The storied franchise has lacked quarterback stability, for the most part, since this transition. Lujack took over as Chicago’s primary passer in 1949, and Luckman retired after the 1950 season. The Bears’ succession plan veered off course quickly. Lujack threw an NFL-most 23 TD passes in 1949 and made the next two Pro Bowls. Injuries and an insurance job led to the ex-Notre Dame star retiring at 26, following the 1951 season. Compounding Chicago’s sudden QB issue: George Halas had traded Bobby Layne after his 1948 rookie season. Leading the Lions to multiple titles, Layne became a Hall of Famer.

This transition featured multiple chapters. Graham retired after the 1954 season, which ended with a Browns 56-10 demolition of the rival Lions. Graham remains the only quarterback to rush and throw for three TDs apiece in a playoff game. The Browns’ first QB left the door open to return in 1955 if Paul Brown needed him. He did. Graham then led the Browns to a seventh championship, going out on top twice. A four-year Browns backup, Ratterman took over to start the 1956 season. A Week 4 knee injury nixed Cleveland’s succession plan and ended Ratterman’s career. The Browns went 5-7 in 1956, halting their playoff streak at 10.

The Rams lit up scoreboards in the early 1950s with two Hall of Fame QBs, Van Brocklin and Bob Waterfield. By 1958, Van Brocklin and future Hall of Fame coach Sid Gillman were at odds to the point Van Brocklin threatened to retire rather than play for Gillman again. The Rams traded the hard-edged passer to the Eagles, leading to Billy Wade taking over. The ex-No. 1 overall pick-turned-backup made the Pro Bowl in his 1958 starter debut but only lasted three years As L.A.’s QB1. Both Van Brocklin and Wade won championships elsewhere, the former with the Eagles (1960) and the latter with the Bears (1963).

Layne powered the Lions to two championships, bettering the powerhouse Browns on both occasions, but a broken leg prevented him from commanding a loaded 1957 Detroit team. Instead, Rote — whom the Lions acquired via trade that July — orchestrated a playoff comeback in San Francisco and led Detroit to a 59-14 trouncing of Cleveland for the title. Though the Lions gave Layne his job back, they stunned the brash QB by trading him to the Steelers in October 1958. On his way out, Layne may or may not have said the Lions would go titleless for 50 years. Rote was in Canada by 1960 but won an AFL title as a Charger in 1963.

The Giants’ triggerman for over a decade, Conerly was still going at 40 — largely uncharted waters for the era. The Giants obtained Tittle from the 49ers in late summer 1961, as the 49ers moved to John Brodie, but kept the 40-year-old Conerly at the controls. Tittle, San Francisco’s starter for most of the previous nine years, Tittle took over by Week 2. The future Hall of Famer moved the Giants back to the top of the NFL’s Eastern Conference, guiding them to three straight title games (all losses). The baldheaded talent threw a then-record 36 TD passes in 1963, claiming MVP honors over a top-shelf Jim Brown season. Tittle played until 1964, retiring at 38.