When the football gods drew up the perfect quarterback, they probably didn't have Byron Leftwich in mind. He was never a favorite of gridiron scouts, either. Despite a stellar high school career, Byron attracted scant interest from major college programs. Then, despite being drafted in the Top 10 by the Jacksonville Jaguars, critics said that a slow-footed quarterback with a lumpy 240-pound body couldn't win—much less play—in the NFL. Despite bad press, bad luck and bad timing, Byron has managed to put up good numbers wherever and whenever he’s played—and can flash a Super Bowl ring to prove it. This is his story…

GROWING UP

Byron Antron Leftwich was born on January 14, 1980 in Washington, D.C. (Click here for today's sports birthdays.) His father left home when he was a toddler, so the job of raising Byron and his brother, Kevin, fell to their mother, Brenda. She took two jobs, both in nursing homes, to support her boys. Watching his mom work so hard had an impect on Byron. As a youngster, he vowed to make it up to her one day.

The family lived in low-income housing, where the sounds of gunshots often woke the boys from their sleep. When Brenda was working, babysitters and neighbors kept an eye on the kids. Despite constant danger and temptation, the boys made it through their childhood happy, healthy and bright. One of Brenda's proudest moments was the night she made it to a PTA meeting and was told by Byron’s teacher that he was one of the greatest kids she’d ever taught.

Education was one way out of the ghetto, but as Byron grew, sports became an increasingly viable option. A football, basketball and baseball star in the youth leagues around the city, he loved watching pro games up-close, even if he didn't have the money to afford a ticket. Byron sometimes snuck into RFK Stadium for Washington Redskins games. He had a friend who worked security at one of the gates. He turned his head when Byron would slip through a narrow slit in the fence. He still laughs at this memory today, especially when he thinks of all the scouts who said he wasn't slim enough to be an NFL quarterback.

Byron got an eyeful at every Skins game. Under Joe Gibbs, Washington was one of the league's powerhouses. His offense was a dream for any quarterback willing to put in the time to master it. Mark Rypien was the guy in charge during Byron's youth. An average athlete with a good arm, Rypien went to two Pro Bowls and led the Redskins to a victory in Super Bowl XXVI. No doubt Byron had visions of doing the same some day.

Like Rypien, Byron was big, but not particularly fast or mobile. His instincts and leadership skills were uncanny, however, and he became a three-sport varsity star at Howard D. Woodson High School in football, basketball and baseball. Byron had a cannon for an arm, and by his sophomore year, he was the team’s starting QB. That season, he told Washington Post sportswriter Michael Wilbon that he would play Division I football. Two years later, in the fall of 1997, he looked like a genius, having emerged as one of the East Coast’s top prep quarterbacks. Yet when the recruiting process swung into full gear, there were no offers from major programs.

Unbeknwonst to Byron, he suffered from a geographic bias. D.C. grid stars simply did not have the cache of their peers in Virginia and Pennsylvania. Pitt and Maryland showed some interest in Byron, but neither school put anything on the table. The school that pursued him with the most gusto was Marshall of the Mid-American Conference. But the Thundering Herd only targeted Byron after scouting one of his teammates. Defensive Coordinator Kevin Kelly was studing film of a Woodson running back when he noticed Byron firing fastballs all over the field. On one play, just as he was about to be clobbered, he threw for a 30-yard completion.

Bob Pruett, Marshall's head coach, also watched tape of Byron and learned that most schools were shying away from him, partly because his grades had slipped. Pruett contacted Byron and let him know there was a scholarship waiting for him if his academics improved. With the Thundering Herd looking to beef up an already pass-happy offense, Byron jumped at the opportunity.

Byron began his college career as a backup to Chad Pennington. Despite fighting for the same position, the two formed a strong friendship that continues today. They first met on the 50-yard-line, where Pennington challenged Byron to throw a pass out of the end zone. The freshman reared back and fired a bullet through the goal posts and into the stands, earning a dinner at McDonald’s from the Marshall starter.

ON THE RISE

After caddying for Pennington in 1998 and 1999, Byron assumed the starting role in 2000. He had a remarkable year, passing for 3,358 yards and 21 touchdowns. Where Pennington had relied on touch and timing—and the massive talents of Randy Moss—Byron was more active in the pocket and had the confidence to make any throw on the field.

His development continued durng his junior campaign in the fall of 2001. An
All-MAC First Team selection, Byron was named the conference's Offensive Player of the Year and received the Vern Smith Leadership Award. Along the way, he established MAC marks for passing yards (4,132), completions (315), attempts (470) and total offense (4,224).

The Thundering Herd went 10-2 and reached the GMAC Bowl, where Byron enjoyed the defining moment of his record-setting campaign. With Marshall trailling East Carolina 38-8 at the half, he rallied his team to a miraculous 64-61 win in double-overtime. Byron finished the day with 576 yards and four scoring tosses.

Byron's performance in the GMAC Bowl enabled Marshall to get a headstart on its Heisman hype. By the fall of his senior year, the campaign was proceeding full force. Among other gimmicks, the school distributed bobblehead dolls of Byron to every sportswriter who had a vote.

Unfortunately, in a November game against Akron, Byron fractured his left tibia. He had actually hurt the same leg nine months earlier after a similar injury in February. Byron was forced from the contest, but he returned after missing just one snap. He led Marshall to a touochdown, and then was whisked to the hospital for x-rays. Incredibly, Byron returned again, this time in the third quarter. With offensive lineman carrying him down the field after long gainers, he nearly engineered a dramatic comeback victory.

Byron sat out the following game but refused to miss any more action. He guided the Thundering Herd to four straight victories, throwing for more than 400 yards in two of them. To no one's surprise, Byron became the first repeat winner of the conference's Offensive Player of the Year in 10 seasons. In all, he completed 331 of 491 passes for 4,268 yards and 30 touchdowns against only 10 interceptions.

Byron's status as a high-round pick was already solidifed when he attended the NFL combine in 2003. But after blowing away the scouts with his arm, size, and toughness, he suddenly found himself rated ahead of Carson Palmer. The Cincinnati Bengals were already commited to USC quarterback with the first selection overall, however, so Byron wasn't sure where he would go.

The only questions remaining about Byron’s future as a pro revolved around his lack of mobility and the condition of his leg. Few teams were scared away. In fact, as the draft approached, a number of clubs tried to trade up for a shot at Byron. Jacksonville hoped he'd be around when they picked at #7. When he was, the Jags grabbed him.

It didn't take long for Byron to secure the job as the starter in Jacksonville. Incumbent Mark Brunell suffered a left elbow injury in Week 3 of the '03 season, and the Jags were Byron's team from that point on. He started the following week at Houston and settled into life in the NFL from there. It wasn't always easy. Against the Texans, Byron put together three good quarters, but he lost a fumble on the final drive, leading to a game-winning touchdown by Houston.

The next Sunday, Byron made amends in his first start at home. In front of a packed house at Alltel Stadium, he led the Jaguars to a 27-21 win over the San Diego Chargers, posting his first 300-yard passing game as a pro. The highlight of his rookie campaign came in November, when he engineered a victory over the Tampa Bay Bucs, the defending Super Bowl champs. Byron capped off the upset with a 48-yard touchdown strike to Jimmy Smith late in the fourth quarter.

Byron finished the season with 2,819 passing yards and 14 touchdowns. While his 16 interceptions raised some eyebrows, he often showed the poise of a veteran on the field. Indeed, his 73.0 passing rating was the fourth-best figure recorded by a first-rounder over the past 20 years.

Jacksonville avoided any hint of a quarterback controversy in 2004 by letting Brunell walk as a free agent. He signed with Washington, and Byron was the man again. He started 14 games and finished the season with 2,941 passing yards, helping the Jags improve to 9-7. Byron enjoyed his best day of the year agasint the Chargers, passing for a career-high 357 yards while also breaking the team record for consecutive completions with 15. A knee injury kept him out of two games late in the season, but he proved his toughness by playing most of Jacksonville's home finale after suffering a mild concussion.

MAKING HIS MARK

In 2005, Byron established himself as the leader of the Jaguars, both in the locker room and on the field. Before the season, he was named the team's offensive captain after a vote by teammates. When the campaign began, Byron demonstrated the ability to do whatever the Jags needed from him. He was making smart decisions in the pocket, limiting turnovers and getting his team into the end zone. Under head coach Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville was one of the league's up-and-coming clubs.

The Jaguars were 7-3 and sitting pretty in the AFC South, until Byron fractured his left ankle in a win over the Arizona Cardinals. At the time, he was having his best season to date, passing for 15 touchdowns and only five interceptions. Jacksonville gutted out four more victories toa Wild Card spot in the playoffs. Byron returned for the team's matchup against the Patriots, but he couldn't figure out New England's swarming defense. The Jags fell 28-3.

The Jaguars were a boutique pick to make the Super Bowl at the start of the 2006 season, and Byron did nothing to diminish their chances. He led the teamto victories over the Dallas Cowboys and Steelers in the first two weeks. The victory over Pittsburgh was a rousing 9–0 shutout, during which the defense was exceptional and Byron complete 26 of 39 passes. That put Josh Scobee in position to boot three field goals, accounting for all of the scoring on the day.

The promise of the first two weeks started to fade in Week 4. In a road loss to the Redskins, Byron limped off the field with an ankle injury. The following Sunday, he oversaw a 41–0 drubbing of the New York Jets, but he played in intense pain. Despite a well-timed bye week, the ankle felt even worse against the Texans in Week 6. The Jaguars decided to shut Byron down and repair the ankle surgically.

Young David Garard played well in Byron’s absence. For a while, in fact, it appeared as though Byron might not have a job in 2007. But Garrard came back to earth at the end of the year, and Del Rio proclaimed Byron the starter heading into training camp. In July and August, Garrard looked sharp while Byron did not. Del Rio decided that the Jaguars would move forward with Garrard, and they cut Byron on September 1st.

Byron hooked up with Atlanta a few weeks later. In the wake of the Michael Vick dog-fighting scandal, the Falcons had anointed Joey Harrington as their starter, but he was dreadful in the first two games of the ’07 season. Byron’s presence on the sideline lit a fire under Harrington, who had two fantastic games before reverting to his previous form. Byron got his first start in Week 7 and played well. Unfortunately, but he hurt his ankle again. He didn't see any action again until Week 11. The Falcons released him after the season.

From the heights of 2005, Byron had now plummeted to journeyman status. He didn't get a call until August, after the Steelers lost backup Charlie Batch to an injury suffered in a preseason game. Battling Daunte Culpepper for the job as Pittsburgh’s #2 quarterback behind Ben Roethlisberger, Byron demonstrated poise in the pocket and a good grasp of the team’s offense. He beat out Culpepper saw action in three games in 2008, subbing for Roethlisberger and playing exceptionally well when called upon.

Byron connected on 21 of 36 passes for 303 yards. He threw for two scores and ran for another as Pittsburgh went 12–4 and went into the postseason with tremendous momentum. Byron ended up earning his first Super Bowl ring as the Steelers endured a series of tough challenges in the playoffs. First they defeated the Chargers. Next they outlasted the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game. In the Super Bowl, they edged the Arizona Cardinals in a wild affair.

Byron enjoyed his view from the Pittsburgh bench, but he believed he still had the talent to be a starter in the NFL. Tampa Bay agreed. The Bucs signed him to a two-year deal, and he won the starting nod in training camp. It was not a September to remember, however, as Byron failed to ignite what little offense the team had. By October, he was sitting while Josh Freeman was calling the signals. Part of the problem was a nagging elbow injury. It got worse instead of better even though Byron wasn’t playing. In November he was polaced on injured reserve, effectively ending his season.

Byron earned a reprieve the following spring when the Steelers reacquired him in a trade. Roethlisberger had been suspended for the first part of the 2010 season, and head coach Mike Tomlin wanted a quarterback who knew the offense.

As Byron enters his 30s, he must adjust to the idea that NFL teams view him as a quality backup—a handy fill-in for starting passers and a placeholder for rising young stars. Of course, a lot of history has been made by guys like that. Earl Morrall, Jim Plunkett and Kurt Warner each came off the bench and led their teams to Super Bowls in this role. Byron fits the profile. He has the talent and the smarts. Hopefully, he also has the patience to wait for his next big break—while knowing all the while it may never come.

BYRON THE PLAYER

Byron is a classic dropback passer with a cannon for an arm. He’s not going to outrun many defenders, but he knows how to buy time in the pocket. Because he's not afraid of contact, Byron will hold the ball as long as necessary for his receivers to break open. He can take a hit from anyone in the league and drag himself—if he has to—back to the huddle to call the next play. His toughness is legendary.

That toughness is crucial for Byron because he takes a lot of hits. Never a mobile quarterback, he has become even more of a stationary figure in the pocket because of injuries. On the plus side, he can make any throw on the field.

Byron is a quality leader. Even when the fans call for his head, his teammates believe in him. They respond to his confidence, his never-say-die attitude and his knack for making the big play. Byron has won at every level he's played. His Super Bowl ring came as a backup, but deep down he still believes he has what it takes to lead a team to a championship as its starter. That’s the approach that every NFL head coach wants from his #2 passer.

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