Ajaxab
12-19-2023, 02:55 PM
I don't know if there is a general interest in seeing what individual players do and how their careers progress, but I enjoy the stories. Not really a dynasty, but an individual player narrative. To whit, I give you Philadelphia Eagles qb, Gustavo McGowen. Drafted #1 overall in 2026 as a Lamar Jackson-type, McGowen would see early individual success winning the 2026 Rookie of the Year Award. He would even lead the Eagles to the playoffs in that rookie season where they would lose to the Commanders in round 1.
McGowen's running style would lead to injury-riddled after injury-riddled season. He would lead the Eagles to the playoffs in 10 straight years (and the streak is ongoing). But when it came time to push Philadelphia to ultimate success, he was a failure or sitting on the sidelines with another injury. In 2028, he went down in week 15 with a sprained MCL that would end his season. Philly had started the year 12-1. In spite of McGowen's injury, the Eagles would go on to win the Super Bowl that year with backup qb, Jonas Jenks, winning the MVP award.
In 2029, McGowen would be undefeated...in the games he played. A broken shinbone kept him out for 8 weeks, but he was healthy heading into the playoffs. Despite playing one of the four best games in his career, McGowen and the Eagles were upset by the 9-8 Giants.
2030 was bound to be McGowen's year of revenge. As a 5th year experienced qb, he led the Eagles to a 13-0 start. But again in mid-December, that sprained MCL returned and sidelined him for the playoffs. Rookie qb, Britt Redman, came in and continued the perfect season as Philadelphia capped off an undefeated year with a rout of Houston in the Super Bowl. It seems as though Coach De Leon felt sorry for McGowen in that game. With the Eagles up 41-7 late in the 3rd, he put McGowen in for some garbage time on that sprained knee. The fans loved it, but McGowen could hardly take any credit for leading the team to a winning postseason. To cap things off, Redman ended up winning the Super Bowl MVP. McGowen's 2030 was so good that he won both Offensive Player of the Year, Player of the Year, and was All-League First Team QB, despite having only played 14 games. But he couldn't take any credit for the team's playoff success.
In 2031, McGowen has the Eagles out to a 7-3 start before tearing a foot ligament and going down for the year. In 2032, he comes back and finally wins his first playoff start in round 1 before Philly loses to Green Bay in the NFC title game. 2033 is more of the same. McGowen plays 14 games and gets Philly to the postseason, but has a disastrous playoff game throwing 5 picks against the Giants in one of the poorest performances of his career, a 28-20 first round playoff loss. In 2034, McGowen has the Eagles rolling again and he's able to stay healthy enough to play in 15 games, but again he can't get the team over the playoff hump. Philadelphia loses to Carolina 29-21 in the NFC title game.
By this point, Eagles fans are starting to wonder if McGowen is the guy. He's been great...when he's been healthy. A trip to IR every three years doesn't bode well for an aging quarterback. But the Philadelphia brass sticks with him. In 2035, McGowen does something he hasn't been able to do in his career. He starts every game and guides the Eagles to a 12-5 record. In round 1, they face an aging Brock Purdy and the Seattle Seahawks. McGowen is awful throwing 2 Ints and putting up a 53 qb rating. But the team rallies around him to win with a solid running game and a vicious pass rush. In the NFC title game, McGowen struggles again in only managing to pass for 168 yards and again has trouble protecting the ball. But again, his teammates rally around him with a solid rushing day and the Eagles win 23-18. The victory sends the Eagles to an all-Pennsylvania Super Bowl against the Steelers. In a back and forth game, McGowen gets the ball at his own 27, down 31-27 with 3:45 on the clock. In the drive of his life, he leads the team on a 12 play, 73 yard td drive to win the title for Philly. Game over. Eagles 34-Steelers 31. McGowen wins the Super Bowl MVP after passing for 258 yards and running for another 81. Finally, his team. His title.
McGowen's running style would lead to injury-riddled after injury-riddled season. He would lead the Eagles to the playoffs in 10 straight years (and the streak is ongoing). But when it came time to push Philadelphia to ultimate success, he was a failure or sitting on the sidelines with another injury. In 2028, he went down in week 15 with a sprained MCL that would end his season. Philly had started the year 12-1. In spite of McGowen's injury, the Eagles would go on to win the Super Bowl that year with backup qb, Jonas Jenks, winning the MVP award.
In 2029, McGowen would be undefeated...in the games he played. A broken shinbone kept him out for 8 weeks, but he was healthy heading into the playoffs. Despite playing one of the four best games in his career, McGowen and the Eagles were upset by the 9-8 Giants.
2030 was bound to be McGowen's year of revenge. As a 5th year experienced qb, he led the Eagles to a 13-0 start. But again in mid-December, that sprained MCL returned and sidelined him for the playoffs. Rookie qb, Britt Redman, came in and continued the perfect season as Philadelphia capped off an undefeated year with a rout of Houston in the Super Bowl. It seems as though Coach De Leon felt sorry for McGowen in that game. With the Eagles up 41-7 late in the 3rd, he put McGowen in for some garbage time on that sprained knee. The fans loved it, but McGowen could hardly take any credit for leading the team to a winning postseason. To cap things off, Redman ended up winning the Super Bowl MVP. McGowen's 2030 was so good that he won both Offensive Player of the Year, Player of the Year, and was All-League First Team QB, despite having only played 14 games. But he couldn't take any credit for the team's playoff success.
In 2031, McGowen has the Eagles out to a 7-3 start before tearing a foot ligament and going down for the year. In 2032, he comes back and finally wins his first playoff start in round 1 before Philly loses to Green Bay in the NFC title game. 2033 is more of the same. McGowen plays 14 games and gets Philly to the postseason, but has a disastrous playoff game throwing 5 picks against the Giants in one of the poorest performances of his career, a 28-20 first round playoff loss. In 2034, McGowen has the Eagles rolling again and he's able to stay healthy enough to play in 15 games, but again he can't get the team over the playoff hump. Philadelphia loses to Carolina 29-21 in the NFC title game.
By this point, Eagles fans are starting to wonder if McGowen is the guy. He's been great...when he's been healthy. A trip to IR every three years doesn't bode well for an aging quarterback. But the Philadelphia brass sticks with him. In 2035, McGowen does something he hasn't been able to do in his career. He starts every game and guides the Eagles to a 12-5 record. In round 1, they face an aging Brock Purdy and the Seattle Seahawks. McGowen is awful throwing 2 Ints and putting up a 53 qb rating. But the team rallies around him to win with a solid running game and a vicious pass rush. In the NFC title game, McGowen struggles again in only managing to pass for 168 yards and again has trouble protecting the ball. But again, his teammates rally around him with a solid rushing day and the Eagles win 23-18. The victory sends the Eagles to an all-Pennsylvania Super Bowl against the Steelers. In a back and forth game, McGowen gets the ball at his own 27, down 31-27 with 3:45 on the clock. In the drive of his life, he leads the team on a 12 play, 73 yard td drive to win the title for Philly. Game over. Eagles 34-Steelers 31. McGowen wins the Super Bowl MVP after passing for 258 yards and running for another 81. Finally, his team. His title.