Roethlisberger, Romo top QB crop

By Sam Adams, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published July 18, 2008 at 6:12 p.m.

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There could be plenty at stake in the standings when the Pittsburgh Steelers play the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 7 at Heinz Field.

On a hazy but sunny morning at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, the young quarterbacks of these two teams, Ben Roethlisberger and Tony Romo, shook hands, marking their first meeting.

Roethlisberger and Romo are part of the NFL's wave of young quarterbacks with star potential. Roethlisberger and Romo. Jay Cutler, Carson Palmer, Philip Rivers, Eli Manning, Vince Young, Matt Leinart . . . there's a list of quarterbacks with potential for greatness.

"Some years, you get two or three great quarterbacks," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. "Other years, you might get four or five. Question is, are they good ones or great ones?"

Wide receiver Jerry Rice has caught passes from Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Steve Young, so he recognizes greatness in a quarterback.

"This younger crop has some big shoes to fill," Rice said. "I feel there are some good young quarterbacks going into their second, third and fourth years as starters that are going to blossom and uphold what those guys like Brett Favre, John Elway, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have done."

Elway was the first quarterback selected from the NFL's fabled "Class of '83," a group of six quarterbacks picked in the first round that accounted for 11 Super Bowl appearances and two championships, both by Elway.

"Our draft class isn't too bad," said Roethlisberger, who was one of four quarterbacks - Rivers, Eli Manning and J.P. Losman were the others - selected in the first round of the 2004 draft. He and Eli Manning already have one Super Bowl championship apiece, and Rivers helped lead the San Diego Chargers to the AFC Championship Game last season.

"Hopefully, one day they'll talk about our class like they do the Class of '83," Roethlisberger said.

• July 19, 2008

  10:13 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  hdfresh writes:

  Quarterback ranking of the future

  1. Jay Cutler
  2. Tony Romo
  3. Carson Palmer
  4. Ben Roethlisberger
  5. Eli Manning
  6. Philip Rivers
  7. Vince Young
  8. Matt Leinart

• July 19, 2008

  1:02 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Spider writes:

  hd, take Rivers out of the mix and you're right on with your picks.

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