Cradle of NFL Quarterbacks Moves From Rustbelt to Gulf Coast

In an interesting article over at KCChiefs.com, Bob Gretz looks at where NFL quarterbacks are raised. He eliminates several states with large populations that produce tons of athletes: Texas, California, and Florida and focuses in on the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

It’s 490 miles across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Combined, the three states had a 2005 population of just over 12 million people.

Yet last year, 11 quarterbacks from those three states started games in the NFL. There were grizzled veterans like Favre and McNair. The last two Super Bowls have been won by Louisiana quarterbacks, the brothers Manning. Delhomme and Rivers continue to try and elevate their teams to spots among the league’s elites. And there were youngsters getting their first chances to start like Campbell, Jackson, Lemon and Croyle.

Why does he believe this area of the country is producing more NFL quarterbacks than any other? High school football is so important in this region that they have spring football practice. Oh well, so the quarterbacks are gone from the rustbelt? At least there's still plenty of jobs left there.

Southern Quarterbacks [KC Chiefs.com]