Nebraska football: A look at every Husker QB taken in the NFL draft
Bruce Mathison. 10. 13. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. . . player
When talking about Nebraska football quarterbacks who managed to have a professional career against all odds, you certainly can’t leave out Bruce Mathison.
This is another former Cornhusker quarterback that you may not have really heard about unless you were a true historian of the program. The quarterback played for the Huskers from 1980 to 1982 and mostly served as a backup.
His most extensive action as a passer in Lincoln was his senior year, when he completed 13 of 29 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown. Despite those numbers, Mathison was drafted in the 10th round of the 1983 draft by the San Diego Chargers.
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After two years as a backup, he played one season with the Buffalo Bills. During that season, Mathison became one of what was a long run of underperforming quarterbacks that played for the Bills before the great Jim Kelly.
During that 1985 season, Mathison appeared in 10 games and started seven. He didn’t have much success when he took over the starting job, going 1-6.
The record wasn’t the worst part of his season, as he threw four touchdowns and 14 interceptions. In 1986 Mathison returned to the Chargers for one season before he ended his career with the Seattle Seahawks.
In his final season in the NFL he appeared in three games and started two. The former Nebraska football star went 1-1 and threw three touchdowns and five interceptions.