The Story of Dieter Brock, Jim Everett, and the Rams’ Quarterback Twist of Fate

The road to NFL stardom is rarely straight. Some players rise quickly, while others take the long way around. These days, it’s common for prospects to spend extra years in college, transfer multiple times, or climb up from junior colleges before finally getting their shot.

Just look at last year’s number-one overall pick, Cam Ward, who began his journey as a zero-star recruit at Incarnate Word. Today’s NFL rookies come from every background, every ranking, and every kind of path imaginable.

This is the story of two quarterbacks who embody those extremes. One fit the classic first-round mold, with size, pedigree, and polish. The other took the scenic route, spending a decade in the Canadian Football League before ever throwing an NFL pass. Both wound up as starting quarterbacks for the Los Angeles Rams, their paths converging in one of the most unlikely twists in league history.

The Birmingham Rifle

Dieter Brock was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and began his college career at Auburn before transferring to Jacksonville State. Known for his cannon arm and accuracy, Brock earned the nickname “The Birmingham Rifle.” After college, instead of taking a shot at the NFL, Brock chose to sign with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the CFL.

That decision set him on a remarkable path north of the border. Brock dominated the league during his decade in Canada, winning back-to-back Most Outstanding Player awards and finishing among the top three in nearly every major passing category in CFL history. He was accurate, tough, and consistent, quickly becoming one of the league’s defining stars of the 1970s and early 1980s.

After ten years with Winnipeg, Brock was traded to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, ironically for another quarterback. In his final CFL season, he led Hamilton to the Grey Cup, the Canadian version of the Super Bowl, where fate delivered an incredible twist. Across the field stood the same Winnipeg Blue Bombers team that had traded him away. For a while, it looked like Brock might get his redemption story, as the Tiger-Cats jumped out to an early two-score lead. But the Blue Bombers roared back, winning 47-17 and denying Brock the one thing missing from his résumé: a championship.

It was a heartbreaking ending to an incredible CFL career.

A Rookie at 34

At 34 years old and fresh off that loss, Brock made a decision few could have predicted. He left the CFL, returned to the United States, and signed with the Los Angeles Rams. That made him the oldest rookie quarterback to ever start in the NFL.

The transition was seamless. Brock quickly won over teammates and coaches with his professionalism and accuracy. He led the Rams to the number-two seed in the NFC, a division title, and an appearance in the NFC Championship Game. The opponent? The legendary 1985 Chicago Bears, one of the most dominant defenses in football history.

That day, the Bears were simply too much. They shut out the Rams 24-0, ending Brock’s Cinderella run just short of the Super Bowl. Even so, his story captured fans’ imaginations. A 34-year-old “rookie” leading a storied franchise deep into the playoffs was something the NFL had never seen before.

Heading into the 1986 offseason, the Rams believed they had found their guy.

A Career Cut Short

But football has a cruel way of reminding players how fragile the game can be.

During the 1986 preseason, Brock suffered a serious knee injury that landed him on injured reserve. Soon after, doctors discovered a chronic back issue reportedly linked to his throwing motion. The combined injuries ended his playing career before it could truly begin.

Just like that, the Rams went from having a playoff-tested starter to being completely without a quarterback. They needed a replacement fast, and football fate was about to hand them another twist.

Draft Day Drama

A few months earlier, the 1986 NFL Draft featured a quarterback prospect who checked every box: Jim Everett from Purdue. Everett had finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting and was viewed as a can’t-miss franchise player. Standing six-foot-five with a big arm and poise in the pocket, he was everything scouts wanted in a number-one pick.

That year’s draft order went: Buccaneers, Falcons, Oilers, Saints, Cardinals, and Colts. The Cardinals had made it known they wanted Everett, which prompted the Colts to trade up with the Saints to secure him. The Buccaneers selected Bo Jackson first overall, who famously refused to play for them. The Falcons took defensive tackle Tony Casillas second.

That left the Houston Oilers sitting at number three with a decision to make. They already had Warren Moon in his prime, but they couldn’t stomach the thought of a division rival landing a star quarterback. Out of spite, or perhaps a deeper strategy, they selected Everett themselves.

What followed was chaos.

Reports differ about what happened next. Some say the Oilers made Everett a fair offer, others insist the deal was well below market value for a top-three pick, and some claim the team never offered anything at all due to a feud with Everett’s agent. Whatever the truth, Everett never signed. The number-three pick in the draft sat unsigned through training camp and into the regular season.

The Trade That Changed Everything

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, the Rams had just lost Dieter Brock and were desperate for a quarterback. They picked up the phone.

In September of 1986, the Rams and Oilers struck a deal. Los Angeles sent guard Kent Hill, defensive end William Fuller, and three draft picks to Houston in exchange for Everett’s rights. The Rams immediately signed him to a long-term contract, beating out the rival 49ers for his services.

The Rams took a patient approach, easing Everett into the NFL. Head coach John Robinson famously compared him to a fine bottle of wine, saying he needed time to develop before being uncorked. The plan worked. Everett became one of the best quarterbacks in franchise history, ranking near the top of every major passing category during the team’s first era in Los Angeles.

Two Paths, One Legacy

That same year, Dieter Brock officially transitioned into coaching. The two men never shared a huddle, never took the field together, and technically were never teammates. Yet their stories are forever linked by timing, circumstance, and the shared jersey of the Los Angeles Rams.

One was a 34-year-old rookie who had paid his dues in another country. The other was a first-round prodigy who embodied every ideal of an NFL franchise quarterback. Both helped shape the Rams’ identity in the mid-1980s, and both remind us that there is no single path to success in professional football.

Whether you come from a small-town school or a Big Ten powerhouse, whether you arrive at age 22 or 34, greatness has no timeline. And heroes can truly come from anywhere.

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