If anyone understands the challenge in front of Brandon Weeden as an old rookie quarterback, it’s Roger Staubach.
The Hall of Fame quarterback, who grew up a Browns fan, thinks Weeden’s age shouldn’t limit him.
Staubach was 27 when he emerged from his four-year Naval Academy commitment, which included a year in Vietnam. Weeden’s 28, and the Browns presumed starter after a five-year minor league baseball career.
“Age is a factor. But if you can play at 21, you can play at 27,” Staubach told the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Bill Livingston. “It’s not like he’s a running back [in terms of punishment]. He can have a 12-year career. He just won’t play 18 years. I was in better shape at 27 than I was at 23.
“Weeden has to believe he’s better at his age than he was younger.”
Of course, Staubach said he’s also a fan of the guy Weeden’s replacing, former Texas quarterback Colt McCoy.
“I’ve watched him, and I’ve thrown with Colt McCoy. He has a strong arm. He’s pretty fast. I think he’s going to be a good NFL quarterback,” Staubach said.
Staubach’s assessment aside, there’s a chance McCoy’s doing that somewhere else in the future, and the Browns can only hope Weeden works out half as well as Staubach did.