30 NFL quarterbacks who got better after leaving their first team
By Dan Parzych
22. Jake Plummer
After a stellar career at Arizona State, Jake Plummer seemed to have the potential to develop into one of the next big quarterbacks in the NFL. This is part of the reason he was selected in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals.
Other than an impressive sophomore campaign that consisted of Plummer going 9-7, the Cardinals quarterback didn’t really see that much success during his time in Arizona. He only threw more touchdowns than interceptions once in six seasons, and that came in 2001.
Flash forward to 2003 when Plummer seemed to realize a fresh start on a new team would be best for his career after agreeing to sign with the Denver Broncos in free agency.
Right away, Plummer’s career finally took a huge step in the right direction. The new Broncos quarterback go 9-2, while helping the team earn a trip to the AFC playoffs.
Even better, Plummer managed to go 23-9 over the next two seasons to help Denver emerge as one of the top teams to beat in the AFC. However, the interceptions were still a concern, considering he led the league with 20 in 2004.
Still, the overall conclusion for Plummer is signing with the Broncos helped save his career. Thank goodness he left the Cardinals when he did. Who knows how things would have turned out for the quarterback?