York still needed Scott Norwood’s infamous field-goal miss to emerge with a 20-19 win. 

Kurt Warner, Rams

Result: Won Super Bowl 34

After brief stints with the Packers and the Arena Football League, Warner joined the Rams for the 1999 season to serve as Trent Green’s backup. When Green tore his ACL in a preseason game, St. Louis turned to Warner. 

Warner had quite the cast surrounding him, as Mike Martz’s offense became known as “The Greatest Show on Turf.” Warner put together an MVP season and led the Rams to a 23-16 win in Super Bowl 34 over the Titans. He earned Super Bowl MVP honors after throwing for a then-record 414 yards. 

MORE: Kurt Warner’s remarkable story binds two generations of Hall of Fame QBs

Trent Dilfer, Ravens

Result: Won Super Bowl 35

Speaking of dominant defenses, Dilfer’s job was made a lot easier by the Ravens’ defensive unit during the 2000 season. After starter Tony Banks failed to record an offensive touchdown in four consecutive weeks, the Ravens replaced him with Dilfer. 

Dilfer went 7-1 as the starter. While he finished the playoffs with a completion percentage under 50, he only threw one interception. The defense and special teams carried the Ravens to a 34-7 win over the Giants in Super Bowl 35. 

Tom Brady, Patriots

Result: Won Super Bowl 36

Brady’s journey to becoming the GOAT started in 2001. He was the second-stringer in New England until Drew Bledsoe was hurt in Week 2. Brady took over as the starter in Week 3 and went 11-3 in 14 starts. 

In Super Bowl 36, Brady and the Patriots defeated Warner and the Rams 20-17 for the franchise’s first league championship. Brady became the youngest QB to win a Super Bowl and earned Super Bowl MVP honors after leading New England on a game-winning drive in the final two minutes. 

MORE: Joe Burrow vs. Patrick Mahomes: How budding QB rivalry compares to Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning and more

Nick Foles, Eagles

Result: Won Super Bowl 52

Foles is the most recent backup QB to lead a team to the Super Bowl. He did it during the 2017 season after replacing Carson Wentz, who tore his ACL in Week 14. 

Foles torched the Falcons and Vikings on his way to a Super Bowl berth against Brady and the Patriots. Philadelphia then came out on top in a 41-33 shootout in Super Bowl 52. Foles was named Super Bowl MVP after throwing for 373 yards and three touchdowns, as well as catching a TD pass from tight end Trey Burton on the famous “Philly Special” play.

MORE: ‘You want Philly Philly?’: Remembering Nick Foles and the Philly Special in Super Bowl 52

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