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The NFL's Marvel superheroes
What's the difference between Earth's mightiest heroes and the NFL's starting quarterbacks? Not a whole lot, actually. With the dawn of "Avengers: Infinity War," the most record-breaking entry of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date, we took it upon ourselves to find an Avengers doppelgänger for every one of the starting signal-callers in the NFL. Believe it or not, there's a character for everyone. Considering only the logical long-term options at QB (that means no Joe Flacco, Sam Bradford or Tyrod Taylor), we assigned every passer a hero, sidekick or villain to celebrate Avengers Week. You'll never guess who Tom Brady is.
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Josh Allen is Heimdall
This comparison operates in the reality where Heimdall, the all-seeing gatekeeper of Asgard, is blind -- a reality once seen in a vision by Thor. Because while Josh Allen may prove to be a hit as the Bills' future QB, his completion percentage from college suggests he could use Heimdall's all-seeing eyes more than he could use Heimdall's tantalizing size.
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Blake Bortles is Nebula
Some people think there's some good left in Blake Bortles, and plenty of others think he's, well, bad. The same can be said for Nebula, who, as an adopted daughter of Thanos, carries the clout of a No. 3 overall pick, which Bortles was, yet largely fails to inspire as a mid-level villain with the potential for a redemptive story.
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Derek Carr is Winter Soldier
There was a time when Bucky Barnes was just a wholesome, reliable guy, like Derek Carr before 2017. Then came the tragic fall, disappearance and resurrection as a bad dude -- a mirror of Carr's inexplicable regression, complete with an evil arm. The Raiders QB wears gloomy colors symbolic of the Winter Soldier, and he's in need of a similar reprogramming.
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Kirk Cousins is Star-Lord
You know who's kind of goofy, been abandoned and yet commands recognition as the leader of a now-well-reputed group? Kirk Cousins ... and Peter Quill. Like Star-Lord, Cousins has played with and for some zany characters while chasing the money and, ultimately, getting left behind. Now, he's an obvious No. 1 -- maybe not in the entire league, but definitely in the eyes of his own team.
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Andy Dalton is Pepper Potts
This is no slight against Pepper Potts. The Bengals' signal-caller is like Tony Stark's CEO and future wife in that, outside of the blazing red hair, he's had spurts of heroism with plenty of grit and yet remains little more than a secondary character in a world brimming with more powerful figures -- some of that to no fault of his own.
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Jimmy Garoppolo is Captain America
Jimmy Garoppolo isn't as established as Captain America, but he's paid like he is, and the truth is he just looks an awful lot like the Star-Spangled poster boy of the future NFL. Like Steve Rodgers, Jimmy G started small, just a 6-foot-2 non-first-rounder out of Eastern Illinois. Now? He's the adoring face of the 49ers, who are like the American-history equivalent to an NFL team. And his leadership is already being lauded.
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Lamar Jackson is Okoye
Hidden from big boards behind four other first-round quarterbacks in 2018 like Okoye was hidden from the rest of the world behind the barriers of Wakanda, Jackson is known for his speed above all, but he's also strikingly similar to the fiery general because of his ability to fire missiles at the flick of a wrist -- a feat mirrored by Okoye's unparalleled spear-throwing skills.
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Jared Goff is Mantis
A relatively new addition to the league, Jared Goff only truly came alive when he was introduced to Sean McVay and a revamped Rams team. Mantis followed a similar path, what with her hipster-ish mind-reading only making a big impact once she joined the Guardians of the Galaxy. It remains to be seen how Goff -- and Mantis -- fit in long-term.
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Case Keenum is the Collector
Does anyone know if The Collector is actually good or bad? Let's be clear: Case Keenum is more likable than the space hoarder, but his career has also seen him on all kinds of different teams, and he's sometimes been reduced to cameos. While he's found ways to achieve rare feats, he's often, ultimately, playing from the shadows.
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Andrew Luck is Groot
Andrew Luck may very well be one of the NFL's best quarterbacks, but he's been awfully quiet by virtue of his own physical collapse. Sound familiar? We all know Groot is also relegated to few words, and we know his signature moment was a sacrifice of his very tree body. The other connection? For Luck to resurface, he's essentially been forced to remake himself with new limbs.
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Marcus Mariota is Falcon
This one is pretty simple: Marcus Mariota can fly, and that's exactly what Sam Wilson does. But we're also still not sure whether Falcon or Mariota can be heroes on their own, especially since Wilson's literally been beaten up by a bug (Ant-Man) and Mariota's been repeatedly bitten by a bug (the injury one).
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Patrick Mahomes is Scarlet Witch
Wanda Maximoff has some tantalizing powers, but they're not always fully explained or exposed, and that's where Patrick Mahomes is as a high-upside newcomer in K.C. He dons red just as Scarlet Witch's hands glow colorfully when she's working her magic, and his emergence wouldn't have come without the loss of his teammate Alex Smith -- just like Maximoff, who rose to prominence with the loss of her brother.
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Eli Manning is Loki
If Alex Smith is polarizing, then Eli Manning is maddening. Like Loki, he's an enigmatic little brother who pushes to get his way (see: 2004 draft) and then proceeds to flip between hero and enemy like it's his job. There are times you love him, and his cunning movements can change history. But there are many, if not more, times where his antics -- and occasional sheepishness -- get his team in trouble.
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Baker Mayfield is Spider-Man
The new kid on the block, Baker Mayfield has a ways to go before he rightfully carries the Spider-Man mantle, but there's nothing about his resume that says he isn't the next Peter Parker. Undersized but agile and forever hungry to join the big boys, he was a college walk-on much like Parker worked his own way into the Avengers. And while he can get into some trouble, he's also got the grit and the moves to make a difference.
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Cam Newton is The Hulk
The Carolina Panthers aren't green, but their quarterback is as Bruce Banner-turned-angry as they come. A hulking specimen at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, Cam Newton is never afraid to bowl over his foes if he has to, and his frustrations can sometimes get the best of him -- like when he rockets passes into double coverage. He's a monster when he's on his game, but with the power comes consequences.
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Dak Prescott is War Machine
We've seen bits and pieces of what War Machine can do, but he's mostly called upon to make sure everything's under control and, worst-case scenario, do some mop-up duty. Despite the glow of America's Team (Dallas' Stark Industries), Dak Prescott plays second fiddle to Ezekiel Elliott and even Jerry Jones, and it's unclear where he'd be without his armor of an O-line. Still, he's a serviceable guy to have around.
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Philip Rivers is Rocket Raccoon
No one likes to jaw with opponents -- and friends -- like Philip Rivers and his Avengers persona, Rocket Raccoon. Both guys are also edgy in the way they conduct business -- Rocket with his sneaky scrapping and Rivers with his side-armed delivery. Like his furry counterpart, the Chargers QB knows what it's like to be traded (see: 2004 draft), but he also knows what it's like to have loyalty.
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Aaron Rodgers is Iron Man
The face of his team and a face of the league. Much like Tony Stark did with his father, Howard, Aaron Rodgers emerged from the shadows of a lucrative predecessor (Brett Favre), to build his own empire. With unmatched talents, laser-point accuracy and a take-charge attitude, he paved the way for a new generation of heroes. Rodgers has the mind, the durability and the cannon of Iron Man -- the Avenger of all Avengers.
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Ben Roethlisberger is Drax
He's big, he says things matter-of-factly, and he's durable. For years now, Ben Roethlisberger has been chasing something that's eluded him (another Super Bowl ring), just like Drax has unsuccesfully longed to avenge his family's loss at the hands of Thanos. But his rugged nature always keeps him in the mix.
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Josh Rosen is Shuri
The face of the future Cardinals, Josh Rosen isn't afraid to speak his mind, and he's best known for his precision from the pocket. Both his outspoken nature and attention to detail ring true for Shuri, who is also a newbie to the Marvel universe much like Rosen is a newbie to the pros.
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Matt Ryan is Gamora
Matt Ryan isn't green, and he doesn't wear green. His dad also isn't a planet killer. But much like Gamora, whose assassin skills are seen every now and then, he's often out to prove something and often overlooked -- a victim, fair or not, of the greater powers to which he's compared, including those close to him, like his own division's Drew Brees.
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Alex Smith is Black Widow
"Polarizing" is a word Alex Smith and Black Widow share. Both are incredibly efficient in what they do, both are deceptively fast, and both have been excommunicated for different reasons -- Natasha Romanoff as a Russian spy, and Smith as a 49ers and Chiefs castoff. Neither is necessarily a "franchise" hero, however, as it remains to be seen if they can stand alone.
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Matthew Stafford is Thor
Matthew Stafford has never sported hair to his shoulders, but there was a time, like Thor, where he was all but cast out from his place on the throne (see: 2015 benching). Since then, he's reclaimed his title as leader of a lost world -- Detroit to Stafford, Asgard to Thor -- and kept his place among the most recognized at his position thanks to his hammer of an arm.
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Ryan Tannehill is Vision
Love him or hate him, Ryan Tannehill was brought to life in the NFL to be the Dolphins' project, changed from wide receiver to quarterback like Vision was created from something else. His role and his impact is often mistaken or overlooked, but when he's healthy and not on lockdown, there are glimmers of elite talent.
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Mitchell Trubisky is Wong
If Carson Wentz is Doctor Strange, then Mitchell Trubisky is following in his footsteps as Wong. Drafted second overall with all the right tools a year after Wentz's arrival, the Bears QB showcased promise as a rookie, making some of his own magic amid the turmoil of Chicago's move to a rebuild phase. He's merely sidekick material for now, though, as he tries to find his own way into a permanent role.
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Deshaun Watson is Black Panther
T'Challa's home of Wakanda is hidden from the rest of the world, and Deshaun Watson's Texans are hidden in the shadows of their home state's Dallas Cowboys. But the Texans, like Wakanda with the Black Panther, would be lost without Watson, whose rare level of balance and mobility ushered in a hero for the next generation of fans. When Watson was indefinitely injured, as T'Challa was by Killmonger, his power was even more obvious.
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Carson Wentz is Doctor Strange
Carson Wentz is no Stephen Strange when it comes to prickly personality, but if there's anyone who uses magic to keep his team in check, it's him. Calm and poised as a zenful Strange from the start of his career, Wentz helped the Eagles go back in time to capture a long-elusive championship in 2017, and he did it by unleashing all kinds of inexplicable sorcery in and out of the pocket.
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Russell Wilson is Nick Fury
Russell Wilson fits the Ant-Man role like a glove -- he steals games like Scott Lang steals things, and his size (5-foot-11) is plenty ant-like. But for the sake of keeping this exercise in the "Infinity War" scope, the former director of S.H.I.E.L.D. works just fine. While Fury is far more fiery with his words, he's an awful lot like the Seahawks QB in that he's often leading teams that either can't protect him or fall apart from within. Still, his own poise is obvious.
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Jameis Winston is M'Baku
The Buccaneers' big and bold quarterback is like M'Baku in that he isn't afraid to pick fights. Last season, he came off the sidelines after being benched to instigate a fight with Saints rookie corner Marshon Lattimore. But, like the Marvel character he embodies, Winston can also be a force when he's on the right side of a battle.
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Tom Brady is Thanos
The big, bad villain to rule them all. Tom Brady may have been an obvious choice for Captain America, given he plays for the Patriots, but something says New England fans are OK with it being Brady vs. the world. Like Thanos, he's not necessarily pure evil as much as he is determined to win everything, and his prized possession is jewelry (Super Bowl rings would look good on a gauntlet, wouldn't they?).
Credit: USATSI/Marvel Studios
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