Former Purdue QB David Blough to Start for Detroit Lions Today
Milljons of people are going to flip on the TV to watch NFL football on Thanksgiving Day, and it all starts at 12:30 p.m. ET when the Detroit Lions take on the Chicago Bears.
When the Lions take the field, quarterback David Blough will make his first-ever NFL start. And the country will say in unison, "WHO'S THAT?''
Purdue fans will know, of course. Blough threw for 3,705 yards and 25 touchdowns a year ago as a senior and led its high-powered offense to a bowl game under head coach Jeff Brohm. He started for the better part of four years during his Purdue career from 2015 to 2018.
Despite his inexperience in the NFL, Blough does have a track record of surprising people and he might even be the better QB on the field Thursday, considering the struggles of Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Last season, Blough he led underdog Purdue past No. 2-ranked Ohio State, shocking the Buckeyes 49-20. It was easily the biggest upset of the season in college football, and Blough led the way with 378 yards passing and three touchdowns.
David Blough will start at quarterback for Thursday’s game vs. Chicago. Jeff Driskel will serve as the backup quarterback. pic.twitter.com/4CoML7YMuK
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) November 28, 2019
He also beat ranked teams Boston College and Iowa last year and threw for 572 yards in a loss to Missouri. He threw for 275 yards or more eight times last season.
"Who the heck is David Blough?"
— Ross Tucker (@RossTuckerNFL) November 28, 2019
-Literally millions of people in 16 hours.
Blough wasn't drafted in last spring's NFL Draft, but he was signed by the Cleveland Browns and went to camp. When it was clear he wasn't going to make the team, the Browns traded him to the Detroit Lions for a late-round pick.
Matthew Stafford is the longtime starter at quarterback for Detroit, but he injured his back a month ago and is likely out for the year. Former Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel has been starting in his absence, but he got hurt last week in the loss to Washington, so Blough is the next man up.
Blough isn't the only former Boilermakers quarterback starting on Thanskgiving Day. Drew, Brees, probably Purdue's greatest quarterback, will start Thursday night for the New Orleans Saints when they take on the Atlanta Falcons.
Unofficial list of @BoilerFootball QB starters in the @NFL:
— Matt Rector (@Matt_Rector) November 28, 2019
Cecil Isbell
Elmer Oliphant
Len Dawson
Bob Griese
Mike Phipps
Gary Danielson
Mark Herrmann
Scott Campbell
Jim Everett
Drew Brees
Kyle Orton
Curtis Painter
Tomorrow 👉 David Blough #BoilerUp #CradleOfQuarterbacks pic.twitter.com/g6jjZ6vqga
Blough is the first undrafted rookie quarterback to EVER start a game for the Lions, which is saying something.
#Lions QB @david_blough10 will become the 1st undrafted rookie QB to start a game in @Lions history (excluding the 1987 strike).
— Detroit Lions PR (@LionsPR) November 28, 2019
He'll also become the the 3rd QB since 1950 to make his 1st-career start on Thanksgiving, joining Drew Henson (DAL, 2004) and Kent Graham (NYG, 1992). pic.twitter.com/22wvWxmyrv
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Tom Brew is an award-winning journalist who's worked at some America's finest newspapers, including the Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the Indianapolis Star. He also owns the book publishing company, Hilltop30 Publishing Group, and he has written four books and published 16 others.