Four Years Ago, More People Would Have Taken Matt Cassel over Aaron Rodgers in an ESPN Poll

These embrace debate polls are meaningless but still interesting to see what people (who vote in such things) were thinking four years. A poll ran in early April of 2009 (h/t: ign.com) asking “Which young quarterback would you most want leading your offense in the future?” The five quarterbacks listed: Matt Cassel, Jay Cutler, Philip Rivers, Aaron Rodgers, and Matt Ryan. It’s a weird list, because Rivers was 27 and had started for three years, while Ryan was 23. At the time, Rodgers was just coming off his first season in Green Bay as the starter, and threw for 28 touchdowns, but the team went 6-10. Matt Cassel had replaced Tom Brady after his knee injury in New England, and had just been traded to the Chiefs. Matt Ryan was coming off his rookie year, and Jay Cutler had just been traded to the Chicago Bears after Josh McDaniels wanted someone else (Cassel?).

Here were the results:

Aaron Rodgers came in dead last. Almost half the voters went with Matt Ryan, and he carried 48 of the 50 states. Rodgers took his home state, and in a move that should render any other debate moot, Kansas went with Cassel. LOL. Sorry, Kansas, but you don’t deserve nice things.

[photo via USA Today Sports Images]