Greatest QBs of Super Bowl Era: No. 51 - Daunte Culpepper

Daunte Culpepper was a freak athlete for a quarterback who seemed destined for the Hall of Fame before a knee injury derailed his career.

Culpepper was a three-sport high school star good enough at baseball that he was drafted by the New York Yankees. Culpepper chose football over baseball but low test scores scared off many large programs and he ended up at Central Florida.

Culpepper set 30 school records at UCF and one NCAA passing record, highest completion percentage. The Minnesota Vikings picked the 6-4, 255-pound QB 11th overall and he earned the starting job in 2000.

For five seasons, he was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He finished top five in approximate value four times, top four in passer rating three times and second in DYAR in 2004.

His 2004 season was - pardon the cliche - one for the record books. His rushing and passing total of 5,123 yards was the highest ever and he set a Vikings record with 39 touchdown passes.

In 2005, Culpepper got off to a poor start and then suffered a massive knee injury in the seventh game. Culpepper never was able to regain form.

Daunte Culpepper
		Season					Playoffs
Year	Team	AV	PR	DYAR	QBR	Avg.	PR	QBR	Avg.	Total
2000	Minnesota Vikings	10	7	0	X	5.67	0	X	0	5.67
2002	Minnesota Vikings	6.5	0	0	X	2.17	0	X	0	2.17
2003	Minnesota Vikings	8	8	0	X	5.33	0	X	0	5.33
2004	Minnesota Vikings	9	9	9	X	9.00	0	X	0	9.00
Total										22.17
Best 5 (2000, 2002, 2003, 2004)										22.17
JAWS Score										22.17

Top QBs of the Super Bowl Era
Rank	Quarterback	Years	Total	Top 5	JAWS
51	Daunte Culpepper	2000-2004	22.17	22.17	22.17
52	Ron Jaworski	1978-1983	21.21	20.38	20.79
53	Neil Lomax	1983-1988	20.59	20.59	20.59
54	Jim Plunkett	1971-1986	20.59	18.09	19.34