Elway and Bradshaw benched as rookies, reached Hall of Fame

The recent decision to bench Bryce Young by the Carolina Panthers after only 18 starts has created quite a buzz.

It’s not uncommon for even No. 1 overall picks to face being sidelined early in their careers.

One such example is John Elway, who was benched twice in his early days with the Denver Broncos before going on to a Hall of Fame career.

In the history of the NFL draft, 36 quarterbacks have been selected No. 1 overall, with various outcomes.

Let’s take a look at five other quarterbacks picked first overall and when they were benched:

Terry Bradshaw

After a shaky start in 1970, Bradshaw was temporarily replaced but later went on to win four Super Bowl titles.

Troy Aikman

Aikman faced setbacks early in his career before leading the Dallas Cowboys to three Super Bowl wins.

Jameis Winston

Winston’s journey included being benched before finding success in later seasons.

JaMarcus Russell

Russell’s career took a different turn after being permanently benched.

Tim Couch

Couch’s time as a starter was eventually cut short after experiencing moments of glory.

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