Getty Nathan Peterman #2 of the Buffalo Bills is hit as he throws by Danny Trevathan #59 of the Chicago Bears at New Era Field on November 4, 2018.
Before Josh Allen became the Buffalo Bills‘ starting quarterback in 2018, the franchise stood behind the arm of quarterback Nathan Peterman, whom the franchise originally drafted in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
It’s hard to describe Peterman’s two-season in Buffalo as anything but “a major failure,” as SB Nation’s Bill Williamson described, and after getting waived, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound quarterback spent three years as a reserve with the Raiders.
In 2019, then-Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, who was a big fan of Peterman, couldn’t help but note his “nightmare performances” in Buffalo.
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“He’s athletic,” Gruden said in 2019, per Yahoo! Sports. “I know he’s got some nightmare performances in the NFL, but when you watch the film, you can see why. It’s not all his fault, but he’s got some talent. He’s got some athleticism. He has some experience.”
Gruden’s affinity for Peterman was confusing at best. During the 28-year-old’s eight appearances with the Bills, including four starts between 2017 and 2018, he earned a 32.5 quarterback rating while completing 52.6% of his passes, Yahoo! Sports reported.
During his tenure with the Raiders, Peterman appeared in two games. The first took place in Week 11 of the 2020 NFL season. During the fourth quarter of their 43-6 loss against the Atlanta Falcons, Peterman completed 3-of-5 passes for 25 yards. In October 2021, during the Raiders game against the Bears, Peterman took four snaps while starter Derek Carr briefly left with an injury.
News: Backup QB Nathan Peterman, he of the 3-to-12 career TD-to-INT ratio, is signing with the Bears, per @TomPelissero.
Views: Will he become the worst Bears QB since Rusty Lisch — who had 0 TDs & 6 INTs in 7 games played (1 start) for the Bears in 1984?
So, on Wednesday, May 11, when NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweeted that Peterman was signing a one-year contract with the Chicago Bears, fans and analysts couldn’t believe he was still getting employed in the NFL.
The #Bears signing Nathan Peterman is a clear mark that the regime is thinking one step ahead — how better to develop Justin Fields than to give him a great model of how not to play?
Savvy move, never saw that kind of thinking coming.
After it was announced that the former Bills starter was taking his talents to Chicago, Bears Wire reporter Alyssa Barbieri wrote of Peterman, he’s the man “who many believe to be one of the worst quarterbacks of all-time.” And while his time on the field has been minimal, “when he has had opportunities to play, he’s posted some dreadful numbers,” Barbieri wrote.
Peterman Famously Threw 5 Interceptions During His 1st Start in Buffalo — All in the First Half
Big brain move by Ryan Poles.
The confidence levels for Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker are going to be through the roof after going against Nathan Peterman in training camp.
Over his two seasons with the Bills, Peterman recorded a total of 548 passing yards, three touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. However, five of those interceptions came during his first-ever start, and all in the first half.
“His first career start with the Bills in 2017 is the stuff of NFL legend,” Yahoo! Sports Jason Owens wrote. “Peterman threw five interceptions on 14 attempts in the first half of a 54-24 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Head coach Sean McDermott, who’d benched Tyrod Taylor that week in favor of Peterman, replaced Peterman with Taylor in the second half.”
Da #Bears have signed former Bills QB Nathan Peterman for 1 year. Here’s the facts:
He beat Josh Allen out for the Bills QB1 spot in 2018… And with that opportunity put out the worst quarterback performance in the last 40 years. Throwing 5 interceptions in the 1st half v. LAC😅
Jay Cutler once threw 4 interceptions to one player in a single game.
Nathan Peterman once threw 5 interceptions in a half.
Somehow this is fitting.
During his last start in Buffalo, which was against the Bears on November 4, 2018, Peterman threw three interceptions, completing 31-of-49 passes for 188 yards with one rushing touchdown, per WGN 9. Buffalo lost 41-9.
While Peterman will be employed in Chicago, much like his tenure in Las Vegas, he won’t see much playing time. Peterman will likely be the third-string quarterback behind quarterbacks Justin Field and Trevor Simien.
Even Bears Fans Were Perplexed By the Team Signing Peterman
BREAKING: Free-agent QB Nathan Peterman is signing a 1-year deal with the Bears, per @TomPelissero.
On Twitter, it wasn’t just Bills Mafia making fun of Chicago for signing Peterman, Bears fans were stumped by the move, too. One man tweeted, “Nathan Peterman is gonna get paid handsomely to play quarterback for my favorite football team and there’s absolutely nothing I can do about it.”
Telling myself not to get mad/care about the Nathan Peterman signing because Justin Fields is going to be awesome and healthy all season long >>>>>
“If Nathan Peterman has any significant playing time this year, the Bears have a very good chance at the #1 overall pick,” another fan tweeted.
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Bears Slammed for Signing Ex-Bills Starter: ‘Worst QBs of All Time’