Despite a nightmare of a Super Bowl performance with five interceptions, Rich Gannon had one of the best seasons in NFL history.
Gannon threatened Dan Marino’s single season record for passing yards (5,084). He finished with 4,689 in an NFL MVP winning season. The 37-year old Gannon is at an age most players are headed downhill but he is getting better as his career progresses.
Granted, any quarterback would put up great numbers throwing to Jerry Rice, Jerry Porter, Tim Brown, Charlie Garner and Doug Jolley. The fact remains, however, that Gannon had a splendid season. Gannon finds holes in a defense that no one even knows and no player prepares more studiously for a game.
Marques Tuiasosopo is the quarterback of the future but he has played too seldom to make an evaluation. The second year man made the most of his additional reps in the preseason but unless Gannon gets hurt or retires there’s no way of truly assessing Tuiasosopo.
No. 3 man Rick Mirer, an 11th year veteran, has not had the career scouts envisioned when Seattle made him the second overall draft pick in 1993. Mirer, however, has not been a bust of Ryan Leaf proportions but he’s experienced enough to provide a good safety net.
Vince D’Adamo can be reached via e-mail at vdad7@yahoo.com