Veteran quarterback Nathan Peterman has certainly had a fair share of horrific moments in his four-year NFL career. He’s best known for his time with the Buffalo Bills where he once threw five interceptions against the New England Patriots in the first half.
Regardless, he has somehow been able to hold a job in the NFL, and reports have emerged on Wednesday that Peterman has landed yet another opportunity in the NFL. Peterman has signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Bears and will join a quarterback room alongside starting quarterback Justin Fields and Trevor Siemian in 2022.
Free-agent QB Nathan Peterman is signing a one-year contract with the #Bears, per source.
Peterman — who opened the 2018 season as the #Bills’ starter ahead of Josh Allen — spent the last few seasons with the #Raiders. Now, he joins Justin Fields and Trevor Siemian in Chicago.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 11, 2022
Aside from kneeling the clock out in a game for the Las Vegas Raiders last season, Peterman has not seen action in the NFL since 2020 in a game that was already well in hand. He currently holds a career completion percentage of just 52 percent to go along with three touchdowns and 12 interceptions in four career starts.
Many around the NFL world are certainly wondering why Peterman has been given so many chances on an NFL roster.
How Nathan Peterman keeps getting jobs is one of the NFL's greatest mysteries https://t.co/kcMnmObiMW
— Carrington Harrison (@cdotharrison) May 11, 2022
The Bears got rid of Mitch Trubisky for Nick Foles, then got rid of Nick Foles for Nathan Peterman. Because that makes sense.
— Troy Machir (@TroyMachir) May 11, 2022
wired: the real reason the Bears signed Nathan Peterman is to give their top draft pick DBs practice picking off balls
gotta do everything you can to put your biggest investments in the best situation possible
— Jeremy Layton (@JeremyLayt0n) May 11, 2022
Credit where credit is due, Nathan Peterman has found his NFL niche and my man is MAXIMIZING it.
— Allan Bell (@AllanBell247) May 11, 2022
If a quarterback takes 20 snaps in a game and immediately spikes the ball, they will finish the game with a 39.58 passer rating.
Nathan Peterman's career passer rating is 33.97.Statistically one of the worst NFL QBs ever and still getting paid. https://t.co/93mS7fmvwL
— Nik Streng (@NikStreng) May 11, 2022
Many are pointing out that if Peterman is seen as good enough to be given a chance in the NFL, then why aren’t the likes of Colin Kaepernick and other veterans who have seen some success still in the league?
If Nathan Peterman deserves to be on an NFL roster, so does Tim Tebow and Blake Bortles.
— Nick Adams (@NickAdamsinUSA) May 11, 2022
How does Nathan Peterman still get a job in the NFL while Colin Kaepernick remains unsigned. Kap would be the perfect player to back up Fields. SMH https://t.co/whhjrewG9S
— Deem (@49ersDeem) May 11, 2022
Colin Kaepernick is still available https://t.co/rTIY1654rJ
— K. (@Kj_Hamilton90) May 11, 2022
“Colin Kaepernick isn’t good enough for the NFL”
The NFL: https://t.co/vsGDCpqFvQ
— Will Johnson Enjoyer (@UMvsEveryone) May 11, 2022
It’s baffling to see how Kaepernick, who has helped bring a team to the Super Bowl can be unsigned but players such as Peterman can continually keep a job in the NFL. Chicago would have been an excellent landing spot for Kaepernick to mentor young quarterback Justin Fields, who praised Kaepernick back in April when the two shared a private workout together.
Peterman is obviously extremely talented compared to an average person, and credit to him for keeping a job in the league for so long, but his NFL career has shown so far that he is not playing at the level of an NFL-caliber player.
