30 NFL quarterbacks who got better after leaving their first team
By Dan Parzych
21. Billy Kilmer
Going way back to the 1960s, Billy Kilmer was selected as the No. 11 pick in the 1961 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He was mostly used as a running back for all the years spent with the team.
Seeing how Kilmer rushed for 987 yards with 15 touchdowns over his first two seasons with the 49ers compared to the two touchdown passes thrown from 1961 to 1966 shows how the team believed his major strength was at running back. Things would change for Kilmer later on.
During the 1967 Expansion Draft, Kilmer found himself selected by the New Orleans Saints. They would use him as a quarterback right away, while only using him as a running back at the minimum.
To say Kilmer’s time with the Saints was a major disappointment for the most part would be a huge understatement. He went 0-4 during his first season, while only winning 11 games over the following three seasons.
Once New Orleans decided to give up on Kilmer by agreeing to a trade that sent the quarterback to the Washington Redskins, he would eventually earn his time to shine after taking over for Sonny Jurgensen, who unfortunately suffered a devastating shoulder injury during 1971.
Not only would Kilmer go on to spend the rest of his career in Washington, but also he would put together an impressive streak consisting of seven seasons in a row with winning records from 1971 to 1977.