Game manager

In American football, a game manager is a quarterback who makes a minimum number of mistakes for a team that relies on its defense and rushing offense to win games. The player is expected to not lose games with interceptions, fumbles, or poor decisions. It is commonly used to describe a quarterback on a winning team who does not accumulate large individual statistics such as passing yards and touchdowns.

The New York Times called it a "backhanded compliment". The San Francisco Chronicle wrote, "As consolation ... Quarterbacks are called game managers only if they're winning." The Associated Press opined, "But like any cliche, [game manager is] oversimplified". Former Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian laughed, "Every quarterback is a game manager, it's what the job is all about." College coach Nick Saban added that "I don't think you can be a good quarterback unless you're a really good game manager." The Los Angeles Times noted that although Trent Dilfer was not an "elite" quarterback, the 2000 Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl with a dominant defense and Dilfer as a game manager.