On December 12, 2021, I was fortunate to be able to go see the Cleveland Browns take on the Baltimore Ravens. Going into the game I could not be more excited, as guiltily, Lamar Jackson was one of my favorite players at the time (when I was still young and naive), and I was very much looking forward to the electricity he brought to wherever he played.
However, early in the second quarter, Jackson hurt his ankle and was carted off the field.
I was devastated, as even though the Browns were up 10-0 at that point, I wanted to see Jackson play. As I watched his replacement come in, all I could think to myself was, “Well at least the Browns will blow them out with this bum in.”
Boy, was I wrong.
It seemed like this guy, with the last name “Huntley,” could do no wrong. All of his throws were right on the money; he seemed to be as fast if not faster than Jackson, and he almost single-handedly led the Ravens to a comeback victory, finishing the game 27/38 passing for 270 yards and one touchdown, as well as running six times for 45 yards.
Fast forward almost three years, and Tyler Huntley, also known as “Snoop,” is now a Cleveland Brown.
Early Beginnings
Growing up in Dania Beach, Florida, Huntley was always a football fanatic. By the age of three, he was already playing up a year in flag football due to being so much better than all the kids his age.
Huntley continued his success on the gridiron at Hallandale High School, starting all four years despite his small stature. While there, he would pass for 9,053 yards and 106 touchdowns, winning the Florida Gatorade Football Player of the Year as a senior. He also set the school record for most touchdown passes in a game with seven, as well as most passing attempts in a game with 71.
Initially a three-star recruit committed to Florida Atlantic University, Huntley flipped his commitment to the University of Utah, turning down offers from powerhouse schools like Ohio State, Clemson, and LSU.
As a Ute, he passed for 7,351 yards and 46 touchdowns and ran for 1,146 yards and 16 touchdowns over four seasons. As a senior, he also led the Utes to the Pac-12 Conference final.
Making it to the NFL
Huntley entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent before being picked up by the Ravens on April 30th, 2020. After a brief stint on the practice squad, he would make his way to the active roster, thanks in part to injuries and COVID.
After playing in a few games due to either blowouts or injuries to Lamar Jackson, Huntley finally made his first NFL start in November 2021 against the Chicago Bears. In that game, he threw for 219 yards, rushed for 40, and led the Ravens on a game-winning touchdown drive to steal the game 16-13.
The 2021 season solidified Huntley as Jackson’s backup. In seven games played, he threw for 1,081 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 294 yards and two touchdowns.
The following season, Huntley would appear in six games, starting in four, and was named to the NFL Pro Bowl Game as a replacement for Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
This past season, though Huntley had much less playing time than the previous two seasons, he played arguably the best football of his career. He had a career-high 99.3 passer rating, tied a career high with three passing touchdowns, and did not turnover the ball once passing or rushing.
For his career in the NFL, Huntley has passed for 2,243 yards and 10 touchdowns, while also rushing for 595 yards and three touchdowns.
As of now, there is no guarantee Huntley will be the backup to Deshaun Watson. Heck, he may not even make the team, as he is also competing with Jameis Winston and Dorian Thompson-Robinson for the backup spot, the former of which has 10 years of NFL football under his belt. The chances of the Browns keeping four quarterbacks is slim, and they will no doubt want to keep Winston due to his large $8.7 million dollar contract, leading the third spot up for grabs between Huntley and DTR.
However, there is no denying Huntley is a quality dual-threat quarterback, and his years playing behind Lamar Jackson could prove to be very valuable.
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