Rick Norton

Quinn Ewers is operating in a different universe than Rick Norton ever inhabited. Ewers has the arm talent, mobility, and coaching infrastructure Norton lacked in the AFL's Wild West days. Norton's 1,815 career yards and 7 TDs look quaint now, but comparing them directly ignores how much the game has evolved—Ewers plays in an era built for passing success.

Rick Norton never made Canton, and his credentials don't warrant serious Hall of Fame consideration. A 30.0 passer rating and 7-30 TD-INT ratio over five seasons tells you everything about his place in football history—a journeyman who happened to throw the last TD pass at Wrigley Field. That's his legacy, not enshrinement.

Norton would get destroyed in today's NFL. His 43.9 completion percentage and inability to protect the football—30 interceptions in 1,815 yards—would be career-ending in an era where precision and decision-making are non-negotiable. Modern rules favor passing, sure, but they also expose quarterbacks who can't execute fundamentals. He'd be a practice squad casualty.

Bob Griese laps Norton on every meaningful metric. Griese's 58.41 rating versus Norton's 30.0 isn't just a gap; it's a chasm. Griese won Super Bowls and built a Hall of Fame resume with the Dolphins. Norton was a placeholder in the franchise's early AFL years—a cautionary tale about arm talent without accuracy or consistency.