Why can't a QB call his own plays?

[Elessar78]

There's the rare occasion of Peyton Manning who calls his own plays. There are guys like Tom Brady who (used to, at least) come to the line with two plays. But how come the vast majority of QBs need the play relayed to them by the coach/coordinator?

QBs study the play book ad nauseum, they know the down, distance, game situation. Or at least they should.

Is it a holdover from a time when QBs didn't learn the plays or study the game as much as QBs do now?

[Mark The Homer]

If you want to move this to the ATN, let us know...

[thebluefood]

I think it's because offenses have become more and more complicated over the past 25-30 years (ect.: Bill Walsh's West Coast Offensive). Manning can call his own plays, I figure, because his mind is so sharp he's one of the few men that can handle it.

[Elessar78]

If you want to move this to the ATN, let us know...

Sorry. I really wasn't sure, because while football related it wasn't strictly NFL. But yes, if you think that's where it belongs please do.

[Mark The Homer]

It's your call.

[Pwyl]

I think it's a combination of things. The coaches, especially up in the box, can see the whole field and how the defense is lining up and reacting to certain formations/motions. Also, you often want to use one play, or a series of plays, to set up something big later in the game.

[Bang]

The thinking is that the OC up in the booth has a clearer picture of the field and the defensive trends. Plus, the days when they called their own plays, the playbook was about half the size. Manning has a set of plays that he can run from any given formation. He is about the only one that truly calls his own plays, and even he gets formations and attack plans fed o him.

~Bang

[ohioskinsfan]

Manning has a set of plays that he can run from any given formation. He is about the only one that truly calls his own plays, and even he gets formations and attack plans fed o him.

~Bang

I was just going to make the same point, he truly isn't using the whole play book. Just choosing from a few runs and passes.

[Stew]

I was just going to make the same point, he truly isn't using the whole play book. Just choosing from a few runs and passes.

Correct. What Manning has that a lot of other QB's dont, is the ability to recognize the defenses, and make the correct audible. So take that gift, with the ability to call one of three or four plays, one of which is probably an "Ol faithful" and you have consecutive seasons like he does. he is the most intelligent QB in the game. I think he would be a great coach afterwards.

[PokerPacker]

I think he would be a great coach afterwards.

As long as he's not dealing with kids.

[SellersHappens]

Well, one major reason is that if a QB becomes used to calling his own plays, that QB might think he is experienced enough to be the head coach and play-caller of the Washington Redskins. And then run the Swinging Gate play. Twice. In a row. On Monday Night Football.

[757SeanTaylor21]

^^but it worked though!

no but peyton is peyton. hes allowed to run his own plays.

[budski]

Because the NFL has a contract with Motorola (headsets), and would lose all that revenue (no headsets) if the QB called his own plays.

[ACW]

That's the amazing thing about Peyton; he's DEFINITELY the most cerebral QB, if not PLAYER in the whole league. He'll DEFINITELY become some sort of coach whenever he retires.

[Botched]

Because only overrated QBs with poor accuracy are allowed to call their own plays. Just ask Oldfan.

[pointyfootball]

It is one thing I dislike about football. Too many coaches and too much "coach input". Maybe it has to be that way b/c of the nature of the game and the specialist players on O and D, but it would be really cool if they shortened the play clock significantly and disallowed as many subs.

[jthor99]

Peyton is one of the few guys around the league who has actually been in the SAME system his entire his career.

Even Brady, has switched OC on several different occasions.

What benefits Manning is that everything stays the same for him, so he's not always trying to learn new schemes.

[Elessar78]

Interesting tack this thread is taking. Now it's about Peyton, which I don't mind.

Some of these answers, I knew/heard already but wanted to see if there was more to it.

For example, a vet like Favre must find it annoying that he still has to wait for the play to be called in. He probably only agrees on the play call with Childress half the time and tries to audible out of it anyway.

IMO, we have too many dumb QBs in the league and having them call their own plays would just be a disaster. I also think it's a rare circumstance where you get a QB with the mental capability and the physical tools to execute those plays. I guess all the smarts in the world wouldn't do you any good if you couldn't throw a 15 yard out

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Because coaches have to prove their value.

Why do NBA coaches need a clipboard in the huddle? You've played 500 games together. Yet, there is still a magic play that the coach just thought of. But if the coach said, "Let's run #4" in the huddle, people would think he wasn't doing his job.

Terry Bradshaw called his own plays. And the man has an IQ of 45. Ken Stabler called his own plays, and he drank during halftime. I refuse to believe that football it's too complicated for modern players.

[Stew]

Interesting tack this thread is taking. Now it's about Peyton, which I don't mind.

Some of these answers, I knew/heard already but wanted to see if there was more to it.

For example, a vet like Favre must find it annoying that he still has to wait for the play to be called in. He probably only agrees on the play call with Childress half the time and tries to audible out of it anyway.

IMO, we have too many dumb QBs in the league and having them call their own plays would just be a disaster. I also think it's a rare circumstance where you get a QB with the mental capability and the physical tools to execute those plays. I guess all the smarts in the world wouldn't do you any good if you couldn't throw a 15 yard out

I think there is a combination that has to be there to be an elite QB. Having the benefit of staying in one system (Manning, Brady, McNabb, Palmer, and so on,) but also being able to read defenses, and recognize blitzes. Even if you cant call your own play, being able to read the look the defense is giving you is key. Jason Campbell had neither luxury. He had never been in a stable system, and his ability to read defenses was average at best. Or maybe he just couldnt audible... who knows.

But when you have a QB that has that combination of things going for him, and you give him the ability to chose froma a few plays at the line of scrimage, then you have the ingredients for a franchise qb, and a contender every year.

For something like this to happen, a coach has to be in place for a good period of time, and have a qb that he grooms. This is the problem here. Coaches go no more then five years, then we replace.

[Hubbs]

Well, one major reason is that if a QB becomes used to calling his own plays, that QB might think he is experienced enough to be the head coach and play-caller of the Washington Redskins. And then run the Swinging Gate play. Twice. In a row. On Monday Night Football.

You win the thread.

[Destino]

The amount of money in the NFL says you want the best person available for each job. What are the odds that the amazingly gifted athlete under center also happens to be a master strategist and the best option for calling plays on the teams?

Players by definition are in the weeds and they see what is happening from a limited perspective. The O coordinator is thinking bigger picture and not losing site of the fact that there is a defensive coordinator on the other side of the field that is watching and making adjustments as well.

[Hubbs]

The amount of money in the NFL says you want the best person available for each job. What are the odds that the amazingly gifted athlete under center also happens to be a master strategist and the best option for calling plays on the teams?

6'5", laser-rocket arm.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

The amount of money in the NFL says you want the best person available for each job. What are the odds that the amazingly gifted athlete under center also happens to be a master strategist and the best option for calling plays on the teams?

Players by definition are in the weeds and they see what is happening from a limited perspective. The O coordinator is thinking bigger picture and not losing site of the fact that there is a defensive coordinator on the other side of the field that is watching and making adjustments as well.

So, how did a dummy like Bradshaw win four titles?

[Forehead]

Correct. What Manning has that a lot of other QB's dont, is the ability to recognize the defenses, and make the correct audible....I think he would be a great coach afterwards.

This is false. I played a Redskins dynasty on Madden where I was just running drafts, doing the GM thing. And I drafted great players dammit! Years into the dynasty, Peyton Manning had retired and I hired him as the Redskins head coach. Consecutive 6-10 seasons. I had to fire the guy. He just wasn't getting the most out of the players. We had a roster that was super bowl worthy on paper.