2025-26 NFL Thread

[JWags85]

I think this is all fair. I never loved Taylor as a coach, but he's been legit snakebit by injuries the past few seasons. Still kind of surprised he survived Black Monday, but maybe Mike Brown doesn't want to pay him not to work.

Oh I 1000% think he's fired if he was anywhere else but the penny pinching Bengals

[MU82]

I was talking to a USC alum buddy of mine about it this morning, and it's one of those facts that seems crazy but then you look at it, and it makes total sense. For as legendary and successful USC was for decades, they never really produced QBs.  Post WW2 until Carson Palmer went #1 in 2003, USC had 2...TWO QBs drafted in the first round in 60 years.  If you go post merger, it was only Todd Marinovich till Palmer, and we know how his career turned out.  Dozens of conference championships and a half dozen national championships in that time, but not with studs at QB.

Then even more crazy, 1st round picks aside, till date, in the history of the NFL, the number of USC QBs that were their teams starting QB for 5 or more seasons, not including Darnold who just finished his 5th,... just 3.  Matt Cassell, Carson Palmer, and the consummate journeyman, Rodney Peete. So that makes it seem a little more reasonable.

All the "Star" QBs at USC, whether Heisman winners/finalists or highly touted recruits, have all come post Pete Carroll.  And with the exception of Palmer and now Darnold and an incomplete on Caleb Williams, they've all been disappointing in the NFL. I mean Matt Cassell is a top 3 USC QB of all time, in NFL performance terms, and he's best known for being the backip when Brady blew his knee.  Mark Sanchez is best known for the butt fumble, and he has a VERY real argument for being a top 5 USC NFL QB.

Some hellaciously good RBs, though!

[Pakuni]

I was talking to a USC alum buddy of mine about it this morning, and it's one of those facts that seems crazy but then you look at it, and it makes total sense. For as legendary and successful USC was for decades, they never really produced QBs.

John David Booty may have not made it to Canton on his field performance, but he has a Hall of Fame name.

Pat Haden almost made a Super Bowl in 1978, and might have the next season if not for injury.