1) Introduction: Was Harrell’s 2012 season the best ever by a backup quarterback? The second-year player from Texas Tech held the clipboard with perfect form. His posture and facial gestures while watching games from the sideline was second to none. His bored-to cup-to pour time — aka the amount of time it takes Harrell to snap out of staring straight ahead and being bored, sprint to the water cooler, grab a cup, fill it, and deliver it to Aaron Rodgers without spilling — was the best in league history. I can think of no other quarterback that is better suited to back up Rodgers than Mr. Graham Harrell.
2) Profile:
Graham “Mr. Wonderful” Harrell
- Age: Ageless
- Born: to play backup quarterback
- Height: He’s bigger than the game
- Weight: Harrell doesn’t wait for anything or anybody
- College: School of Hard Knocks
- Rookie Year: Doesn’t matter. Harrell has played like a veteran ever since setting foot on the field
- NFL Experience: Watching Harrell play is an experience we all should cherish.
3) Expectations coming into the season: Stay the hell off the field. The Packers kept extra beer in the coolers at Lambeau just in case Harrell ever had to enter a game. It is unclear whether the beer was intended to distract the fans from Harrell actually being in the game, or to calm the nerves of the Packers coaching staff who had to try and make sure Harrell didn’t injure any teammate by hitting them in the nuts with an errant pass.
4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: Starr’s QB sneak in the Ice Bowl, Favre sprinting down the field after a TD with his helmet off in the Super Bowl, Kevin Greene telling Clay Matthews that “it’s time,” Harrell tripping over himself and fumbling at the 1-yard line after he entered the Saints game for an injured Aaron Rodgers. These are the greatest moments in Packers’ history (in no particular order).
5) Player’s contribution to the overall team success: Being from Brownwood, Texas, I bet Harrell grills a mean steak. The offensive linemen probably appreciate that. I bet McCarthy does, too.
6) Player’s contributions in the playoffs: Harrell did just as good of a job tackling Colin Kaepernick as the entire Packers defense.
Season Report Card:
(A+) Level of expectations met during the season (Harrell exceeded my wildest dreams)
(A+) Contributions to team’s overall success (Where would the Packers be without Harrell occupying the extra headset on the sideline?)
(A+) Player’s contributions during playoffs (See snarky comment about the defense)
Overall Grade: A+
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Adam Czech is a a freelance sports reporter living in the Twin Cities and a proud supporter of American corn farmers. When not working, Adam is usually writing about, thinking about or worrying about the Packers. Follow Adam on Twitter. Twitter .
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C’mon let’s get serious! The backup QB situation in GB is no laughing matter; it’s a position of need.
Wait a second, it is a laughing matter. Nice article about the best gig in sports that game me a good chuckle at work on a Monday.
But on a serious note, even if your starter is the defending MVP, you’ve got to have a backup who is capable of serviceably stepping in and playing 2-4 games AND giving you a shot to win.
In all honesty, the offense is so ARod focused, I don’t know who that backup would be. I strongly believe it’s not Graham Harrell.
Wow, pretty harsh sarcasm. As with Sherrod, we don’t know what he can do because he’s rarely been used. He’s been about what you’d expect in the exhibition games he’s played in. http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/166849996.html As for the regular season and playoffs he thankfully hasn’t played much at all. He’s probably like most of the QB’s in the league – OK at times, but not good enough to make you a serious contender. But don’t blame him because ARod has been durable.
At least with his four attempts this past year, no one can say he’s the only backup QB to have never thrown a pass in regular season game.
I address the issue of backup QB more seriously in my QB position post (should be up one of these days).
There are only so many serious words I can type about a backup QB…..
Great eval, Adam.
Adam, please don’t ever change.
Awesome!
They have to come up with a replacement ASAP, he looks like a deer in headlights and his arm is well below average, he makes Caleb Haney look like Andrew Luck. Pro Football Focus had him rated dead last for backup QB’s, only other Packer non-kicker rated dead last was Erik Walden at outside LB (2 straight years). A Colt McCoy type at minimum or slightly better would be a huge upgrade.
Congratulations to the Green Bay Packers on their new slogan.
“Making back-up quarterbacks irrelevant since 1992”.
Thanks, Adam.
Nice. Someone needs to turn your line into an internet meme with a picture of Rodgers/Favre.
What about a collage of pictures of guys like Doug Pederson, TJ Rubley, Craig Nall, Aaron Brooks, and the like with a caption that reads “How many of these former Packer backup QBs can you name?”
Hmmm, interesting idea…
Like to see Adam take a shot at Graham’s job while Graham writes a douchie cheap article or two. Who would do a better job?
I guess your saying the coaching staff can not evaluate QB talent? Or back up QB talent. I remember not to long ago when you douches were talking about Rodgers this way. Yeah, you know better the packers coaches.
Rather than have Graham try to write ( he I’d go to TX Tech so he might not do that we’ll). Lets just put you two in a cage match! Two enter one leaves.
I think you’re misinterpreting Adam’s sarcasm…
Are you aware of my pro wrestling obsession? I know all there is to know about cage matches.
I’d win the match with a Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka dive off the top of the cage.
Sign Matt Cassel as backup–Harrell hasn’t shown anything to convice fans he’s the next man up and can do the job. I’d be anxious to see what BJ Coleman can do, Harrell’s a third stringer right now.