Stanford football: 15 greatest quarterbacks in Cardinal history

Mike Boryla was the quarterback for the Cardinal across three seasons, capping his final year with the team as not only the team captain but also the team’s Most Valuable Player. A two-year starter for the Cardinal, Boryla bounced back from a junior season that saw him throw 20 interceptions to become the leader of the 1973 team that went 7-4.

During his final season on campus, Boryla threw for 17 touchdowns, including a stellar effort against the Washington State Cougars. In that game, Boryla tied a school record with five touchdown passes, a mark only eclipsed by John Elway’s six during a 1980 matchup against the Oregon State Beavers.

Though Boryla would have to leave his final game with the team early due to a bruised throwing arm, he still played well enough that the Cincinnati Bengals took him with their fourth-round pick in the 1974 NFL Draft, but traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles. He played three seasons with the Eagles, before finishing up his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Like Andrew Luck, Boryla retired from the NFL early, leaving the game at the age of 28. A Pro Bowl player during his time in the NFL, Boryla left his mark on the Stanford program and will go down as one of the best to ever do it at the school.