Doug Flutie

In 1998 35-year-old Flutie signed with the Buffalo Bills, who promised him a $50,000 signing bonus and the NFL minimum pay of $275,000 (compared to his $1 million annual paycheck in the CFL), but did not promise a starting spot as quarterback. Nonetheless, Flutie wanted to give the NFL one more try. When the starting quarterback, Rob Johnson, got hurt early in the season, Flutie took over the team and quickly became a fan favorite. During the 1998 season the Sporting News noted his resurrection in popularity: "What a story. Left for football dead by NFL geniuses in 1989, Flutie is now America's sweetheart. Still not Robo-QB, still a little guy in a Tall & Big Man's game, he plays with an intuition in motion that can't be taught, can't be measured and will thrill you bone-deep." After the 1999 season Flutie was awarded a four-year, $22 million extension, including a $6 million signing bonus and earned his first trip to the Pro Bowl.

Despite Flutie's popularity and success in Buffalo, he became locked in a battle for the starting position with Johnson, now healthy and who the Bills were paying $5 million a year. By the end of the 1999 season, during which Flutie shared playing time with Johnson, it was clear that there was one quarterback too many on the team, and Flutie was traded to the San Diego Chargers. As the starting quarterback on a struggling team that ended the 2000 season with nine straight losses, Flutie found himself again in competition for the starting spot, this time with the Chargers' talented rookie quarterback Drew Brees. However, unlike his acrid relationship with Johnson, Flutie and Brees became friends, making it easier for Flutie to accept the team's decision to name Brees as the starting quarterback for the 2002 season. Flutie saw action in just one game.

During his time as a professional football player, Flutie has proved a number of adages attached to his career, including "it's not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of fight in the dog." Flutie, who remains close to his family and is a drummer in a band with his brother, is content that he no longer has to wonder if he could have made it in the NFL. He has.