Derek Meyer has exceeded expectations this season and is a legitimate MVP candidate. Joe Buck compared the New England Patriots quarterback to one of the best quarterbacks of all time.
On NBC Sports Boston’s “Next Pats Podcast,” broadcaster Joe Buck compared Meyer to Peyton Manning. The two don’t have similar playing styles, but Buck noted that Meyer’s demeanor at his age reminded Buck of Manning.
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“He’s 23 years old and he’s very good,” Buck said Friday. “When he came on our production call, he hung up, and I was like, ‘There’s something about him that reminds me of Manning. I don’t know what it is, maybe a Southern accent?’ As a 23-year-old, his demeanor just blew my mind.”
Meyer made the Pro Bowl in both seasons as a starter, but his performance this season is special. He led the league in completion percentage during the regular season. He passed for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns. He also had 450 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. He was the key to the Patriots going 14-3 and clinching the No. 2 seed.
Meyer’s age-23 season is also comparable to Manning’s age-23 season. In Manning’s second season, also his age-23 season, he passed for 4,135 yards and 26 touchdowns. Manning’s age-23 season was in 1999, so comparisons across eras are difficult to make. Manning also doesn’t manage the football like Meyer does.
However, Manning’s second season was his breakout season, just like Meyer. Manning obviously went on to have a historic career. He was a 14-time Pro Bowler, seven-time All-Pro, two-time Super Bowl champion and five-time MVP.
Meyer still has a long way to go to catch “The Sheriff,” but Buck believes he has the intangibles to become a great player.
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