Editing Quarterback (section)

==Backup==
{{see also|Third quarterback rule}}
{{More citations needed section|date=June 2023}}
[[File:Bruce Gradkowski 2013.jpg|thumb|[[Pittsburgh Steelers]] backup quarterback [[Bruce Gradkowski]] acting as the ball holder for a kick]]
Compared to other positions in gridiron football, the backup quarterback gets considerably less playing time than the starting quarterback. While players at many other positions may rotate in and out during a game, and even a starter at most other positions rarely plays every snap, a team's starting quarterback often remains in the game for every play, which means that a team's primary backup may go an entire season without taking a meaningful offensive snap. While their primary role may be to be available in case of injury to the starter, the backup quarterback may also have additional roles such as a [[Holder (American football)|holder]] on placekicks or as a [[punter (football)|punter]], and will often play a key role in practice, serving as the upcoming opponent's quarterback during the preceding week's practices. A backup quarterback may also be put in during "[[garbage time]]" (when the score is so lopsided and the time left in the game is so short that the outcome cannot realistically be changed), or start a meaningless late-season game (either the team has been [[Elimination from postseason contention|eliminated from the postseason]], or the playoff seeding cannot be affected), in order to ensure the starting quarterback does not needlessly risk an injury. Backup quarterbacks typically have the career of a [[journeyman quarterback]] and have short stints with multiple teams, a notable exception being [[Frank Reich]], who backed up [[Jim Kelly]] for nine years with the [[Buffalo Bills]] in the 1980s and 1990s.

A quarterback controversy results when a team has two capable quarterbacks competing for the starting position. [[Dallas Cowboys]] head coach [[Tom Landry]] alternated [[Roger Staubach]] and [[Craig Morton]] on each play, sending in the quarterbacks with the play call from the sideline; Morton started in [[Super Bowl V]], which his team lost, while Staubach started in [[Super Bowl VI]] the following year and won. Although Morton played most of the 1972 season due to an injury to Staubach, Staubach took back the starting job when he rallied the Cowboys in a come-from-behind win in the playoffs and Morton was subsequently traded; Staubach and Morton faced each other in [[Super Bowl XII]]. Another notable quarterback controversy involved the [[San Francisco 49ers]], who had three capable starters: [[Joe Montana]], [[Steve Young]] and [[Steve Bono]]. Montana suffered a season-ending injury that cost him the [[1991 NFL season]] and was supplanted by Young. Young was injured midway through the season, but Bono held the starting job (despite Young's recovery) until Bono's own injury let Young reclaim it. Montana also missed most of the [[1992 NFL season]], making only one appearance, then was traded away at his request to take over as the starter for the [[Kansas City Chiefs]]; upon retirement, he was succeeded by Bono as the Chiefs' starting quarterback.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ninersnation.com/2016/6/10/11899550/best-qb-units-super-bowl-era-49ers-joe-montana-steve-young-steve-bono-alex-smith-colin-kaepernick |title=Two 49ers QB units included in Top 15 list |date=June 10, 2016 |access-date=March 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190325200915/https://www.ninersnation.com/2016/6/10/11899550/best-qb-units-super-bowl-era-49ers-joe-montana-steve-young-steve-bono-alex-smith-colin-kaepernick |archive-date=March 25, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Teams will often bring in a capable backup quarterback via the draft or a trade, as competition or potential replacement which would certainly threaten the starting quarterback's place in the team (see [[#Two-quarterback system|Two-quarterback system]] below). For instance, [[Drew Brees]] began his career with the [[San Diego Chargers]] but the team also drafted [[Philip Rivers]]; despite Brees initially retaining his starting job and being the Comeback Player of the Year he was not re-signed due to an injury and joined the [[New Orleans Saints]] as a free agent. Brees and Rivers both retired in 2021, each having been a starter for the Saints and Chargers, respectively, for over a decade. [[Aaron Rodgers]] was drafted by the [[Green Bay Packers]] as the eventual successor to [[Brett Favre]], though Rodgers served in a backup role for a few years to develop sufficiently for the team to give him the starting job;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://clutchpoints.com/examining-the-interesting-relationship-between-aaron-rodgers-and-brett-favre/|title = Examining the Interesting Relationship Between Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre|date = May 5, 2020}}</ref> Rodgers would himself encounter a similar situation in 2020 when the Packers drafted quarterback [[Jordan Love]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/2021/04/30/aaron-rodgers-wants-out-packers-gutekunst-only-themselves-to-blame|title=Aaron Rodgers Wants Out, and the Packers Have Only Themselves to Blame|newspaper=Sports Illustrated }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/aaron-rodgers-might-get-even-more-upset-with-the-packers-when-he-finds-out-what-the-bears-did-for-andy-dalton/|title=Aaron Rodgers might get even more upset with the Packers when he finds out what the Bears did for Andy Dalton|date=May 4, 2021 }}</ref> Similarly, [[Patrick Mahomes]] was selected by the [[Kansas City Chiefs]] to eventually supplant [[Alex Smith]], with the latter willingly serving as a mentor.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.sportscasting.com/patrick-mahomes-will-forever-be-grateful-for-alex-smith/|title = Patrick Mahomes Will Forever be Grateful for Alex Smith|date = September 26, 2020|access-date = December 29, 2020|archive-date = October 29, 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201029104811/https://www.sportscasting.com/patrick-mahomes-will-forever-be-grateful-for-alex-smith/|url-status = dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/49-ers-insist-jimmy-garoppolo-unlikely-to-be-traded-but-that-would-set-up-a-very-unusual-situation-215908735.html|title = 49ers insist Jimmy Garoppolo unlikely to be traded, but that would set up a very unusual situation| date=March 29, 2021 }}</ref>