One of the things that differentiates the NFL from other major sports is the diversity that can be found at the most important position of quarterback.
In basketball, one can find point guards to have many of the same capabilities. They are quick to see lanes, excellent at setting up teammates, and have the ability to score when needed.
In baseball, the starting pitchers can be relied on for consistent outings, smart and quick decision making, and a perfected repertoire of successful pitches.
However, in football, you find many different types of quarterbacks. You have those that are elusive and give defenses fits while creating valuable extra time to find an open receiver. There are some who have a sense of calm in the pocket, as they wait until the last possible millisecond to make a throw, as if the three hundred pound linemen about to collapse on them didn’t even exist.
Then you have the guys who have a little bit of everything, but beat you most notably with their minds. They know where defenses are going to be, what packages are going to be present at what points in the game, and use that data to go to work like a surgeon does on a patient.
Despite all the differences in qualities that quarterbacks possess, there is one common element necessary to substantially increase the chances of success; that element being a strong arm. The chances of a quarterback reaching the pinnacles of success while lacking a strong and powerful arm are very, very slim.
There are those who feel that having a strong arm is overrated and not necessary for a quarterback to be successful. Take Chad Pennington for example. He’s been able to overcome an arm lacking in strength over his career.
But has he? Pennington has never won anything of significance in his career.
Still, many are quick to shoot down the notion of a strong arm being essential to the growth and dominance of a quarterback. Look at Ryan Leaf, Patrick Ramsey, and David Carr. Each had a rocket arm but never kept a starting role for more than a couple of seasons.
While it is true that each of the aforementioned had more than capable arms, their problems were unique and unrelated to the strength that they possessed. Ryan Leaf didn’t have the intelligence, patience, or commitment to improve in order to succeed.
Patrick Ramsey lacked the ability to make sound decisions in an instant, which lead to many of his interceptions. David Carr spent half of his time on his back due to an incapable offensive line. His constant beating arguably led to his forever lost confidence in the pocket.
To be fair, the concept that a strong arm always leads to a successful quarterback is also insubstantial. However, having a strong arm in addition to possessing the other compulsory qualities (awareness, intelligence, accuracy, etc.) is more than just a leg up on the competition.
Reading coverages can be taught by hours of film room work. Understanding and developing the mental time clock to know when the pressure is on comes with practice and game repetition. Being able to perfect a seven-yard out can be done through practice. However, teaching a quarterback how to throw it deep is like teaching a running back how to run fast.
Either you have it, or you don’t.
Assuming that a quarterback is smart, understands the defense, and sees the holes to exploit, he still has to be able to deliver the ball. It serves no purpose if you see a crease in the secondary and want to hit a wideout in stride if you cannot deliver the ball in a tight spot.
It serves you no purpose if you see the safety bite on a play action and have Santana Moss running open on a flare 50 yards down the field if you can’t put the ball in his hands like bread in a basket. It serves you no purpose if you know the defense is playing a cover two and find a hole over the middle but can’t thread the ball over the linebacker’s outstretched arms into the tight end's chest.
Get the idea?
Looking at some of today’s most successful quarterbacks, one can mention Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton and Eli Manning, and Tony Romo. Each has a knack of knowing what the defenses are going to be doing, where certain players will be, and what options they will have. Each has a good sense of awareness in the pocket. Yet none of them would be as successful as they are could they not make some of the strong throws that they make.
Consider some of the Super Bowl winning quarterbacks of the past 15 years. You come across names like Tom Brady, Eli and Peyton Manning, Troy Aikman, John Elway, Steve Young, Kurt Warner, and Doug Williams. Sure, there are a few with arms that are a little suspect, like Brad Johnson or maybe even Trent Dilfer (maybe), but the common trend is smart quarterbacks that can make any throw on the field.
Someone not on the list; Again, Chad Pennington.
Much gets made of quarterbacks who are successful and how they are “very smart” or “students of the game.” However, it gets forgotten that they also pack quite a bit of heat in their arms.
When a quarterback comes out of college, touted for his ability to throw it 60-plus yards on a two-step drop, but fails in the NFL, critics jump on the bandwagon of saying “You don’t need a strong arm, you need a strong mind.”
The answer is that you need both, along with a long list of other intangibles. A little bit of luck in avoiding injuries is also helpful. Having the right system and a capable coach along with suitable talent is yet another factor.
But at the end of the day, a quarterback’s job is to throw just like a pitcher’s job is to pitch and a sprinter’s job is to sprint. Each athlete requires physical superiority to achieve success and an NFL quarterback is no different.
It all starts with a strong arm.
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about 1 month ago
Couldn't agree with you more Shaun.
You make great points and it all flows together very well. Can't wait to read some more of your articles!
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Travis. I appreciate that.
about 1 month ago
Balance is a requirement. I'll take brains over brawn any day...and an All Pro OL.
A QB is only taking 1-2-3 long shots downfield per game if his team has balance. Anything more is desperation. It's those 10-15 yard pickups that kill the clock and drive downfield.
It's all about the OL.
This might be an iffy analogy;
"a quarterback’s job is to throw just like a pitcher’s job is to pitch"
Pitching is about deception. There are very few guys that can throw in the upper '90s and even fewer that can 'pitch' in the upper '90s.
A great changeup rules in Baseball.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks LJ. Yeah I can see how that analogy could be seen as a stretch but what I was going for was to say that at the end of the day, a quarterback has to throw the ball. If you're going to throw, having a strong arm will make life a lot easier.
Thanks for your comments!
from about 1 month ago
Really well written piece btw.
about 1 month ago
im not sure i buy into this 100% shaun.
Granted, having a strong arm can never hurt you. but is it one of the most important things? i would say no, in fact, i'd put it at the bottom of this list. or near the bottom, rather.
a quarterback, first and foremost, needs to be smart. he needs to be able to read the defense and understand his hot reads and all of that fun stuff. arm strength comes in later.
now, of course a quarterback like chad pennington could never run a mike martz offense. however, he could run a west coast offense with ease.
it all goes back to what kind of offense ya wanna run.
still though, good stuff as always.
please read and comment my new article if ya have the time! getting noticed on this site is.. well, its a royal bitch.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/68852-why-every-division-in-the-afc-is-still-up-for-grabs
from about 1 month ago
I agree with you about the need for being smart and like I said, that's why guys like Ryan Leaf never made it. But if you read the defense and see the place where you need to get the ball, that arm strength is what's going to help you deliver.
There are people who can read defenses like no other but they can't be successful quarterbacks unless they can make that throw (Jason Garrett when he was qb for Dallas is a perfect example). Look, the guy is a genius when it comes to understanding how to attack, but Troy Aikman could make the throws; Garrett couldn't.
There is no question that being a successful qb requires a multiple set of traits with being smart up their near the top. But I'd put arm strength slightly above intelligence... slightly.
Thanks for your comment!
about 1 month ago
Finally, someone who sees thru Chad Pennington... I suffered in NY thru all the praise, "accurate", "game manager", etc. - and had to look at his name on the stats every week, and had to see a 10 yard pass run for another 20 and look at inflated yardage every week... Meanwhile, the games were boring and the wins few.
Gimme a Bret or even a Testaverde and I'll show you an exciting game with a QB who can make plays to win - and yes, can also screw up.
But gimme a Chad and I'll show you a boring chess match that is NOT what football is about - and don't think a weak armed QB doesn't screw up either, b/c Chad did that as well.
about 1 month ago
Shaun,
Well written article, however i must point out an obvious and rather embarrassing flaw. Any time an article about arm strength is written there is a cardinal rule. You MUST mention Brett Favre. The reason Favre has been so successful in his later years because his arm is so ageless. He throws it harder than anyone in the NFL, even those young college rockets. So to go an entire article without mentioning the Golden Arm is inexcusable.
-David
from about 1 month ago
Probably should have included Dan Marino on there along with Favre. An honest mistake.
about 1 month ago
I see what your saying, I like the way you wrote this.
Can't wait to read more,
Matt Jono
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