Let’s be honest about NFL Quarterbacks. Not many followers of the NFL are capable to comprehend and caliber talent like a professional scout. That’s why easy-to-measure physical qualities like height are utilized to gauge future success among quarterbacks.
There’s something primally satisfying about knowing that your team’s quarterback gets the Ideal physical attributes. Here we will answer this question: “Who is the tallest quarterback in the NFL“? Let’s start exploring!
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Is It Important for a Quarterback to Be Tall?
Height is among the most essential physical traits that many NFL teams today look for in a quarterback. As such, it comes as no surprise that the normal elevation of a starting quarterback in the league is 6’3″. Contemplating how tall the linemen have been in today’s game, it makes sense for a quarterback to be at least 6’2″. A quarterback should be able to see over guys that are in the 6’5″ to 6’7″ range. This also makes it easier for them to survey the field and release the ball into the receivers.
Who is the tallest quarterback in the NFL?
Most quarterbacks in the NFL now hover somewhere around 6’2″ to 6’6″. It’s rare to discover quarterbacks taller than 6’6″ because usually QBs this tall is not as fast as their 6’3″ counterparts. We’ll take a peek at the tallest quarterbacks (6’6″ or taller) to ever play in the NFL.
Dan McGwire’s Background
Daniel Scott McGwire was born on the 18th of December 1967. In 1991, McGwire was chosen from the first round of this draft (16th overall) by the Seattle Seahawks and went on to play five seasons in the NFL, from 1991 to 1995. He played for the Seahawks for four seasons and to the Miami Dolphins for one season. He had been Dave Krieg’s copy in his rookie season but was anticipated to be the quarterback in the not too distant future.
In his second season, he failed to impress the crowd from the pre-season and he got the name third-string quarterback behind Stan Gelbaugh and Kelly Stouffer. In 1993, McGwire almost lost his Opportunity to Rick Mirer because the Seahawks drafted Mirer out of the University of Notre Dame in the first round.
Back in 1994, McGwire obtained the first and only extended playing time of his profession after Mirer got hurt. He started to play three games where the team went –2. During the season, he threw 105 passes, completing 51 of them for 578 yards and one touchdown. That was his final year for the Seahawks. Then after spending 1 year in Miami, he had been out of football. At 6’8″, McGwire is the tallest quarterback ever to play at the NFL.
Some of The Tallest NFL Players Next to Dan McGwire
If You Would like to know some of the tallest NFL players next to Dan McGwire, below is an inventory to cover them with Some of their advice:
1. Frank Patrick (2.01 m or 6 ft 7 in)
Frank Patrick is a former quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. He played three seasons for the Packers from 1970–1972. Because he was bigger than most quarterbacks of the day, he had been nicknamed”the linebacker that throws moves”.
2. Brock Osweiler (2.01 m or 6 ft 7 in)
Brock Osweiler played college football at Arizona State University and was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2012 NFL draft. During his fourth year with the Broncos, he was a part of this group that won Super Bowl 50 within the Carolina Panthers. He moved on to play for the Houston Texans, Cleveland Browns, and Miami Dolphins before retiring in 2019.
3. Mike Glennon ( 2.01m or 6 ft 7 in)
Michael Joseph Glennon, born on the 12th of December 1989, played college football at North Carolina State University. In the third round of the 2013 NFL draft, he had been drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has played for the Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals, Oakland Raiders, and Jacksonville Jaguars as well.
4. Paxton Lynch (2.01 m or 6 ft 7 )
Paxton Lynch played college soccer at Memphis and was drafted in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft by the Denver Broncos. He played just two seasons in Denver and made four starts prior to being released prior to this 2018 season. In January of 2019, Lynch signed with the Seattle Seahawks following missing the 2018 season, but he ended up being waived in the final roster cuts. Soon thereafter, he joined the Pittsburgh Steelers.
5. Matt Schaub (1.98 m or 6 feet in)
Matt Schaub was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the next round of the 2004 NFL draft since the 90th overall pick. He was the fifth of 17 quarterbacks shot at a quarterback-rich class, such as Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, and Ben Roethlisberger.
6. JaMarcus Russell (1.98 m or 6 feet in)
JaMarcus Russell played college soccer at LSU, where he completed 21–4 as a starter and was named MVP of the 2007 Sugar Bowl. The Oakland Raiders chose Russell with the first overall pick of the 2007 NFL draft. Russell played three seasons with the Raiders but had been released by the team in 2010 because of his erratic play. He’s often ranked among the largest busts in NFL history.
7. Jonathan Quinn (1.98 m or 6 feet in)
Jonathan Quinn played professionally as a quarterback in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, and Chicago Bears. He was chosen with the 25th pick of the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft out of Middle Tennessee State University from the Jaguars.
8. Justin Herbert (1.98 m or 6 ft 6 in)
Justin Herbert was chosen sixth overall by the Los Angeles Chargers in the first round of this 2020 NFL Draft. On September 20, 2020, he made his first NFL start in Week 2 against the Kansas City Chiefs getting the third player in NFL history to pass for at least 300 yards and rush for a touchdown in his first career match.
9. Derek Anderson (1.98 m or 6 ft 6 in)
Derek Anderson was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL draft. He played college football at Oregon State. A 2007 Pro Bowler, he also played with the Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, and the Buffalo Bills. He retired from the NFL in 2019.
10. Jake Luton (1.98 m or 6 ft 6 in)
Jake Luton played college football at Oregon State and has been selected by the Jaguars at the sixth round of this 2020 NFL Draft. On November 8, 2020, he made his first career start in week 9 from the Houston Texans due to newcomer Gardner Minshew being out with a thumb injury.
Final Words
Although taller quarterbacks have more odds of being chosen with first-round selections, the NFL is adapting and presently a league where quickness and imagination have started to reevaluate height and accuracy.
You can’t see a top-rated quarterback with just one look, nor will you see his work ethic and intelligence according to his height. So we could say that being a fantastic quarterback comes in all sizes. What do you think about it? Do you think picking a quarterback ought to be based on height? Let us know what you think. If you enjoyed reading this Guide, you might also like our write-ups on our website.