Who is the second-best quarterback in Patriots history?

Drew Bledsoe, right, and Tom Brady, during a Sept. 30, 2001, game. The Boston Globe

August 4, 2017

2 minutes to read

Welcome to Boston.com’s Sports Q, our daily conversation, initiated by you and moderated by Chad Finn, about a compelling topic in Boston sports. Here’s how it works: You submit questions to Chad through Twitter, Facebook, email, his Friday chat, and any other outlet you prefer. He’ll pick one each day (except for Saturday) to answer, then we’ll take the discussion to the comments. Chad will stop by several times per day to navigate. But you drive the conversation.Tom Brady turning 40 and looking back on everything the GOAT has accomplished made me think of this: Who is the second-best quarterback in Patriots history? It has to be Drew Bledsoe, right? I’m just wondering if your readers will rationalize another choice. I don’t think Bledsoe is properly appreciated around here because Brady is so great. Thoughts? – Jim J.

It’s funny, wish I could remember who said this the other day, but it’s true: If you divide Brady’s career in half, you probably have two Hall of Fame careers. (It’s the same point Bill James has long made about Rickey Henderson.) So the argument can be made, quirkily, that Brady is actually the two best quarterbacks in franchise history.

But yeah, it’s Bledsoe. He’s second in yards (29,657, a mere 32,000 or so behind Brady) and third in touchdown passes behind Steve Grogan (182-166), but Grogan was around seven seasons longer than Bledsoe. Bledsoe lost his gig to Brady. Grogan once lost his job to Matt Cavanaugh, and another time to Tony Eason. We love Grogan. But he’s not in Bledsoe’s class.

By the way, Eason is fifth in Patriots history in passing yards, behind the aforementioned three and AFL great Babe Parilli, who passed away recently. And Matt Cassell is eighth, a spot behind Hugh Millen. So the Patriots haven’t exactly had great historical depth at quarterback, though that probably has to do with the fact that they’ve essentially had two quarterbacks since ’93. The Jets usually have that many by Week 6 in a given season.

I say Bledsoe is the second-best quarterback in Patriots history, and it’s not close. But what do you guys say? I know Grogan will get some votes out of you old-timers and neck-roll aficionados. I’ll hear you in the comments.