Byron Leftwich

[Thurmanation]

Leftwich stuck in limbo

Former first-round draft pick struggling to find a job

Byron Leftwich lives in Atlanta, trains in South Florida and spends most weekends back home in the D.C. area. He has several places to hang his hat. But right now he has nowhere to hang his helmet.

With NFL training camps starting within a month, the former quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars and, briefly, the Atlanta Falcons, remains a free agent. It's a sudden and unusual turn. Only 28, Leftwich was a starter one minute, unemployed the next.

"It went from so good to so bad real quick," he said.

Leftwich played three sports at H.D. Woodson High School in Northeast and became a star at Marshall in West Virginia. The Jaguars took Leftwich seventh in the 2003 draft, the next quarterback taken after No. 1 pick Carson Palmer. As a rookie, he replaced the injured Mark Brunell and produced good numbers. He was better the next year and better still in 2005, when the Jaguars made the playoffs.

But he got hurt late that season, and injuries, specifically lower leg injuries, became the major issue. At 6-foot-5, 250-pounds with limited mobility, Leftwich was an easy target.

"I [went from] the toughest guy in the NFL to the most injury prone," he said in a telephone interview last week from his Atlanta home.

Getty Images Byron Leftwich: "You've got to stand up and see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know I can play the game of football."

Leftwich was taking a week-long break from his daily 3 1/2-hour workout regimen at a high-tech training facility near Miami. NFL stars Plaxico Burress, Frank Gore, Anquan Boldin and good friend and former Jaguars teammate Fred Taylor have been among those working alongside. He said he has lost 25 pounds.

"If I put on a No. 81 jersey, people will think I'm Randy Moss," he said.

His coach at Marshall, Bob Pruett, now an assistant at Virginia, called Leftwich "the most positive guy I've ever been around." Even with his once-promising career stuck in limbo, Leftwich said he is going to make a comeback worthy of Seabiscuit.

"I believe in myself," he said. "I've got confidence in myself. I won't allow this to start second-guessing my ability. These types of things happen, man. You've got to stand up and see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know I can play the game of football. I'm not gonna let nobody tell me I can't."

I really feel terrible about Byron's situation. This guy is a good QB and because of a few injuries and playing in front of the 'amazing' Atlanta O-line hes out of a job with it looks like no hope to getting anywhere this season, and he still remains optomistic, if i were MB id hire him to fight for the backup spot on our roster since i know hes better then anything we have behind Carson.

[BengalPimp]

Why would we want him? Seriously, 58% career completion percentage? Never thrown more than 15 TD's in a season? He's Immobile...can not move...slow...cant escape pressure, and not a rusher(career long 18yrd run came in rookie year before injuries).

We dont need a backup who is dillusional, and thinks he is a starting QB(I have a hard time believing he can be happy as a back-up and not be a distraction).......In a QB STARVED league, there has to be a reason Leftwich(and Culpepper for that matter) are searching for jobs.......At 6 years in the NFL this guy should be in his prime, but he's closer to washed up.

[Thurmanation]

Why would we want him? Seriously, 58% career completion percentage? Never thrown more than 15 TD's in a season? He's Immobile...can not move...slow...cant escape pressure, and not a rusher(career long 18yrd run came in rookie year before injuries).

We dont need a backup who is dillusional, and thinks he is a starting QB(I have a hard time believing he can be happy as a back-up and not be a distraction).......In a QB STARVED league, there has to be a reason Leftwich(and Culpepper for that matter) are searching for jobs.......At 6 years in the NFL this guy should be in his prime, but he's closer to washed up.

Yeah hes immobile (Duh, he's Byron Leftwich lol), but he claims to be losing weight. The thing about his passing completions is that you have to understand he played on the Jags, AKA Fred Taylor and MJD. He also only really had Matt Jones as a receiving threat aswell. I'm just saying this guy can play when he needs too, check out some of his tape and you'll see.

[gregstephens]

Leftwich stuck in limbo

Former first-round draft pick struggling to find a job

Byron Leftwich lives in Atlanta, trains in South Florida and spends most weekends back home in the D.C. area. He has several places to hang his hat. But right now he has nowhere to hang his helmet.

With NFL training camps starting within a month, the former quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars and, briefly, the Atlanta Falcons, remains a free agent. It's a sudden and unusual turn. Only 28, Leftwich was a starter one minute, unemployed the next.

"It went from so good to so bad real quick," he said.

Leftwich played three sports at H.D. Woodson High School in Northeast and became a star at Marshall in West Virginia. The Jaguars took Leftwich seventh in the 2003 draft, the next quarterback taken after No. 1 pick Carson Palmer. As a rookie, he replaced the injured Mark Brunell and produced good numbers. He was better the next year and better still in 2005, when the Jaguars made the playoffs.

But he got hurt late that season, and injuries, specifically lower leg injuries, became the major issue. At 6-foot-5, 250-pounds with limited mobility, Leftwich was an easy target.

"I [went from] the toughest guy in the NFL to the most injury prone," he said in a telephone interview last week from his Atlanta home.

Getty Images Byron Leftwich: "You've got to stand up and see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know I can play the game of football."

Leftwich was taking a week-long break from his daily 3 1/2-hour workout regimen at a high-tech training facility near Miami. NFL stars Plaxico Burress, Frank Gore, Anquan Boldin and good friend and former Jaguars teammate Fred Taylor have been among those working alongside. He said he has lost 25 pounds.

"If I put on a No. 81 jersey, people will think I'm Randy Moss," he said.

His coach at Marshall, Bob Pruett, now an assistant at Virginia, called Leftwich "the most positive guy I've ever been around." Even with his once-promising career stuck in limbo, Leftwich said he is going to make a comeback worthy of Seabiscuit.

"I believe in myself," he said. "I've got confidence in myself. I won't allow this to start second-guessing my ability. These types of things happen, man. You've got to stand up and see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know I can play the game of football. I'm not gonna let nobody tell me I can't."

I really feel terrible about Byron's situation. This guy is a good QB and because of a few injuries and playing in front of the 'amazing' Atlanta O-line hes out of a job with it looks like no hope to getting anywhere this season, and he still remains optomistic, if i were MB id hire him to fight for the backup spot on our roster since i know hes better then anything we have behind Carson.

Without getting too nitpicky, I believe the fact Leftwich is unemployed and out of a job has less to do with the Atlanta O-line and more to with the fact that he made Joey Harrington look like Joe Montana.

[ArmyBengal]

I'll take the youngsters we have at this time over Leftnut...

WHODEY !!!

[Thurmanation]

Leftwich stuck in limbo

Former first-round draft pick struggling to find a job

Byron Leftwich lives in Atlanta, trains in South Florida and spends most weekends back home in the D.C. area. He has several places to hang his hat. But right now he has nowhere to hang his helmet.

With NFL training camps starting within a month, the former quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars and, briefly, the Atlanta Falcons, remains a free agent. It's a sudden and unusual turn. Only 28, Leftwich was a starter one minute, unemployed the next.

"It went from so good to so bad real quick," he said.

Leftwich played three sports at H.D. Woodson High School in Northeast and became a star at Marshall in West Virginia. The Jaguars took Leftwich seventh in the 2003 draft, the next quarterback taken after No. 1 pick Carson Palmer. As a rookie, he replaced the injured Mark Brunell and produced good numbers. He was better the next year and better still in 2005, when the Jaguars made the playoffs.

But he got hurt late that season, and injuries, specifically lower leg injuries, became the major issue. At 6-foot-5, 250-pounds with limited mobility, Leftwich was an easy target.

"I [went from] the toughest guy in the NFL to the most injury prone," he said in a telephone interview last week from his Atlanta home.

Getty Images Byron Leftwich: "You've got to stand up and see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know I can play the game of football."

Leftwich was taking a week-long break from his daily 3 1/2-hour workout regimen at a high-tech training facility near Miami. NFL stars Plaxico Burress, Frank Gore, Anquan Boldin and good friend and former Jaguars teammate Fred Taylor have been among those working alongside. He said he has lost 25 pounds.

"If I put on a No. 81 jersey, people will think I'm Randy Moss," he said.

His coach at Marshall, Bob Pruett, now an assistant at Virginia, called Leftwich "the most positive guy I've ever been around." Even with his once-promising career stuck in limbo, Leftwich said he is going to make a comeback worthy of Seabiscuit.

"I believe in myself," he said. "I've got confidence in myself. I won't allow this to start second-guessing my ability. These types of things happen, man. You've got to stand up and see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know I can play the game of football. I'm not gonna let nobody tell me I can't."

I really feel terrible about Byron's situation. This guy is a good QB and because of a few injuries and playing in front of the 'amazing' Atlanta O-line hes out of a job with it looks like no hope to getting anywhere this season, and he still remains optomistic, if i were MB id hire him to fight for the backup spot on our roster since i know hes better then anything we have behind Carson.

Without getting too nitpicky, I believe the fact Leftwich is unemployed and out of a job has less to do with the Atlanta O-line and more to with the fact that he made Joey Harrington look like Joe Montana.

The atlanta Oline is the reason Leftwich was injured while in ATL, and that game against the Saints he played amazing before he went down.

[gregstephens]

Leftwich stuck in limbo

Former first-round draft pick struggling to find a job

Byron Leftwich lives in Atlanta, trains in South Florida and spends most weekends back home in the D.C. area. He has several places to hang his hat. But right now he has nowhere to hang his helmet.

With NFL training camps starting within a month, the former quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars and, briefly, the Atlanta Falcons, remains a free agent. It's a sudden and unusual turn. Only 28, Leftwich was a starter one minute, unemployed the next.

"It went from so good to so bad real quick," he said.

Leftwich played three sports at H.D. Woodson High School in Northeast and became a star at Marshall in West Virginia. The Jaguars took Leftwich seventh in the 2003 draft, the next quarterback taken after No. 1 pick Carson Palmer. As a rookie, he replaced the injured Mark Brunell and produced good numbers. He was better the next year and better still in 2005, when the Jaguars made the playoffs.

But he got hurt late that season, and injuries, specifically lower leg injuries, became the major issue. At 6-foot-5, 250-pounds with limited mobility, Leftwich was an easy target.

"I [went from] the toughest guy in the NFL to the most injury prone," he said in a telephone interview last week from his Atlanta home.

Getty Images Byron Leftwich: "You've got to stand up and see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know I can play the game of football."

Leftwich was taking a week-long break from his daily 3 1/2-hour workout regimen at a high-tech training facility near Miami. NFL stars Plaxico Burress, Frank Gore, Anquan Boldin and good friend and former Jaguars teammate Fred Taylor have been among those working alongside. He said he has lost 25 pounds.

"If I put on a No. 81 jersey, people will think I'm Randy Moss," he said.

His coach at Marshall, Bob Pruett, now an assistant at Virginia, called Leftwich "the most positive guy I've ever been around." Even with his once-promising career stuck in limbo, Leftwich said he is going to make a comeback worthy of Seabiscuit.

"I believe in myself," he said. "I've got confidence in myself. I won't allow this to start second-guessing my ability. These types of things happen, man. You've got to stand up and see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know I can play the game of football. I'm not gonna let nobody tell me I can't."

I really feel terrible about Byron's situation. This guy is a good QB and because of a few injuries and playing in front of the 'amazing' Atlanta O-line hes out of a job with it looks like no hope to getting anywhere this season, and he still remains optomistic, if i were MB id hire him to fight for the backup spot on our roster since i know hes better then anything we have behind Carson.

Without getting too nitpicky, I believe the fact Leftwich is unemployed and out of a job has less to do with the Atlanta O-line and more to with the fact that he made Joey Harrington look like Joe Montana.

The atlanta Oline is the reason Leftwich was injured while in ATL, and that game against the Saints he played amazing before he went down.

The Atlanta Oline isn't the reason he got hurt. Crap, half the QBs in the league play with average or sub par Olines and don't get hurt. Conversely, when Palmer got hurt in the 2006 playoff game, he had one of the best Olines in the game, and maybe the best. Lefty got hurt because he was out of shape and couldn't get out of his own way.

One good game against the Saints doesn't a good QB make. He ultimately got dumped for Harrington again and, when the Falcons cut Harrington loose, they didn't see that spark of greatness in Lefty to keep him. In fact, there isn't one fact, emperical or otherwise, that you can point to that says Lefty should be a starting QB in the NFL. AFL, maybe, not that there is anything wrong with that.

[BengalPimp]

I'll take the youngsters we have at this time over Leftnut...

WHODEY !!!

LOL...Leftnut...What about the right nut? Oh yeah, already covered in another topic....lol