They might be called the Other Seven.
They are the quarterbacks heading into the divisional NFL playoff round with a chance to win the Super Bowl not named Tom Brady.
Brady, of course, is the one with a chance to make the most history. He’s already become the first quarterback to win five Super Bowls (Bart Starr also won five titles but the first three were before the Super Bowl was invented) and now can become the first to win six.
Despite the drama surrounding the Patriots recently, he still overshadows the rest of the QB field in the playoffs. But the other seven can also put their names in the history book by winning it all this year. A Super Bowl victory is a defining moment for a quarterback’s career.
Two others — Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees — have already won rings.
Roethslisberger is aiming for his third Super Bowl ring, which would put him in elite company of quarterbacks with three or more rings.
The club includes Brady, Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana, who each won four, and Troy Aikman, who won three.
Brees won it once and can make his mark by winning a second one, joining a select group that includes Starr, Bob Griese, Jim Plunkett, John Elway and the Mannings, Peyton and Eli, and Roethlisberger.
The other five are still looking for their first ring. Here is a look at their chances:
1. Case Keenum is a journeyman who has rejuvenated his career after injuries thrust him into the starting Viking job. He kept it when Teddy Bridgewater was healthy and can become the first quarterback to win the Super Bowl on his team’s home field.
2. Nick Foles is attempting to become the fourth quarterback in NFL history to be thrust into the starting job late in the season and then go on to win the title. The only Super Bowl era quarterback to do it was Jeff Hostetler, who replaced an injured Phil Simms in 1990. Philadelphia is still the top seed despite Carson Wentz’ injury, but the odds are against Foles.
3. Matt Ryan doesn’t have a great playoff history and last year presided over the biggest collapse in Super Bowl history although poor play calling by off by then offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan didn’t help. Now he’s attempting to help the Falcons become the first Super Bowl loser to win it the next year since Miami’s perfect Dolphins in 1972. History is not on Ryan’s side.
4. Marcus Mariota’s Tennessee Titans lost three of their last four regular season games, but upset the Chiefs on the road in their first round playoff game. But now the Titans are the biggest underdogs on the board at New England. Mariota and the Titans figure to be outmanned against the Patriots.
5. Blake Bortles is trying to pull off a Trent Dilfer, who won the Super Bowl with the Ravens in 2000 by riding their defense to the title. The Ravens didn’t think they could repeat with Dilfer so they dumped him for Elvis Grbac and still didn’t repeat. Bortles, though, isn’t consistent enough to win it all. The Jaguars have a super defense, but it seems a longshot that Bortles can be Super three games in a row.