John Reaves

#6 · Cincinnati Bengals

Retired 9 Years In The NFL

🏆 Sammy Baugh Trophy (1971)

John's

HAIR

7.0

HeyTC AI Rating

Questions about John Reaves or the Bengals?

John Reaves Legacy

HEYTC AI

John Reaves was a prolific passer who arrived at Florida as a gunslinger and left as college football's all-time leading passer. He threw for over 10,000 yards in just two and a half seasons under Steve Spurrier, winning the Sammy Baugh Trophy in 1971. His NFL journey was less storied—a journeyman who played for six teams across 11 seasons—but Reaves remained defined by his arm talent and competitive fire. He's remembered with good humor for that infamous Auburn game in 1969, when nine interceptions in 66 attempts became an NCAA record he'd joke about for decades. Reaves passed away in 2017, leaving behind the legacy of a quarterback who could sling it with the best of his era.

John Reaves passed away on August 1, 2017 at the age of 67.

John Reaves Rating Breakdown

Season

Non-Factor

Fantasy

Subpar

Playoffs

Non-Factor

Overall

Cooked

4 years with the Bengals

John Reaves Career Stats via Wikipedia

10,011 Pass Yards

62 Touchdowns

0 INTs

0.0% Comp %

7.0 HAIR

Frequently Asked Questions About John Reaves

How does Joe Burrow compare to John Reaves?

John Reaves' Bengals stint was a rough 47.8 passer rating over 28 games, 1,546 yards, 7 TDs, and 17 picks—think journeyman backup in a run-first era. Joe Burrow? He's already got two AFC title shots and a Super Bowl sniff, redefining Bengals QB play with laser arm and ice veins. Reaves filled gaps; Burrow's chasing rings.

Is John Reaves in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Nope, John Reaves never made it to Canton—no bust waiting there for the ex-Gator star who lit up college with 7,581 yards, then bounced NFL teams like a bad check. His pro ledger: 10,011 yards, 62 TDs across leagues, but too many picks (95 in NFL alone) kept Hall voters away. Solid grinder, not immortal.

How would John Reaves perform in today's NFL?

Reaves' gunslinger arm—4,092 yards, 28 TDs in '84 USFL—would feast under today's pass-happy rules, no more 1970s mugging QBs. His 51.4% Bengals completion? Pocket protection and RPOs might bump that to starter viable, like a poor man's Rich Gannon reborn. But those 95 career picks scream turnover machine in blitz schemes.

How does John Reaves compare to Ken Anderson?

Reaves' 6.99 Bengals rating (yeah, you read that right) over spot starts pales next to Ken Anderson's 39.41 masterpiece, complete with '81 MVP and deep balls to Cris Collinsworth. Both franchise guys, but Anderson was surgeon precise; Reaves, the wild reliever who gave up 17 picks in 1,546 yards. Classic gap: maestro vs. cowboy.