November 16, 2015
Michael Perez/AP
The three most dangerous jobs in America: (3) Lumberjack, (2) Fisherman, (1) Eagles QB.
If Mark Sanchez starts in place of Sam Bradford next Sunday, as expected, it will mark the seventh consecutive year in which the Eagles' quarterback did not start all 16 regular season games.
In the NFL, this is very much the exception, not the norm. Half of the NFL's 32 teams had quarterbacks who started all 16 games last year. The Eagles haven't had a quarterback who has started all 16 games since Donovan McNabb did so in 2008. Below is a list of all 32 teams, and the last time they had a quarterback start all 16 games:
| Team | Last season QB started all 16 games | Who was it? |
| Giants | 2014 | Eli Manning |
| Lions | 2014 | Matthews Stafford |
| Packers | 2014 | Aaron Rodgers |
| Saints | 2014 | Drew Brees |
| Falcons | 2014 | Matt Ryan |
| Seahawks | 2014 | Russell Wilson |
| 49ers | 2014 | Colin Kaepernick |
| Patriots | 2014 | Tom Brady |
| Dolphins | 2014 | Ryan Tannehill |
| Steelers | 2014 | Ben Roethlisberger |
| Ravens | 2014 | Joe Flacco |
| Bengals | 2014 | Andy Dalton |
| Colts | 2014 | Andrew Luck |
| Raiders | 2014 | Derek Carr |
| Broncos | 2014 | Peyton Manning |
| Chargers | 2014 | Phillip Rivers |
| Panthers | 2013 | Cam Newton |
| Cardinals | 2013 | Carson Palmer |
| Jets | 2013 | Geno Smith |
| Cowboys | 2012 | Tony Romo |
| Vikings | 2012 | Christian Ponder |
| Buccaneers | 2012 | Josh Freeman |
| Rams | 2012 | Sam Bradford |
| Bills | 2012 | Ryan Fitzpatrick |
| Texans | 2012 | Matt Schaub |
| Titans | 2011 | Matt Hasselbeck |
| Redskins | 2009 | Jason Campbell |
| Bears | 2009 | Jay Cutler |
| Jaguars | 2009 | David Garrard |
| Eagles | 2008 | Donovan McNabb |
| Chiefs | 2005 | Trent Green |
| Browns | 2001 | Tim Couch |
If you include 2015, over the last 25 years the Eagles have only had four seasons (five if you include 2004, when the Eagles rested starters the last week of the season), in which their quarterback started all 16 games. All of them were by Donovan McNabb. During that span, only the godless Browns have had fewer:
| Team | 16-game starts by QB: 1991-2015 | Team | 16-game starts by QB: 1991-2015 |
| Packers | 19 | Bills | 8 |
| Colts | 17 | Panthers | 8 |
| Patriots | 17 | Chiefs | 8 |
| Giants | 16 | Rams | 8 |
| Saints | 15 | Texans | 7 |
| Chargers | 13 | Raiders | 7 |
| Bengals | 12 | Steelers | 7 |
| Broncos | 11 | Seahawks | 7 |
| Ravens | 10 | Cardinals | 6 |
| Lions | 10 | Vikings | 6 |
| Dolphins | 10 | Redskins | 6 |
| 49ers | 10 | Titans/Oilers | 5 |
| Falcons | 9 | Bears | 4 |
| Cowboys | 9 | Jaguars | 4 |
| Jets | 9 | Eagles | 4 |
| Buccaneers | 9 | Browns | 2 |
Part of that is because the Eagles have had injury-prone quarterbacks. Part of that is because they have had quarterbacks who have sucked. Sometimes it has been both. Some of it is luck, some isn't. The reality is that the Eagles have had, and continue to have, one of the most unstable quarterback situations in professional football.
A week ago we wrote that Chip Kelly hinted that he wants Sam Bradford to be the Eagles' quarterback next year. No matter what happens with Bradford at the conclusion of this season, the Eagles need to make the quarterback position an extreme priority in the draft. That player would preferably have some skills, or at a minimum, be able to stay upright for a season. That's how low the bar is at this point.
Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @JimmyKempski
Add some PhillyVoice RSS feeds.
