QBU: Schools That Produce the Best Quarterbacks in the NFL

3. California Golden Bears

•Aaron Rodgers

•Jared Goff

Piggybacking off of the last section, the California Golden Bears are not thought of as a powerhouse football program. It has been so long since Aaron Rodgers was in college, it’s likely that many of you didn’t even realize he attended California. Before we get into the back-to-back reigning MVP, let’s highlight the “other guy” on the list.

Jared Goff, former No. 1 overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft, is also a Cal alum. He played for the program from 2013-2015, serving as the starter for the team each of his three seasons on campus. In 37 career games, Goff threw for 12,195 yards and 96 touchdowns to only 30 interceptions. Goff produced as well as any in the college ranks during that span. He even began drawing comparisons to the likes of Drew Brees, something that has somewhat haunted him during his time in the NFL. Goff was taken by the Rams, and after the team started 4-5, he took over as the starter for the remainder of his rookie season. Goff lost each of his seven starts in 2016.

Sean McVay came in to be the new head coach following that season, and things changed quickly for Goff. Although his shortcomings were obvious to see, Goff still averaged 4200+ yards, 25 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in his four years as a full-time starter under McVay. They even made a Super Bowl together, but that is where the relationship started to fall apart. Even after winning 42 games as a starter, Goff was sent to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Matt Stafford. Stafford and McVay won the Super Bowl in their first year together in 2021. Goff found himself in Detroit, and all things being equal, he played well. He’s clearly not a quarterback you build the team around, but he’s a steady game manager in this league and a great placeholder for the rebuilding Lions.

The reason for California reaching No. 3 on this list is not because of Jared Goff. A long time ago, in a conference far, far away, Aaron Rodgers tore up the amateur scene with the Golden Bears. Stats were a lot different back then, but Rodgers was viewed as a supremely accurate and cerebral signal-caller. He made 665 throws in college and was intercepted on only 13 of those. As we all know, this trait followed him to the NFL. But first, Rodgers suffered an all-time draft day tumble in 2005.

Expected to go to his favorite childhood team at No. 1 overall, the San Francisco 49ers instead pulled the rug out from under his feet and took Utah quarterback Alex Smith. Rodgers went from expecting to hear his name first, to sitting in the green room in agony for hours. He used this as a chip on his shoulder, and the Green Bay Packers would be the team to reap the benefits. Brett Favre retained the starting gig for three seasons, keeping Rodgers glued to the bench and making many wonder if the Packers had wasted a first-round pick. After Favre’s nearly two decade long stint came to an end in Green Bay, Rodgers stepped in to the lineup to begin the 2008 season.

He played well as a first-year starter, but the team only won six games. The clamoring was getting louder and louder among Packers’ faithful, but the 2009 season put to rest any and all doubts. Rodgers won 11 games and posted numbers that were the inverse of what Favre did for years. Rather than having a quarterback that regularly led the league in turnovers, Rodgers began setting a different precedent. In 2010, the Packers rode Rodgers’ arm to a Super Bowl title. He would win two MVPs over the next four seasons, cementing himself as a legend not only for the Packers but the NFL in general. From 2015-2019, Rodgers maintained strong numbers, but suffered a number of embarrassing playoff losses. He saw his completion percentage drop, and many wondered aloud if it was the end of an era.

The 2020 season completely revived Rodgers. He led the league with 48 touchdowns, while only throwing five interceptions. That type of ratio is unheard of in the history of the NFL. Not only that, he led the NFL with a sparkling 70.7 completion percentage. The Packers won the NFC North with 13 wins, and beat the Los Angeles Rams to earn a spot in the NFC Championship. Unfortunately, Green Bay lost a hard fought 31-26 battle against the eventual Super Bowl Champion, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Rodgers was awarded the NFL MVP for his efforts, as well as a spot on the First-Team All-Pro.

Rodgers followed up that legendary 2020 season, with a nearly equal 2021 season. He once again won the league MVP award, becoming only the fourth player in history to go back-to-back. Rodgers re-upped with the franchise in a deal that seemingly guarantees the quarterback never wears another jersey. Can he match Brett Favre by winning a third MVP in a row?