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Sage Rosenfels column: 5 best backup QB jobs in the NFL

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

Sage Rosenfels is a former 12-year NFL quarterback who writes, does radio, and podcasts about the NFL and college football.

The offseason can get slow when it comes to quarterback news, so this is the best time to talk about an aspect of the position that's near and dear to my heart: the backup quarterback. There are many different kinds of backup QBs. Some are young, inexperienced, raw, and looking for their first action. Some are backups who were once starters and are fighting to get back into the spotlight. Then there are a few backups who are content in their role. These men have some solid experience under their belt, and have solidified their value on the football team. They also understand they aren't starter material this season and accept their role as the backup.

These spots are few, but the rewards, if you know how to take advantage of them, are abundant. Playing in the NFL is all about the rewards. Of course the money is great (though there's nothing like starting-quarterback money), but the benefits of being the backup largely depend on the organization you play for and the city you live in. Offseason weather, nightlife, relationships with Hall of Fame coaches and players, and not playing are all advantages of backup quarterback life that vary from team to team. I've outlined the best clipboard-holding situations in the NFL for 2017. The players currently in these coveted roles should appreciate that life is good.

Patriots

Playing behind Tom Brady is a dream for any lucky sucker who gets the opportunity. First, there is a good chance you won't play. This is fantastic news - your joints will thank you later. Second, you will have the best seat in the entire NFL during multiple playoff games, and possibly even a Super Bowl. Once the season starts, you might as well get your finger measured in case you need to put a Super Bowl ring on it in six months. Also, you get to sit in a meeting room every day and learn from Brady, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, and the greatest football coach of all time, Bill Belichick. The value of the stories that you will have for the rest of your life are priceless, never mind the fact you may actually learn a lot about football too. Lastly, if you can convince Tom to like you, the fringe benefits will roll in. Who wants to take a private jet to the Kentucky Derby in April? Who wants to be invited over for Thanksgiving dinner and spend "quality time" with Tom, Gisele, and their families (she has five sisters)? Being Robin to Tom's Batman has its pluses.

2016 was an unusual year in New England as Brady served a four-game suspension and the backups had to play. Normally, the man behind Tom Brady doesn't get much attention. That's just fine. The benefits outweigh any pride you might have taken in actually wanting to step on the field.

Giants

Again, backing up the starter for the Giants, Eli Manning, means you aren't going to play. This is not such a bad thing. Secondly, you get to "play" for a traditionally rich franchise that's one of the oldest and classiest in all of sports. Don't forget that you get to do this in New York City! The Giants' practice facility is a 15-20 minute drive from Manhattan, so you can leave practice and hit a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden in 30 minutes. The Giants organization is well-connected in NYC. If you go through them to get Knicks tickets, you end up sitting courtside a few seats from John McEnroe, which happened to me in 2010. When Jay Z said "sitting courtside giving high fives" he was talking about me (though "Empire State of Mind" came out in 2009). Perks like this aren't available with other franchises or in other places. For those who enjoy a large city, New York is like no other. Being the backup quarterback for the Giants is one of the great jobs in America.

Cowboys

Dallas is a another excellent landing spot for the backup QB who wants to chill in 2017. Dak Prescott, given the way he plays and how his body is built, won't get hurt much over the course of his career. He is young, but played so well in his rookie season that there's little doubt he'll be the starter for a decade or so. This means you get to sit back, relax, and enjoy the greatest spectacle in the NFL: the circus that is the Dallas Cowboys. When I say circus, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Who doesn't like a circus? I love them and so do my kids.

Dallas has the largest fan base in the NFL. The Cowboys are a legitimate global sports team and get covered more by the major networks, especially the NFL Network, than any other team. This means you may actually get some notoriety out of the deal too!

Also, Dallas is one of those teams that has great offseasons. There are dozens of phenomenal golf courses in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Golf is an important aspect of a quarterback's job description. If you are the backup for the Cowboys, this is a good time to get your swing right for your post-football life.

Lastly, you get to play for coaches that quarterbacks love: Jason Garrett, Scott Linehan, and Wade Wilson. Why do quarterbacks love them? Because they played the position, and all spent a lot of time as backups. They get it. If any team knows the value of the perfect backup QB, it's the Dallas Cowboys. Once you make the roster, you should sit down with Garrett to discuss how to do your job to maximize the team's success. Knowing Garrett, he'll have a handbook waiting for you.

Chargers

First off, writing "L.A. Chargers" is weird - but being Philip Rivers' backup shouldn't be. Like the three starters I've listed above, Rivers rarely gets hurt. This means lower stress and more happiness. Secondly, you get to play football in Los Angeles! How great is that! Yeah, the traffic sucks, but there will be plenty of perks similar to those that NYC offers - tickets to Lakers games, the ESPYs, movie premieres, I could go on and on. There will be plenty of non-football things to do in the offseason.

Speaking of non-football perks, L.A. has great golf and the beach. An experienced backup quarterback should be great at these two things. We should always golf better than the starter, but swallow some pride when you drive him to the golf course. He has radio interviews to do, so do your job and help the team!

The biggest downside to being the backup for the Chargers is that your team isn't very good. The Raiders, Broncos, and Chiefs are better than you this year, and you'll probably end up last in your division. That's OK - you'll beat them all with a better offseason every single year.

Dolphins

This job is similar to the L.A. gig, with the biggest difference being the starter. Ryan Tannehill isn't as accomplished as the starters listed above, but he does begin and finish games most of the time. Matt Moore played more than usual last year. As the Miami backup, you're also playing in a division with the Patriots. This means you won't be winning a title or getting a Super Bowl ring any time soon.

As someone who played in Miami for four seasons, South Florida is the place to be in January, February, March, and April. The offseasons in Miami mean a ton of golf, lots of beach days, easy flights to the Caribbean and South America, and all of your friends want to visit. You can easily score tickets to the Orange Bowl, and the Super Bowl is in South Florida every few seasons. Plus, South Beach has festival after festival. Even the Miami and Fort Lauderdale boat shows are a great time. I'm not going to get into whatever else South Beach has to offer. That is what it is.

There are reasons Miami Dolphin fans are known as fair-weather. The weather is better than fair during the fall and winter, and there is an unlimited supply of fun things to do. Playing backup quarterback for the Dolphins isn't the best job in pro sports, but it's one of them.

As someone who was a career journeyman backup, the perks vary from team to team. My list above should be put into every rookie quarterback's locker. Some of them will end up starters while others won't ever make it in the league. A few of them will end up being career backups, and rather than being disappointed, they should love and appreciate their role. I hear people say the backup quarterback job in the NFL is the best job in the world. I don't disagree, but it's an even better job if you are in the right city and organization.

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