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Brian Hoyer is the type of NFL quarterback you would love as your team’s backup but hate if he was their starter. Hoyer has played 11 seasons in the NFL, but he’s spent the majority of that time riding the bench. The veteran has started just 38 games in his pro career, but you wouldn’t know it from his bank account. Hoyer has earned nearly $30 million in the NFL even though he’s been a backup for most of his career.

Hoyer has thrown for over 10,000 yards in the NFL

Brian Hoyer might not have ever found a permanent home as a starter in the NFL, but he’s been one of the most reliable backups in the league for the last decade.

Hoyer has thrown for 10,274 career yards despite being a career backup. He has 52 career touchdown passes and 34 interceptions. Hoyer has played the role of journeyman in his 11 years in the NFL. He’s played for seven franchises, but he’s spent most of his years with the Patriots.

Hoyer started for the Cleveland Browns for almost the entirety of the 2014 season. He threw for a career-high 3,326 yards and 12 touchdowns while leading the Browns to a 7-6 record in games he started.

The next season, Hoyer started nine games for the Houston Texans and had his most efficient year as a pro. Hoyer threw 19 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. He also completed 60.7 percent of his passes in 2015.

Hoyer could jump into a starting role with the Patriots in 2020

Hoyer bounced from the Texans to the Bears, Patriots, 49ers, and Colts before recently signing a contract to return to the Patriots in 2020. With Tom Brady leaving town and unproven Jarrett Stidham next up on the roster, New England went back to a QB they’ve seen succeed for them in a backup role.

Hoyer played his first three seasons in New England behind Brady, but he didn’t start a single game in that span. This is the third different time Hoyer will wear a Patriots’ uniform, and he has a chance to be the week one starter.

Stidham is considered the heir to Brady in New England. He’s a young talent with plenty of upside, but he has very little NFL experience. If head coach Bill Belichick believes the roster is strong enough to win this season, he might opt for the veteran in Hoyer.

Even if he doesn’t get the nod week one, Hoyer could replace Stidham early in the year depending on how he performs. Belichick won’t be patient, and Hoyer is more than capable of leading a team.

Hoyer has made nearly $30 million in the NFL

Despite being a backup QB for most of his career, Hoyer has still made a ton of money in the NFL. When his current contract with the Patriots kicks in, Hoyer will have earned $29.9 million in NFL salaries over 11 years.

Not bad for someone with just 38 career starts. Hoyer has earned almost $800,000 for every game he’s started as a pro.

The life of a backup quarterback can be frustrating at times. But for Brian Hoyer, it’s hard to imagine he’s complaining with the financial success he’s endured over the past decade.

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Staff Writer

Jack Dougherty

Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

When Jack isn’t writing about sports, he’s watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He’s also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.