Retro Blog Bat Around: Who Do You Think Of First? - NFL Edition

Was just perusing my old posts (as I did quite often...at work.  LOL) and realized that I had done the Bat Around for the MLB on which player comes to mind when each team is mentioned.  I said I would do the NFL version soon, but apparently never did.

Well, here goes.... 

Of course, most of the time, I think of the great quarterbacks and HOF'ers by default - unless I have a major player collection from the same team.  I'll try to go beyond the QB's for this (survey).  And even though I still watch NFL football (and UFL) and know the current players well, I think there's a good argument to add a vintage or all-time player too, though that may put the choices right back to the classic QB's, which are the boring answers.  I'm probably overthinking all of this.  I guess the number one thing to keep in mind is that this is not "who's the greatest player of that team", but just "Who do you think of first?"

Now, what order do I go in? 😜  Since I had to cut each one from the group shot above, they appear in alphabetic order, so let's go with that:

Arizona Cardinals
default answer: Kyler Murray or Jim Hart
all-time answer: Larry Fitzgerald
quirky answer: Dan Dierdorf

Atlanta Falcons
default answer: Bijan Robinson or Matt Ryan
all-time answer: Michael Vick
quirky answer: Tommy Nobis

 

Baltimore Ravens
default answer: Lamar Jackson or Joe Flacco
all-time answer: Ray Lewis
quirky answer: Obafemi (Femi) Ayanbadejo

Buffalo Bills
default answer: Josh Allen or Damar Hamlin
all-time answer: OJ Simpson or Jim Kelly
quirky answer: Marshawn Lynch

Carolina Panthers
default answer: Cam Newton
all-time answer: Steve Smith, Jr.
quirky answer: Stephen Davis

Chicago Bears
default answer: Caleb Williams
all-time answer: Walter Payton or Dick Butkus
quirky answer: Peanut Tillman

Cincinnati Bengals
default answer: Joe Burrow or Jamar Chase
all-time answer: Anthony Muñoz or Ken Anderson
quirky answer: Ickey Woods

Cleveland Browns
default answer: Shadeur Sanders or Deshaun Watson
all-time answer: Jim Brown
quirky answer: Ozzie Newsome

Dallas Cowboys
default answer: Dak Prescott or CeeDee Lamb
all-time answer: Roger Staubach or Troy Aikman
quirky answer: Ed "Too Tall" Jones

 

Denver Broncos
default answer: Bo Nix
all-time answer: Peyton Manning or Shannon Sharpe
quirky answer: Tom Jackson (from? Looivul)

Detroit Lions
default answer: Matthew Stafford or Calvin Johnson
all-time answer: Barry Sanders
quirky answer: Charlie Batch or Rodney Peete

Green Bay Packers
default answer: Aaron Rodgers
all-time answer: Brett Favre or Reggie White
quirky answer: Bubba Franks

Houston Texans
default answer: CJ Stroud
all-time answer: J.J. Watt
quirky answer: Demeco Ryans

Indianapolis Colts
default answer: Peyton Manning
all-time answer: Johnny Unitas
quirky answer: Bert Jones

Jacksonville Jaguars
default answer: Trevor Lawrence
all-time answer: Tony Boselli or Mark Brunell
quirky answer: David Garrard

Chiefs
default answer: Patrick Mahomes
all-time answer: Derrick Thomas or Tony Gonzalez
quirky answer: Priest Holmes or Emmitt Thomas

 

Chargers
default answer: Justin Herbert
all-time answer: Junior Seau or Dan Fouts
quirky answer: Charlie Joiner

Rams
default answer: Puka Nacua or Aaron Donald
all-time answer: Torry Holt or Isaac Bruce
quirky answer: James Harris

Raiders
default answer: Maxx Crosby
all-time answer: Ken Stabler or Jack Tatum
quirky answer: Lyle Alzado

Dolphins
default answer: Tua Tagovailoa
all-time answer: Larry Csonka or Dan Marino
quirky answer: Louis Oliver

Vikings
default answer: Justin Jefferson
all-time answer: Randy Moss or Fran Tarkenton
quirky answer: Tommy Kramer

Patriots
default answer: Drake Maye
all-time answer: Tom Brady
quirky answer: Sam "Bam" Cunningham

Saints
default answer: Alvin Kamara or Chris Olave
all-time answer: Archie Manning
quirky answer: Sam Mills

Giants
default answer: Cam Skattebo or Jaxson Dart
all-time answer: Lawrence Taylor or Eli Manning
quirky answer: Plaxico Burress or Amani Toomer

Jets
default answer: Garrett Wilson
all-time answer: Joe Namath or Curtis Martin
quirky answer: Richard Todd

Eagles
default answer: Jalen Hurts or Saquon Barkley
all-time answer: Donovan McNabb or Randall Cunningham
quirky answer: Wilbert Montgomery

Steelers
default answer: T.J. Watt or Aaron Rodgers
all-time answer: Terry Bradshaw or Ben Roethlisberger
quirky answer: Willie Parker

Seahawks
default answer: Jaxon Smith-Njigba
all-time answer: Steve Largent or Russell Wilson
quirky answer: Marshawn Lynch

 

49ers
default answer: Christian McCaffrey
all-time answer: Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, or Steve Young
quirky answer: Colin Kaepernick or Terrell Owens

Buccaneers
default answer: Mike Evans or Jameis Winston
all-time answer: Derrick Brooks or Tom Brady
quirky answer: Cadillac Williams

Titans
default answer: Cam Ward (and not many others)
all-time answer: Steve McNair or Eddie George
quirky answer: Jevon Kearse

Commanders
default answer: Jayden Daniels
all-time answer: John Riggins or Darrell Green
quirky answer: Billy Kilmer or Taylor Heinicke

That was pretty much right off the top of my head, so I'm not sure how much it made you think of players you haven't heard about in a long time.  Let me know in the comments if there were glaring omissions, or more ridiculous players to consider.