In the 2001 NFL Draft, the Falcons orchestrated a trade with the San Diego Chargers, acquiring the first overall pick ( which was used on quarterback Michael Vick ) in exchange for wide receiver / return specialist Tim Dwight and the fifth overall pick ( used on running back LaDainian Tomlinson ).

In 2002, Vick set many records and supplied the media with numerous highlights for the season, including rushing for 173 yards in an overtime win at Minnesota, the highest single-game rushing total for an NFL quarterback ever ( Vick's footwear from this game are currently enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame ).

On April 26, Matt Ryan ( quarterback from Boston College ) was drafted third overall in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Falcons.

The Panthers selected quarterback Cam Newton as the first overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.

By the end of the season, the rookie quarterback had rewritten the record book in Charlotte and many more in the NFL ( including most passing yards by a rookie with 4, 051, previously held by Peyton Manning with 3, 739 ; and most rushing touchdowns by a QB with 14 ).

Carson Palmer, the future star quarterback, was drafted in 2003, but did not play a snap that whole season, as Jon Kitna had a comeback year ( voted NFL Comeback Player of the Year ).

Bengals quarterback Virgil Carter would be the first player to successfully implement Walsh's system, leading the NFL in pass completion percentage in 1971.

The only successful drop kick in the NFL since the 1941 NFL Championship game was by Doug Flutie, the backup quarterback of the New England Patriots, against the Miami Dolphins on January 1, 2006, for an extra point after a touchdown.

Under NFL and NCAA rules, once the quarterback moves out of the pocket, and there is no good option for a forward pass, the ball may be legally thrown away to prevent a sack.

* Rick Mirer, NFL quarterback

However, under head coach Weeb Ewbank and the leadership of quarterback Johnny Unitas, the Colts would go onto a 9 – 3 record during the 1958 season and reached the NFL Championship Game for the first time in their history by winning the NFL Western Conference.

These consecutive championship teams featured 1976 NFL Most Valuable Player Bert Jones at quarterback and an outstanding defensive line, nicknamed the " Sack Pack.

During the season Manning and Marvin Harrison broke the NFL record for touchdowns by a quarterback and receiver tandem.

The inaugural season featured many of the players who would lead Jacksonville into the playoffs in the team's next four seasons, including quarterback Mark Brunell ( acquired in a draft day trade from Green Bay ), offensive lineman Tony Boselli ( drafted with the 2nd pick overall in the 1995 NFL Draft ) running back James Stewart ( also drafted in 1995 ), and wide receiver Jimmy Smith ( signed as a free agent ).

The Jaguars selected quarterback Byron Leftwich with the seventh pick of the NFL draft.

In the 2011 NFL draft, the Jaguars traded a first and a second round pick in order to move up to the 10th pick and select Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert.

During the period spanning 1983 to the end of 1999, quarterback Dan Marino became one of the most prolific passers in NFL history, breaking numerous league passing records.

Under quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots have also compiled the longest winning streak consisting of regular season and playoff games in NFL history, a 21-game streak from October 2003 – October 2004.

Saints All-Pro quarterback Drew Brees made a controversial tweet on June 20, 2012 stating, " If NFL fans were told there were " weapons of mass destruction " enough times, they'd believe it.

When the AFL and NFL merged, the team fell into a state of mediocrity along with their star quarterback, Namath, who only had three successful post-merger seasons after injuries hampered much of his career.

Under NFL rules, if a quarterback lines up under center, he is by definition ineligible and not allowed to receive a forward pass.

The NFL allows a quarterback in a shotgun formation to receive a forward pass.

* John Ford ( wide receiver ) ( born 1966 ), American football player in NFL who attended University of Virginia and was with Detroit Lions during 1989 season

* John Brown ( American football ) ( born 1939 ), NFL player

That first season started with a 94 yard opening kickoff return for a touchdown by John Gilliam ( No other team in NFL history has ever returned a kickoff for a touchdown on its first attempt as a new franchise ), but the Saints lost that game 27 – 13 to the Los Angeles Rams at Tulane Stadium.

1979 marked a turning point for the Chargers franchise as The Sporting News named team general manager John Sanders NFL Executive of the Year after balloting of other NFL executives.

Since 2000, St. John Fisher College has been home to the Buffalo Bills ' NFL annual summer training camp.

On March 5, 1975, John Thompson, former Executive Director of the NFL Management Council and a former Washington Husky executive, was hired as the general manager of the currently unnamed team.

The NFL highlight film of this game was the final voice over work for famous NFL narrator John Facenda.

The highlight package to Super Bowl XVIII was voice-over artist John Facenda's final project for NFL Films.

For this game, NBC introduced a new theme for NFL broadcasts by composer John Colby that would be retained for the 1994 season.

* John Riggins or " The Diesel ", NFL football player

With respected college and NFL coach John Ralston as the first employee, Dixon signed up 12 cities — nine where there already were NFL teams and three where there were not.

At the time, ABC had lost its contract for NFL broadcast rights, and despite recently signing a long-term contract with ESPN, Michaels was interested in rejoining broadcast partner John Madden at NBC for the Sunday night package.

* John Watson ( American football ) ( born 1949 ), former NFL offensive lineman

* John Elway – NFL player

* John DiGiorgio, NFL Player, Macomb, Shelby Township

John Brodie was the first NFL shotgun quarterback, beating out former starter Y.

Several notable athletes have emerged from the city of East Point, among them Reggie Rutland, Jonas Jennings ( NFL ), Nick Rogers ( NFL ), Bill Thorn, Donald Adams ( Basketball ), John Milner ( baseball ) and Jay Hudson.

* John Elway ( Denver Broncos NFL ) and Wayne Gretzky ( Edmonton Oilers NHL ) have summer homes here.

* John Stonebraker, NFL player

* John Riggins, NFL running back

* John Zook, football player, all state, all Big 8 ( Kansas University ), all-pro NFL