The Chronicles of Redskins Quarterbacks Part 4: Patrick Ramsey

Patrick Ramsey (02-05) “Darth Maul”

24 starts (10-14)
Completion % = 55.7% (480/861)
5649 yrds – 34 TD - 29 INT – 75.0 – 75 sacks – 2 game winning drives

Darth Maul was Emperor Palpatine’s first apprentice in the Star Wars Saga; so Patrick Ramsey was the Darth Maul of this Redskins quarterback saga.  People forget that Ramsey was a first round draft pick.  The Redskins selected him with the last pick of the first round in the 2002 draft making him the first of three first round quarterbacks to be drafted in the Dan Snyder era.  And just like Darth Maul he was young with a bevy of raw talent, but ultimately he would meet the fate of Darth Maul as an apprentice sent on too many missions that got him beat up both physically and mentally that ultimately led to his downfall.

Ramsey came to the Redskins with an impressive resume.  A Louisiana high school state champion javelin thrower, Ramsey would play for the Tulane Green Wave where he would lead the third best passing offense in the nation in 2000.  But just like my man says in the Sandlot, “It’s easy when you play against a bunch of rejects”.  Conference USA was not exactly a Murderer’s Row of defensive prowess, and there were concerns about his decision making and propensity for throwing bad interceptions, but Snyder had a good feeling that the Ole Ball Coach could mold him into a winner.  Ramsey’s first season with the Redskins, however, was fractured by having to endure the “Florida Gators Reunion Tour” as he split time with Shane Matthews and Danny Wuerffel.  In 2003 he was one of the better statistical QB’s in the NFL, but that also included being one of the most sacked quarterbacks in the league.  He would be sacked a total of 30 times in 12 games before being placed on IR due to a season long foot injury and a concussion.  Tim Hasselbeck would finish out that season with the promise that Ramsey would be back to lead the Redskins again, but the physical punishment he took over his first two seasons coupled with a regime change would forever doom Patrick Ramsey’s career in Washington

The end of 2003 saw the end of Steve Spurrier in Washington and the beginning of the Second Coming.  Joe Gibbs made his triumphant return to the Skins in the 2004 season, and with him came the beginning of the end for Patrick Ramsey.  Yet again Ramsey had to fight for his position against a guy who was rumored to have a special connection with the head coach due to their shared faith.  Ramsey could only watch as Mark Brunell took away the starting position from him one check-down pass at a time.  He would split time with Brunell in 2004, but in 2005 Ramsey lost the starting position outright to Mark Brunell.  He could only watch as the Redskins won their last five games of the season and made it to the playoffs for the first time since 1999.  At the end of the 2005 season, Gibbs had seen enough of the former first round pick and Ramsey was traded to the New York Jets.

Ramsey would continue his NFL career until 2010 as a backup with the Jets, Broncos, Titans, Lions, Saints, Dolphins, Jaguars, and finally the Vikings.  His time in Washington was his longest with any team, and his last pass was thrown for the Broncos in 2008.  His career in Washington was characterized by the brutality he endured (75 sacks in 34 games and who knows how many hits) which made him gun shy, and by the four different quarterback who he shared time with over his four seasons in Washington.  Snyder’s first young apprentice would fall unceremoniously to his demise, but Snyder’s Count Dooku was looming on the horizon.

Coincidental Side Notes:  Ramsey was traded to the Jets for a sixth round pick in the 2006 Draft where the Redskins selected perennial starter Reed Doughty.  Ramsey would have the last laugh with Mark Brunell as he signed a one year contract with the Saints in 2010 after they chose not to resign Brunell following the 2009 season.  Ramsey would eventually lose his backup position at the end of camp in 2010 to another former Redskins quarterback, Chase Daniel.