The door is open a little wider for Syracuse fans hoping to see a former Orange quarterback get another crack at an NFL start this season.
Kyle McCord, who spent his lone year at Syracuse in 2024, is now with the Miami Dolphins after being traded there for a 2028 6th-round draft pick. That move came after the Green Bay Packers signed veteran Tyrod Taylor earlier this summer and kept him on the 53-man roster, clearing the path for McCord to land elsewhere.
McCord’s college season in 2024 was a big one. He set the ACC passing mark with 4,779 yards, helped Syracuse to a Holiday Bowl win, and led the Orange to a double-digit win season for only the third time in the last 20 years.
He was drafted in the sixth round by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2025, then released in January before appearing in a game. In January, he signed with the Packers before the trade to Miami.
The path to a start is still a narrow one, but it exists. The Dolphins signed former Packers quarterback Malik Willis to be their starting quarterback this offseason, and an injury to Willis could push McCord into the lineup. As the situation stands, McCord is one play away.
The most recent former Syracuse quarterback to start in the NFL is Tommy DeVito. His latest start came on Nov. 24, 2024, when the Giants lost 30-7 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
DeVito has since moved on to the New England Patriots after being claimed off waivers before the 2025 season. He signed a two-year contract extension with New England in March and is now the backup to Drake Maye, which means he, too, is one injury away from seeing the field.
Syracuse opens its season this Saturday against New Hampshire, with kickoff set for noon ET. The NFL season begins the following Wednesday, and McCord’s Dolphins open against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 13 at 4:25 p.m.
ET. DeVito and the Patriots begin against the Seattle Seahawks on Sept.
For Syracuse, the possibility of a former quarterback stepping into an NFL starting job could become a valuable recruiting point for head coach Fran Brown and his staff. High school recruits and transfer portal players could look at the program and see a path that can help launch them toward the pros.
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