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NFL No. 1 pick QBs and their varied paths to the Super Bowl

By Sayre Bedinger

NFL - Super Bowl; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) with the George Halas Trophy after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
NFL - Super Bowl; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) with the George Halas Trophy after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California February 7, 2016.The Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers 24-10. / AFP / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images) /

Fastest former #1 NFL Draft picks to reach Super Bowl (two-way tie)

These quarterbacks reached their first Super Bowl in their 9th NFL season

T-5th. Jim Plunkett, Raiders

Jim Plunkett was the first overall pick of the New England Patriots in the 1971 NFL Draft.

He played five seasons with the New England Patriots before playing another two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and at age 33, he became the starting quarterback of the Raiders.

Plunkett threw seven touchdown passes in the Raiders’ four playoff wins that season, leading the franchise to a Super Bowl title to kick off the 80s, winning MVP of the game in the process.

T-5th. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts

In hindsight, the fact that Peyton Manning didn’t reach the Super Bowl until his 9th NFL season is one of the more remarkable facts about his legendary career.

Manning will go down as one of the two or three best quarterbacks of all time, but winning or even getting to the Super Bowl was elusive for him.

Manning beat the Chicago Bears in his first Super Bowl appearance back in the 2006 season. He then fell to the Saints and Seahawks in his next two Super Bowl appearances before sailing into the orange and blue sunset, winning a title with the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50 and then retiring shortly thereafter.

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