Why NFL Franchises Struggle with Young QBs 🏈

On this special edition of Scoop City, The Athletic’s Senior NFL Insider Dianna Russini, former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel, and NFL Reporter James Palmer are joined by The Athletic’s Senior National Writer Zak Keefer. This is the full talkback with Zak, breaking down his latest article called "The bust files: How NFL teams break young quarterbacks," focusing on the alarming trend of first-round quarterback busts across the NFL.

Zak explains why so many highly drafted quarterbacks fail to meet expectations—and why, more often than not, it’s the organizations failing the players, not the other way around. The crew dives into front office decisions, coaching instability, and the lack of development structures that often derail promising careers before they ever take off.

From the cautionary tales of past draft classes to what it means for today’s young signal-callers, Dianna, Chase, James, and Zak discuss the ripple effects these failures have on entire franchises. Don’t miss this deep, insider conversation that pulls back the curtain on how the NFL really works when it comes to drafting and developing quarterbacks.

00:00 - Intro
02:20 - Alex Smith's experience
07:29 - Kevin O'Connell's QB Perspective
10:50 - Colts' handling of Anthony Richardson
16:50 - The difference in Buffalo with Josh Allen

🎧 Listen to full episodes of the podcast here - https://theathletic.lnk.to/scoopYT

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