Former Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells famously advised the media to "put away anointing oil" as the team got caught up in Tony Romo fever during a November 2006 hot streak.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has adopted the same attitude toward ballyhooed young quarterbacks Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson, Andrew Luck and Colin Kaepernick.
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"People ask me all the time about these young quarterbacks," Roethlisberger told USA Today on Thursday. "Let's wait. One year does not mean a lot in this league. Let's see what happens in two, three years."
Roethlisberger believes all four young quarterbacks have the potential for greatness, but unrealistic expectations can lead to back-breaking pressure.
It's a fair point. Romo might be one of the NFL's highest-paid players, but he takes as many slings and arrows as any quarterback in the league. Mark Sanchez was hailed as "Sanchize" in New York after leading the Jets to the AFC Championship Game in his first two seasons. Now he's a punchline, clinging to a roster spot only because the Jets foolishly guaranteed his $8.25 million salary for 2013.
Similar points can be made about Jay Cutler, Josh Freeman and even Tim Tebow. Thanks to expressive former Atlanta Falcons coach Jerry Glanville, we all know change happens quickly in the NFL.
Follow Chris Wesseling on Twitter @ChrisWesseling.
