In today’s NFL and college football landscape, few issues remain as prominent—and as detrimental to player development—as the lack of continuity at the quarterback position. From frequent changes at offensive coordinator in the NFL to the newly reshaped landscape of college football through NIL opportunities and the transfer portal, these changes are challenging how young quarterbacks learn, evolve, progress, and adapt to the demands of the game.
The quarterback position is notoriously challenging to master, demanding skill and elite mental agility. It’s a position that thrives on stability, not just in the quarterback's personal development but also within the offensive system they operate in. From Tom Brady to Drew Brees, to Patrick Mahomes, each has found success due to consistency in their offensive philosophy and coaching staff, often playing under the same coordinator or in the same system for years and years and years.
Offensive coordinators serve as the backbone for a quarterback's growth. They design the playbook, craft specific game plans, and work hand-in-hand with quarterbacks in adjusting to defenses and refining mechanics. A stable relationship with a coordinator enables quarterbacks to build trust and understanding, allowing both coach and player to effectively tailor strategies around each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Frequent changes at the position, however, can lead to significant setbacks.
In the NFL, young quarterbacks being hindered by rapid coaching turnover or lack of development and tailored schemes is a yearly occurrence. From the early days of Sam Darnold to Zach Wilson, Anthony Richardson, Mac Jones, or the most recent example of 2024 No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams—who will now be asked to learn his third different offense in three years—each change provides a new playbook, terminology, and demands, making it difficult to establish a solid foundation no matter who you have around you.
The lack of stability, and level of fundamental coaching, has delayed Williams’ development. While flashes have been shown this fall, his initial momentum and confidence have waned drastically since the start of his rookie campaign under then-Bears OC Shane Waldron. Unfortunately, it’s a scenario that is not uncommon and one that has derailed the careers of numerous other young signal-callers.
Concerns with Frequent Coaching Changes
Rapid coaching changes go beyond just learning new terminology. Every OC brings a unique style and strategy that requires different skills and mental frameworks. One coordinator might emphasize a West Coast-style attack with quick reads and short passes, while another may prioritize a ground game with calculated vertical throws. The best coordinators adjust the scheme to the players in-house, but each shift fundamentally requires quarterbacks to mentally adjust, relearn the nuances of said architecture, and build rapport with new offensive minds. It inherently slows development and can often leave quarterbacks feeling like they’re starting from scratch.
Further complicating matters is the potential for young athletes to lose confidence. Success in the NFL is fragile, and confidence is crucial for guys to operate at the level where they can lead a franchise week in and week out, year after year. When a quarterback feels like they can’t settle into a system, it can affect decision-making, poise, and overall performance. Multiple changes can create a volatile environment where mistakes are amplified and the quarterback is judged prematurely, leading some to be benched or traded before they’ve had a fair chance to evolve. Teams that have enjoyed prolonged success at the quarterback position often have experienced coordinators who can adapt and support their players through ups and downs.
The NIL Landscape and Transfer Portal’s Impact on Quarterback Development
The college game, long considered a primary development pipeline for NFL quarterbacks, has been dramatically reshaped by the introduction of the NIL era and the transfer portal. These changes have given players more flexibility and financial opportunities, but have introduced new challenges to continuity within a program.
The NIL landscape allows players to profit from their name, image, and likeness, giving them access to revenue through endorsements, merchandise, and more. While it was a long overdue and well-deserved opportunity for players, it can also bring additional distractions and pressures to young athletes who are still developing, and more, maturing as young individuals. For quarterbacks, who already carry significant responsibilities within the hashes, managing these external demands can divert attention from the rigorous process of learning the nuances of the position.
The portal has had an even more profound impact on continuity. Previously, quarterbacks who committed to a program often expected to stay on campus for several years, learning the system, developing relationships with teammates, and growing under the tutelage of their coaches and support staff. Today, the transfer portal allows players to move freely from one school to another without the need to sit out a season. While this flexibility has been beneficial in many cases—allowing players to find better fits and opportunities—it has also led to a “carousel effect” where players, especially quarterbacks, frequently switch programs.
Consider a QB who transfers two or three times during a college career. Each transfer means learning a new playbook, adjusting to new coaches, and rebuilding chemistry with the players he’ll lead every weekend. It can also take time to adjust to new campus surroundings, academic demands, or the period of adjusting for a player who is now thousands of miles away from home. It’s a process that requires time, yet in the competitive environment of college football, players are often expected to perform immediately. While we’ve seen many athletes transfer and have success (see Dillon Gabriel and Cam Ward in 2024) this frequent movement can hinder the development under center such as reading coverage, anticipating routes, understanding how much velocity or touch a QB has to put on the ball with the skill set he’s targeting. Each program and scheme has its own unique demands.
The portal has also created a new dynamic where players can feel pressure to make immediate impacts. With the high visibility of social media and NIL, college quarterbacks are often subject to intense scrutiny, further emphasizing immediate success over long-term development—also known as the Microwave Society in which we live today. A shift in focus from steady improvement to short-term results can lead to inconsistent performance, and some quarterbacks may enter the pro game without having fully developed their profile or learned to thrive within a stable system.
The Road to Stability
To address the issue, it could mean NFL teams look into adopting a long-term approach to coaching hires and giving quarterbacks a chance to grow under a stable system. Teams that invest in offensive continuity, even when facing short-term challenges, may find that their quarterbacks can adapt and improve at a higher rate. It’s often lost in the shuffle in today’s landscape, but patience with young quarterbacks can pay highly significant dividends.
At the college level, a balance has to be found between allowing player mobility and encouraging long-term commitment to development. Some programs are already taking steps to emphasize continuity by building quarterback pipelines that extend from high school recruitment through college, and eventually, to the NFL. For players, the path to success involves not only their physical abilities but also finding programs and teams that prioritize development and invest in stable staff from the top down.
Continuity at the quarterback position is more than a luxury; it’s a necessity. Both in the NFL and college football, young quarterbacks need stability to develop and refine effectively. The NFL’s culture of rapid turnover and the new dynamics of the college game—created by NIL and the transfer portal—have posed unique challenges, but solutions are achievable.
Stability, patience, and a long-term perspective on development have gone continually overlooked in terms of correlating on-field performance. While creating environments where quarterbacks can truly flourish are few and far between in today’s game, those rare systems that prioritize progression, protection up front, versatile play-calling, and reliable receiving options through the ups and downs that parallel young quarterback play can provide, at least, a chance to succeed.
