Strong Arm Tactics:
A History and Statistical Analysis of the Professional Quarterback
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Strong Arm Tactics: A History and Statistical Analysis of the Professional Quarterback |
Arena Football
The ultimate legacy of the USFL may be Arena Football, a minor league started by a former USFL official. This fast-paced, eight-man game has been the haven of a number of failed NFL quarterbacks such as Tony Graziani, Clint Stoerner, Browning Nagle, Craig Whelihan and Sherdrick Bonner, as well as for several black quarterbacks such as Bonner, Fred McNair, Raymond Philyaw and Rickie Foggie. The first table lists the leading passers of the Arena League through the 2007 season, and the second gives NFL statistics for the hanful of Arena star passers who appeared in an NFL game.
Leading Arena Football Quarterbacks, by yards
| Quarterback | Years | Attempts | Comp | % | Yards | Y/Att | TD | Int | Rating |
| Andy Kelly | 1993, 1995-07 | 6224 | 3886 | 62.4 | 42519 | 6.8 | 809 | 154 | 111.9 |
| Clint Dolezel | 1995-99, 2001-07 | 5310 | 3492 | 65.8 | 41518 | 7.8 | 865 | 145 | 117.7 |
| Sherdrick Bonner | 1993-98, 2000-07 | 5272 | 3254 | 61.7 | 40959 | 7.8 | 829 | 119 | 116.1 |
| Aaron Garcia | 1995-07 | 4699 | 2934 | 62.4 | 37835 | 8.1 | 803 | 125 | 116.2 |
| John Kaleo | 1993-07 | 4880 | 2929 | 60 | 35335 | 7.2 | 581 | 146 | 109.4 |
| Mark Grieb | 1997, 1999-07 | 3822 | 2550 | 66.7 | 32422 | 8.5 | 619 | 77 | 124.2 |
| Todd Hammel | 1992-06 | 3847 | 2175 | 56.5 | 27093 | 7.0 | 425 | 146 | 99.6 |
| John Dutton | 2000-07 | 3191 | 1970 | 61.7 | 23658 | 7.4 | 470 | 84 | 113.0 |
| Tony Graziani | 2001-07 | 2814 | 1726 | 61.3 | 22478 | 8.0 | 464 | 64 | 116.6 |
| Jay Gruden | 1991-96, 2002-03 | 2797 | 1675 | 59.9 | 21476 | 7.7 | 397 | 99 | 108.8 |
| Raymond Philyaw | 2000-07 | 2653 | 1725 | 65 | 20403 | 7.7 | 381 | 44 | 121.0 |
| Shane Stafford | 2001-07 | 2718 | 1729 | 63.6 | 19989 | 7.4 | 365 | 64 | 115.5 |
| Fred McNair | 1993-02 | 2626 | 1504 | 57.3 | 19352 | 7.4 | 340 | 71 | 108.8 |
| Mike Perez | 1994-99 | 2378 | 1384 | 58.2 | 18875 | 7.9 | 341 | 84 | 108.5 |
| Rickey Foggie | 1996-02, 2004 | 2601 | 1472 | 56.6 | 17921 | 6.9 | 325 | 80 | 104.7 |
| Mike Pawlawski | 1995-00 | 2045 | 1351 | 66.1 | 16673 | 8.2 | 303 | 45 | 121.5 |
| Matt Nagy | 2002-07 | 1976 | 1313 | 66.4 | 14426 | 7.3 | 300 | 47 | 117.5 |
| John Fitzgerald | 2001-06 | 1984 | 1250 | 63 | 14264 | 7.2 | 237 | 60 | 111.5 |
| Ben Bennett | 1988-97 | 1928 | 1069 | 55.4 | 14168 | 7.3 | 267 | 81 | 101.0 |
| Pat O'Hara | 1995-06 | 1752 | 988 | 56.4 | 13383 | 7.6 | 231 | 65 | 105.0 |
| Chad Salisbury | 2000-07 | 1684 | 1051 | 62.4 | 12109 | 7.2 | 217 | 60 | 108.8 |
| Ron Lopez | 1995-01, 2003 | 1683 | 933 | 55.4 | 11784 | 7.0 | 187 | 46 | 103.1 |
| Kurt Warner | 1995-97 | 1320 | 818 | 62 | 10465 | 7.9 | 183 | 43 | 112.8 |
| Jim Kubiak | 2001-05 | 1242 | 788 | 63.4 | 9985 | 8.0 | 189 | 36 | 116.0 |
| Joe Hamilton | 2004-06 | 1215 | 806 | 66.3 | 9863 | 8.1 | 181 | 34 | 119.1 |
| Matt D'Orazio | 2000, 2005-07 | 1271 | 864 | 68 | 9641 | 7.6 | 185 | 22 | 122.7 |
| Joe Germaine | 2004-07 | 1165 | 774 | 66.4 | 9547 | 8.2 | 193 | 25 | 122.2 |
| Billy Dicken | 2001-06 | 1266 | 766 | 60.5 | 9512 | 7.5 | 187 | 46 | 108.3 |
| Peter Tom Willis | 1997-99 | 1255 | 718 | 57.2 | 9490 | 7.6 | 176 | 37 | 108.6 |
| Connell Maynor | 1996-06 | 1244 | 725 | 58.3 | 9285 | 7.5 | 160 | 33 | 110.3 |
| Leon Murray | 2003-07 | 1295 | 772 | 59.6 | 9258 | 7.1 | 160 | 38 | 108.9 |
| Tony Kimbrough | 1993-99 | 1394 | 782 | 56.1 | 9146 | 6.6 | 136 | 42 | 96.1 |
| Tom Porras | 1991-96 | 1235 | 734 | 59.4 | 8545 | 6.9 | 133 | 48 | 100.1 |
| Scooter Molander | 1992, 1994-96 | 1315 | 764 | 58.1 | 8545 | 6.5 | 124 | 46 | 94.4 |
| Scott Semptimphelter | 1997, 1999-02 | 1146 | 661 | 57.7 | 8392 | 7.3 | 167 | 44 | 104.2 |
| Donnie Davis | 1997-03 | 1108 | 701 | 63.3 | 8192 | 7.4 | 138 | 33 | 112.8 |
| Robert Hall | 1996, 1999-00, 2003-04 | 1149 | 697 | 60.7 | 8145 | 7.1 | 127 | 30 | 108.1 |
| Clint Stoerner | 2005-07 | 1000 | 613 | 61.3 | 7749 | 7.7 | 139 | 30 | 112.5 |
| Kevin McDougal | 1998, 2000-02 | 977 | 594 | 60.8 | 7745 | 7.9 | 134 | 31 | 112.1 |
| Sonny Cumbie | 2006-07 | 1066 | 646 | 60.6 | 7620 | 7.1 | 142 | 23 | 113.0 |
| Mike Hold | 1987, 1989-00 | 1121 | 555 | 49.5 | 7140 | 6.4 | 118 | 47 | 87.5 |
| Jay McDonagh | 1999, 2002-04 | 980 | 593 | 60.5 | 6571 | 6.7 | 110 | 33 | 103.8 |
| Adrian McPherson | 2004, 2007 | 838 | 502 | 59.9 | 6495 | 7.8 | 112 | 19 | 114.4 |
| Craig Kusick | 1994-01 | 900 | 577 | 64.1 | 6413 | 7.1 | 110 | 17 | 116.9 |
| Craig Whelihan | 2001, 2003-07 | 803 | 474 | 59 | 5978 | 7.4 | 110 | 28 | 107.3 |
| Nick Browder | 2000, 2002-07 | 732 | 450 | 61.5 | 5427 | 7.4 | 99 | 23 | 110.7 |
| Chris Griesen | 2005-07 | 547 | 404 | 73.9 | 5013 | 9.2 | 120 | 12 | 132.3 |
| James Guidry | 1993, 1996-99 | 636 | 365 | 57.4 | 4863 | 7.6 | 97 | 27 | 103.7 |
| Ryan Vena | 2004-05 | 524 | 326 | 62.2 | 4142 | 7.9 | 73 | 19 | 111.3 |
| Browning Nagle | 1999-00 | 553 | 303 | 54.8 | 4120 | 7.5 | 74 | 18 | 104.8 |
| Gilbert Renfroe | 1992-93 | 538 | 287 | 53.3 | 4052 | 7.5 | 58 | 18 | 99.9 |
NFL Statistics for Arena Stars, by yards
| Quarterback | Years | Att | Comp | % | Yards | Y/Att | TD | Int | Sacked | Loss | Rating |
| Kurt Warner | 1998-06 | 2508 | 1645 | 65.6 | 20591 | 8.21 | 125 | 83 | 190 | 1175 | 93.8 |
| Craig Whelihan | 1997-98 | 557 | 267 | 47.9 | 3160 | 5.67 | 14 | 29 | 36 | 279 | 52.4 |
| Browning Nagle | 1991-96 | 437 | 213 | 48.7 | 2489 | 5.7 | 8 | 20 | 36 | 274 | 53.5 |
| Peter Tom Willis | 1990-93 | 183 | 104 | 56.8 | 1261 | 6.89 | 6 | 15 | 18 | 94 | 54.9 |
| Tony Graziani | 1997-99 | 174 | 85 | 48.9 | 999 | 5.74 | 2 | 8 | 15 | 100 | 51.4 |
| Clint Stoerner | 2000-01 | 54 | 29 | 53.7 | 367 | 6.8 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 43 | 61.3 |
| Joe Germaine | 1999 | 16 | 9 | 56.3 | 136 | 8.5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 23 | 65.6 |
| Mike Hold | 1987r | 24 | 8 | 33.3 | 123 | 5.13 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 61.6 |
| Chris Griesen | 1999-00 | 16 | 7 | 43.8 | 69 | 4.31 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 24 | 77.3 |
| Ben Bennett | 1987r | 6 | 2 | 33.3 | 25 | 4.17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7.6 |
| Joe Hamilton | 2000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
