Gridiron Heroics
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Trending
    • Fans Are Loving the Kansas City Chiefs’ New Video Featuring Patrick Mahomes
    • Atlanta Falcons: Suddenly Cut Former 6th-Round Pick
    • Adam Schefter Drops Massive Shedeur Sanders Bombshell For 2025 (Report)
    • “There Are No Records Of This” Aaron Rodgers Caught In Huge Lie Days After Signing With Steelers
    • Baltimore Ravens: Leading Sacker Reveals Plans for Minicamp
    • “He’s Progressed Since He’s Been Here”: New York Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll Praises Rookie Quarterback Jaxson Dart
    • Texas Longhorns Arch Manning Ranked Number One Prospect In 2026 NFL Mock Draft By CBS Sports (Report)
    • “It’s Hard To Pass On Travis Hunter”: AFC Executive Defends Cleveland Browns Trading Down With Jacksonville Jaguars In the 2025 NFL Draft (Report)
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Our Writers
    • Write for Gridiron Heroics
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Gridiron Heroics
    SUBSCRIBE FOR UPDATES
    • NFL
      • AFC East
        • AFC East
        • Buffalo Bills
        • Miami Dolphins
        • New England Patriots
        • New York Jets
      • AFC North
        • Baltimore Ravens
        • Cincinnati Bengals
        • Cleveland Browns
        • Pittsburgh Steelers
      • AFC South
        • Houston Texans
        • Indianapolis Colts
        • Jacksonville Jaguars
        • Tennessee Titans
      • AFC West
        • Denver Broncos
        • Kansas City Chiefs
        • Las Vegas Raiders
        • Los Angeles Chargers
      • NFC East
        • Dallas Cowboys
        • New York Giants
        • Philadelphia Eagles
        • Washington Commanders
      • NFC North
        • Chicago Bears
        • Detroit Lions
        • Green Bay Packers
        • Minnesota Vikings
      • NFC South
        • Atlanta Falcons
        • Carolina Panthers
        • New Orleans Saints
        • Tampa Bay Buccaneers
      • NFC West
        • Arizona Cardinals
        • Los Angeles Rams
        • San Francisco 49ers
        • Seattle Seahawks
    • Fantasy Football
    • College Football
    • NFL Draft
    • PODCAST
    Gridiron Heroics
    Home»College Football»Florida Gators Quarterback Curse Since Tim Tebow?
    College Football

    Florida Gators Quarterback Curse Since Tim Tebow?

    Has there been a Florida Gators quarterback curse since Tim Tebow wrapped up his career in 2009? Did Steve Spurrier make a 20-year deal?
    BF MclaughlinBy BF MclaughlinMarch 2, 2023Updated:February 14, 2025No Comments5 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Florida Gators quarterback
    Florida QB Anthony Richardson started 12 games last year( Photo courtesy of Florida Athletics)
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    The possible devilish explanation goes back many centuries (tongue in cheek). Why would the story of Florida Gators quarterback starters since 1990 be any different?

    There seems to be a Jekyll and Hyde thing happening with Florida Gators football since 1990. Or is it something else?

    Steve Spurrier came back to his alma mater, the University of Florida, in Dec. 1989. He appears to have made a pact with you know who (the guy who resides in the uber-warm nether regions of the underworld). My guess is, the old ball coach said the following: “Give me 20 seasons of good luck with the quarterback play, and I’ll give you the following 20 years after that where we pay you back for all of the success — I should be retired by then anyway.”

    Translation: We’ll leverage our distant future for present-day success. Let’s face it, humans do that sort of thing.

    Don’t forget — Spurrier did come to Florida from Duke. You know, the Duke Blue Devils.

    GridironHeroics College Football Coverage

    All kidding aside, it is kind of interesting to think about, because those first 20 years were really good. Since then? It’s been pretty average — and it starts with the QB play.

    WHEN DID IT BEGIN?

    In 1990, Spurrier took a guy buried on the depth chart in 1989 — Shane Matthews — and turned him into an All-SEC signal caller who would go on to start for the Gators from 1990-92, won the school’s first SEC title (1991), and went on to play six seasons in the NFL.

    Then came a Heisman Trophy winner (1996’s Danny Wuerffel) who started games in four different seasons (1993-96) and won four SEC titles, along with a natty in his final game — versus treated rival Florida State.

    Not too much later, a Heisman runner-up (Rex Grossman) graced the roster, another four-year starter Chris Leak came along and won a national title in his final game, and then that 20-year period came to an end with the Tim Tebow era (enough said, no need to give his resume).

    That’s 20 seasons, 12 different starters — with seven who started games across at least three different seasons, and three who started games in four different seasons (Danny Wuerffel, Jesse Palmer, and Chris Leak).

    Count it: Seven victories in the SEC Title game (eight titles if you agree with Spurrier that 1990 was actually a title year despite the probation from the previous regime), 13 SEC East titles, three national titles, and two Heismans.

    That’s a consistent success by any definition.

    POST TEBOW ERA

    Then, the “next phase” began. The Gators have had 15 different starters since 2010, zero SEC titles, their first losing season since 1979 (2013 season, with 2017, 2021, and 2022 also being sub-.500 campaigns), seven seasons outside of the Top 25 at the end of the year, and two seasons (2013 and 2017) without a bowl game.

    Oh, and there have been five Florida coaches since 2011 — there were only three from 1990 to 2010 (you know, that 20-year span we talked about above).

    Folks, there are like 57 different bowl games where even the fifth-place team in the Sun Belt could get into the postseason — think about what has to happen for a Gators team to not play past Thanksgiving Week.

    And 15 different starters since 2010? It truly does seem like the Gators have been cursed. Kyle Trask certainly was a quick bright spot, as was Will Grier for his six-week tour — before banned supplements sent him to West Virginia, where he dominated and became an NFL Draft pick. Jacoby Brissett transferred to N.C. State and has been in the NFL for seven years now. Jeff Driskel left for Louisiana Tech and became an NFL QB  after a dominant senior season. Hell, even Feleipe Franks played in games for the Atlanta Falcons in 2021 and 2022 after transferring to Arkansas.

    In other words, it’s not like these post-Tebow quarterbacks suck — they’ve proven that after leaving Gainesville.

    I’m telling you, a deal was made.

    Had to be, right?

    FLORIDA GATORS QUARTERBACK STARTERS SINCE STEVE SPURRIER STARTED IN 1990

    STARTING CAREER CAREER CAREER NFL
    GATOR QB YEAR(S) STARTS YDS TDS YRS
    Emory Jones 2021 11 3,347 26 N/A
    Jack Miller 2022 1 180 0 N/A
    Ant. Richardson 2021-22 14 3,105 24 N/A
    Kyle Trask 2019-20 19 7,386 69 1
    Feleipe Franks 2017-19 21 4,593 38 1
    Malik Zaire 2017 2 349 0 0
    Austin Appleby 2016 7 1,447 10 0
    Luke De Rio 2016-17 8 1,496 9 0
    Will Grier 2015 6 1,202 10 1
    Treon Harris 2014-15 14 2,695 18 0
    Sky. Morninweg 2013 3 344 3 0
    Tyler Murphy 2013 6 1,216 6 1
    Jeff Driskel 2012-14 20 3,411 23 4
    Jacoby Brissett 2011-12 4 455 3 6
    John Brantley 2010-11 22 4,750 30 0
    Tim Tebow 2007-09 41 9,285 88 3
    Chris Leak 2003-06 47 11,213 88 0
    Ingle Martin 2003 4 750 3 1
    Brock Berlin 2001 1 653 11 2
    Rex Grossman 2000-02 31 9,164 77 9
    Jesse Palmer 1997-00 13 3,755 31 2
    Noah Brindise 1997 1 723 6 0
    Doug Johnson 1997-99 26 7,114 62 5
    Eric Kresser 1995 1 1,572 18 1
    Danny Wuerffel 1993-96 36 10,875 114 6
    Terry Dean 1993-94 12 3,420 39 0
    Shane Matthews 1990-92 34 9,287 74 6

    Get the latest Pro and College Football news, analysis, and breaking stories on the NFL, NCAA, Fantasy Football, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, so you never miss a story from the football field.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Avatar of BF Mclaughlin
    BF Mclaughlin
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Kansas City Chiefs

    Fans Are Loving the Kansas City Chiefs’ New Video Featuring Patrick Mahomes

    By Angelo GuinhawaJune 17, 20250
    Atlanta Falcons

    Atlanta Falcons: Suddenly Cut Former 6th-Round Pick

    By Jackson LoschkoJune 17, 20250
    AFC North

    Adam Schefter Drops Massive Shedeur Sanders Bombshell For 2025 (Report)

    By McQuade ArnoldJune 17, 20250
    AFC North

    “There Are No Records Of This” Aaron Rodgers Caught In Huge Lie Days After Signing With Steelers

    By McQuade ArnoldJune 17, 20250
    Gridiron Heroics Writers
    Follow Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    READ MORE
    2024 NFL Draft Aaron Rodgers Baltimore Ravens Bill Belichick Buffalo Bills Caleb Williams Chicago Bears Chiefs Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns College Football Dak Prescott Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Deshaun Watson Detroit Lions Donald Trump Football Green Bay Packers Joe Burrow Josh Allen Justin Fields Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets NFL NFL Draft nfl news NFL Rumors Patrick Mahomes Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers Russell Wilson San Francisco 49ers shedeur sanders Tampa Bay Buccaneers Taylor Swift Tom Brady Travis Kelce Washington Commanders
    Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Editorial Process
    • Contact Us
    • Corporate
    © 2025 Gridiron Heroics.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.