Omaha! Omaha!

If you’re a football fan, that phrase resonates more with Peyton Manning’s cadence than Nebraska’s largest city. Perhaps, Manning has even generated more buzz around the word than the state itself. Either way, enough about Peyton and Nebraska. The real reason we’re here is to learn about a quarterback wonder, hence his twitter handle @qbphenom, 6 year old, Cannon Starritt.

Cannon is already better than Manning, Philip Rivers (his two favorites), and the rest of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL. At least, he thinks so. I’m not so sure he’s wrong though. Seriously.

How about a 3-step drop and a laser beam towards a small soda can target?

Cake. What else you got?

Okay, hit a moving target in the air without throwing the football into the neighbor’s yard.

Boom. Next?

Cannon is going to play quarterback for Southern Cal, that’s what’s next. Even though Lane Kiffin has already offered the 6 year old a scholarship. (Kidding, Lane stops at mid-puberty quarterbacks.)

Hold on. Let’s kick the training wheels off and ride around the block on our two-wheeler before we talk about a 6 year old following Leinart, Sanchez, Barkley, Kessler and the ensuing prodigy at the Trojan quarterback factory.

But Cannon plays in the NFL Play60 league. Which is kind of like suiting up on Sundays.. right? There are no spider two y banana’s, (except maybe for a snack), “you like that” chants, or challenge flags tossed, but, his team name is… the Broncos.

So, that means before he’s lost all of his baby teeth, Cannon has completed more passes than Jamarcus Russell.  Not apples to apples? Alright Jamarcus, ride your two wheeler around the block, cool down, and we’ll talk when you get back.

“The truth is in the tape.” Trent Dilfer preaches that notion. Put it on tape.

I’m not talking about the tape featuring Cannon’s sidekick, Philip Manning, his teddy bear and him celebrating the Broncos Super Bowl 50 victory. Yes, they did stay up past their bedtime.

I mean the tape where this wiggle worm (his nickname from his dad), sporting flow like Jeff Spicoli, chants Omaha! Omaha! – And completes pass after pass – to his dad, his teammates, into a cardboard box, and a water bucket.

You know, it’s a wild west out there when it comes to camps, recruiters, and scouting. It’s easy to absorb tunnel vision as a talent monger and forget why we play the game.

The bond between a father and son is not artificially made. It is born, grown and developed. Randee and Cannon Starritt enjoy that bond to the fullest.

“Playing ball with my dad,” as Cannon would put it.

Someday, maybe we’ll hear the NFL commissioner say…

“And with the first pick in the 2030 NFL Draft, the San Diego Chargers select – Cannon Starritt, Quarterback, University of Southern California.”

And Cannon’s response would be none other than, “See, I told ya!”

And maybe we won’t. But man, Cannon is having the time of his life, playing ball… with his dad.