AFL, NFL Super Bowl champs

[Bob Gill]

Only QB to do it, and each time it was a rout (59-14 and 51-10).

Just proves he couldn't win the close ones.

[RichardBak]

Only QB to do it, and each time it was a rout (59-14 and 51-10).

Just proves he couldn't win the close ones.

Though he did lead the Lions to what was then the greatest comeback in postseason history, 31-27 over 49ers. So there's that.

[Cali_Eagle]

Tobin Rote (1957 Lions, 1963 Chargers).

Yes, but no Super Bowl.

Still, it was a distinction.

Tobin Rote S/B in the Hall of Fame.

[Bob Gill]

Tobin Rote S/B in the Hall of Fame.

I wouldn't vote for him. But if he had signed with the AFL in 1960, rather than going to Canada, I think he'd already be in the Hall of Fame. He would've been easily the AFL's best quarterback from 1960-63, and that, added to his fine NFL career, would've made him a very good Hall of Fame candidate. I'd say he would've been elected sometime in the 1970s.

[RichardBak]

Tobin Rote S/B in the Hall of Fame.

I wouldn't vote for him. But if he had signed with the AFL in 1960, rather than going to Canada, I think he'd already be in the Hall of Fame. He would've been easily the AFL's best quarterback from 1960-63, and that, added to his fine NFL career, would've made him a very good Hall of Fame candidate. I'd say he would've been elected sometime in the 1970s.

I've argued for his induction for many years. In a way, I blame it on Mike Stratton in the '64 AFL title game. Rote took the Chargers 80 yards in 4 plays on their opening drive, with Rote tossing a TD pass and Keith Lincoln kicking the XP for a quick 7-0 lead over Buffalo. Lincoln, of course, had had that phenomenal title game the year before (330 yards total offense) when SD creamed Boston. In just under 7 minutes vs. Buffalo he'd already picked up 58 yards rushing/receiving when Stratton knocked him out of the game with a hard tackle. Broke Lincoln's ribs IIRC. Anyway, Rote was already playing w/o Lance Alworth (strained knee in regular season finale). So w/o those two big guns, SD was screwed. Buffalo won, 20-7.

I think if Rote had back-to-back AFL titles added to his NFL career, he would've been voted into the Hall. Not the first or even second time around, but eventually.

[Jay Z]

Tobin Rote S/B in the Hall of Fame.

I wouldn't vote for him. But if he had signed with the AFL in 1960, rather than going to Canada, I think he'd already be in the Hall of Fame. He would've been easily the AFL's best quarterback from 1960-63, and that, added to his fine NFL career, would've made him a very good Hall of Fame candidate. I'd say he would've been elected sometime in the 1970s.

As a passer I think he was too inconsistent. Would depend on how much credit he deserves for running ability.

[Brian wolf]

Rote did the best he could on a bad Packers team ... His starting record was 26-46-1 ... He joins a talented Lions team and helps Layne win his third championship going 6-1 before flopping as the starter the next two seasons. Has a great 1963 year for the Chargers winning it all but struggles in 1964. He deserves credit for his two championships but was mediocre the rest of his career, very similar to Eli Manning and his two championships but didnt throw as well. A no for the HOF ...

[JuggernautJ]

I am a big fan of the 50's Lions and very much appreciate what Rote did in winning the 1957 Championship.
And the 1963 Chargers title is a second highlight to his career.

And I think he is right where he belongs, in the Hall of (the) Vey Good.

[Cali_Eagle]

Rote was up and down to be sure. But I feel what he did in his good seasons (Good for the Era that he played in, and good years for the bad team he played 7 years for, Green Bay of the early mid 50's) were enough to get him in. 2 Championships and an oblique claim to be the best tie-breaker playoff game/championship game QB in NFL-AFL history. Led league in passer rating twice, TD passes twice, yardage once, twice in attempts and completions (One year setting a then record for both). He scored 37 TD's rushing & had 1 TD receiving. (I believe at the time only Otto Graham had scored more. I also think at the time Rote was the all-time leading QB rusher and I think he is STILL in the top 10, even though the game has changed a whole lot.) He rushed for 3128 yards career as a QB in a day when QB's typically didn't run.

Rote scored 2 more TD on the ground in title games plus threw 8 TD passes in his 4 career playoff games. 7 in the 3 victories. Had an MVP Award been given for the 1957 NFL Championship Game, he most probably would have won it. In 1963 it would have been Keith Lincoln, of course, but Rote had a fine game also.

Yes, he did have some poor seasons, I count at least 5 of 12 that were below average for his era. He may have had the most unusual QB career in history. I think the positives outweigh the negatives, and I don't think the HOF would be hurt at all by his presence as there are plenty of positives to cite. He was named to post season selected All-Star teams in 3 different seasons. AFL Player of the Year in 1963, also.
.
I won't add the CFL years to his case. as I suspect that carries little weight with most. But even if you don't count them or give them weight, in 1960 he had the greatest passing season to that date in CFL history. In 1961, I believe he still led the CFL in passing yards again, and just missed a Grey Cup berth due to a questionable playoff play call by the Argonauts coach. (He was said to have been very upset by that.)

Anyway, I am glad he is in the HOVG and I suspect he won't ever see the Canton HOF, but I think he was a very good QB with the misfortune of playing on bad teams, and definitely the inexplicable 1958-1959 seasons didn't help him at all. (Esp 1959.) That season and his rookie year probably did him in re: his Canton case. I don't have an explanation for those seasons, and he probably didn't either. Esp after his 1960 CFL season.

Since I said I thought he should be in, I thought I should state his case.

[Jay Z]

Rote played out his option with Detroit because he wanted a no cut contract and the Lions wouldn't give it to him.

If Rote stays in Detroit, despite his lousy stats in 1959, is he better than Ninowski and Plum? Probably. Is he better than Morrall would have been? Hard to say. Morrall did not play well in preseason games and could never win the job with competition.

If the waiver fiasco doesn't happen with Kemp in 1962 then Rote probably goes to the Bills in 1963. They had first rights to him and Rote's family stayed in Michigan so I think he would have preferred that. I'm no big Kemp fan but Chargers likely win in 1963 anyway. 1964 it's hard to say, Rote's arm was about shot but maybe Buffalo wins anyway. Lamonica gets a chance to win the starting job and maybe the trade with Oakland never happens.