A Star Is Born: When Backup Quarterbacks Deliver in the Clutch

These reserves went from the bench to big time.

When Backup Quarterbacks Deliver in the Clutch - Injury is a part of football and when a starting quarterback goes down, a backup is unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight and expected to perform. While some backups fold like a newspaper page, others step up and instantly become stars. Cardale Jones was pushed into Ohio State’s starting QB role and responded with three straight victories to lead the Buckeyes to a national title win Monday night. Jones joins legends like Kurt Warner and Tom Brady, going from reserves to the men leading their teams to victory. Keep reading as we highlight QBs who delivered in the clutch. (Photos from LefT: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images, Joe Robbins/Getty Images, Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

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When Backup Quarterbacks Deliver in the Clutch - Injury is a part of football and when a starting quarterback goes down, a backup is unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight and expected to perform. While some backups fold like a newspaper page, others step up and instantly become stars. Cardale Jones was pushed into Ohio State’s starting QB role and responded with three straight victories to lead the Buckeyes to a national title win Monday night. Jones joins legends like Kurt Warner and Tom Brady, going from reserves to the men leading their teams to victory. Keep reading as we highlight QBs who delivered in the clutch. (Photos from LefT: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images, Joe Robbins/Getty Images, Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

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Cardale Jones - When Ohio State starting quarterback J.T. Barrett broke his ankle during the Buckeyes-Michigan game on November 29, Cardale Jones, a third-string QB, was thrust into the starting role. So, how did he respond? By leading Ohio State to a Big Ten title, an upset of No. 1 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and the College Football Playoff national championship win over Oregon. Despite his name catching national-level attention, Jones says he’s not ready for the NFL yet.  (Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Kurt Warner – St. Louis Rams - Prognosticators scoffed at the St. Louis Rams’ chances in 1999, when their starting quarterback Trent Green was injured in a preseason game and former arena league quarterback Kurt Warner had to start in his place. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, with Warner orchestrating one of the best offenses in NFL history and leading what would be named “The Greatest Show on Turf” to a Super Bowl XXXIV victory over the Tennessee Titans. Warner was also named both the league and Super Bowl MVP that year. (Photo: Lutz Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images)

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Kurt Warner - The story of Kurt Warner is storybook material. The former supermarket clerk went from being a reserve to the ringmaster of the NFL’s Best Show on Turf. When St. Louis Rams starter Trent Green suffered a season-ending knee injury during the 1999 pre-season, Warner came alive as the starter, guiding the high-scoring Rams to a shocking 13-3 season, which ended with a victory over the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV. Warner was also named the game’s MVP. From backup QB to Super Bowl MVP — the kind of stuff dreams are made of.

Tom Brady - Drew Bledsoe was a solid NFL quarterback, but when he suffered internal bleeding from taking a big hit from the New York Jets in Week 2 of the 2001 season, Tom Brady slid into the New England Patriots starting role and has never left. Brady led the Pats to the first of three Super Bowl victories that season. Sometimes a star and legend are born at the same time. (Photo: Brian Snyder /Landov)

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Tom Brady - Drew Bledsoe was a solid NFL quarterback, but when he suffered internal bleeding from taking a big hit from the New York Jets in Week 2 of the 2001 season, Tom Brady slid into the New England Patriots starting role and has never left. Brady led the Pats to the first of three Super Bowl victories that season. Sometimes a star and legend are born at the same time. (Photo: Brian Snyder /Landov)

Terry Bradshaw - Terry Bradshaw lost his starting job to Joe Gilliam in 1974, but when he earned it back, his star was re-born. That same season, Bradshaw led the Pittsburgh Steelers to a Super Bowl win...his first of four titles as the quarterback of the Steelers. (Photo: Bettmann/Corbis)

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Terry Bradshaw - Terry Bradshaw lost his starting job to Joe Gilliam in 1974, but when he earned it back, his star was re-born. That same season, Bradshaw led the Pittsburgh Steelers to a Super Bowl win...his first of four titles as the quarterback of the Steelers. (Photo: Bettmann/Corbis)

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Ben Roethlisberger - Ben Roethlisberger was lower than a backup quarterback at one point. He was a third-string QB. But that all changed when Pittsburgh Steelers starter Tommy Maddox was injured during Week 2 of the 2004 season and the team gave the keys to rookie Roethlisberger. He responded with 13 straight victories, leading Pittsburgh roaring into the playoffs. The next season, Big Ben and the Steelers were Super Bowl champions. It happens that fast sometimes. (Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

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Ben Roethlisberger - Ben Roethlisberger was lower than a backup quarterback at one point. He was a third-string QB. But that all changed when Pittsburgh Steelers starter Tommy Maddox was injured during Week 2 of the 2004 season and the team gave the keys to rookie Roethlisberger. He responded with 13 straight victories, leading Pittsburgh roaring into the playoffs. The next season, Big Ben and the Steelers were Super Bowl champions. It happens that fast sometimes. (Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Frank Reich - To know Frank Reich's backup-to-star story is to know the 1993 game simply known as "The Comeback." After taking over the Buffalo Bills starting job from an injured Jim Kelly, Reich found himself staring at a 32-point deficit against the Houston Oilers in an AFC playoff game. Undeterred, Reich kept attacking and chipping away at the Oilers' lead to the point where the Bills actually forced overtime and won the game in the extra period in one of the greatest rallies in sports history.(Photo: Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

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Frank Reich - To know Frank Reich's backup-to-star story is to know the 1993 game simply known as "The Comeback." After taking over the Buffalo Bills starting job from an injured Jim Kelly, Reich found himself staring at a 32-point deficit against the Houston Oilers in an AFC playoff game. Undeterred, Reich kept attacking and chipping away at the Oilers' lead to the point where the Bills actually forced overtime and won the game in the extra period in one of the greatest rallies in sports history.(Photo: Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

Doug Flutie  - It was Week 5 of the 1998 season when Rob Johnson went down with a rib injury and Doug Flutie — all 5 feet, 9 inches of him — took over as the Buffalo Bills starter. When that happened, Flutie hit the ground running — literally — and led the Bills to an 8-3 record the rest of the way that season. (Photo: Rick Stewart /Allsport/Getty Images)  

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Doug Flutie  - It was Week 5 of the 1998 season when Rob Johnson went down with a rib injury and Doug Flutie — all 5 feet, 9 inches of him — took over as the Buffalo Bills starter. When that happened, Flutie hit the ground running — literally — and led the Bills to an 8-3 record the rest of the way that season. (Photo: Rick Stewart /Allsport/Getty Images)  

Jim Plunkett - At first, replacing an injured Dan Pastorini with Jim Plunkett as the starting QB for the Oakland Raiders in 1980 seemed like a disaster. Yeah, Plunkett's five interceptions his first time starting for the Raiders will have anyone contemplating his career. But Plunkett got his footing enough to lead the Raiders to a Super Bowl win that season. He added more hardware with another Super Bowl win for the Raiders in the 1983-84 season. All started with an opportunity.(Photo: Mike Powell/Getty Images)

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Jim Plunkett - At first, replacing an injured Dan Pastorini with Jim Plunkett as the starting QB for the Oakland Raiders in 1980 seemed like a disaster. Yeah, Plunkett's five interceptions his first time starting for the Raiders will have anyone contemplating his career. But Plunkett got his footing enough to lead the Raiders to a Super Bowl win that season. He added more hardware with another Super Bowl win for the Raiders in the 1983-84 season. All started with an opportunity.(Photo: Mike Powell/Getty Images)