Iowa may not be known for football, but this is a diehard football state. This state lives and breathes for football whenever the Iowa Hawkeyes or Iowa State Cyclones play.
When people think about Iowa football, chances are they think of elite defenses and low-scoring games, something like 20-7 or even worse. Ironically, the state has given some excellent NFL quarterbacks, yet no one thinks about that.
Some of them weren’t raised in the state, which perhaps is why people forget they could also claim them. But even if they didn’t represent them at the collegiate level, there’s still Iowa blood running through their veins!
With that in mind, we fully intend to revindicate Iowa football in this article. In the following paragraphs, we’ll tell you about the top five best NFL players born in Iowa, who all happen to be gunslingers.
Top 5 Best NFL Players Born in Iowa
5. Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton was born in Altoona. He attended Pleasant Hill High School and drew plenty of interest from several programs, eventually settling for Purdue. He became a team legend, leading them to four consecutive bowl appearances.
Orton spent most of his career as a backup, and while he never established himself as an elite player, he was one of the most reliable and consistent substitutes in the league during his playing days.
Orton retired with over 18,000 passing yards and 100 touchdowns, completing almost 60% of his passes. He played for the Bears, which, according to ClutchBet, is one of the NFL teams with more supporters in Iowa. Orton also played for the Broncos, Chiefs, Cowboys, and Bills from 2005 to 2014.
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4. Steve Bartkowski
Not many people know Sete Bartkowski was born in Des Moines because he was raised in Santa Clara and attended California. But yes, one of the strongest passers ever is another proud Iowa product who took his talents to the National Football League.
Bartkowski was a fan favorite and had a cannon for an arm, even if he was never a top-tier QB. He still holds most of the Falcons’ franchise records and led them to their first three postseason berths. Also, he threw for over 24K passing yards and 150 scores. He played for the Falcons and Rams.
3. Trent Green
Trent Green is in 3rd place in our list of best NFL players from Iowa. The pride of Cedar Rapids, Trent Green, grew up in Missouri, attending St. John Vianney High School in Kirkwood, Missouri, near Srt. Louis before committing to play for Indiana University.
Green’s NFL career started as an afterthought as he was taken in the eighth round and wasn’t supposed to be a starter. He didn’t play and was cut by the San Diego Chargers, so he tried his luck in the CFL before attempting an NFL comeback.
Injuries derailed his career. Even so, he managed to retire with more than decent numbers, throwing for a whopping 28,475 yards on a 60.6% completion percentage, logging 162 touchdowns against 114 interceptions.
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2. Kurt Warner
No one, not even Kurt Warner, ever thought he’d end up having the legendary career he had. Born in Burlington, raised in Cedar Rapids, and a product of Northern Iowa University, he wasn’t even taken in the NFL Draft.
He played in the defunct Arena Football League (AFL) and NFL Europe, eventually earning a spot as a backup. Then, with fellow Iowa native Trent Green getting hurt, he made the most of the chance and took the league by storm, commanding ‘The Greatest Show on Turf.’
Warner led his team to the Super Bowl and was named Super Bowl MVP. He got a hold of the starting job and won two MVPs, establishing himself as perhaps the greatest player in Rams history.
He had a brief tenure with the New York Giants and then brought his career back to life by leading the Arizona Cardinals to the Super Bowl. A legend of this game, Warner retired with 32,344 passing yards and 208 passing yards.
1. Joe Burrow
It’s still early, and even though he hasn’t won a Super Bowl or an MVP like Kurt Warner, Cincinnati Bengals star Joe Burrow has already established himself as the best NFL player born in the great state of Iowa.
Even though he was raised in Ohio, Iowans can still claim him, as he was born in Ames. He got a scholarship from Ohio State but grew sick and tired of not playing, so he transferred to LSU. He had one of the greatest seasons college football has ever seen there.
The Bengals went from bottom-feeders to a legit Super Bowl contender, and it’s all because of Burrow. Despite his age, he’s considered a top-3 QB in the game, and the Bengals have reached the AFC championship game in every season he’s been their starter.
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