There’s few things that can ignite a college football program quite like a star quarterback. The UCLA Bruins have had some good quarterbacks over the past 10 years but none of them compare to Josh Rosen.
It’s been nearly a full decade since Josh Rosen was under center with the Bruins, playing in Westwood from 2015-2017 before getting taken with the 10th overall pick in the NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals.
Did Rosen get a proper chance in the NFL? Not really but the UCLA alum didn’t show much in one season in Arizona before the Cardinals decided to dump Rosen for No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray. Rosen landed with the Miami Dolphins, where he played for a year before Miami opted for a rookie quarterback too, drafting Tua Tagovailoa.
Rosen would never start another game in the NFL but his UCLA legacy will not be forgotten. Rosen made an immediate impact, being named to the National Freshman All-American after putting up 351 yards and three touchdowns in his first game as a Bruin.
Rosen would end his freshman season throwing for 3,670 and having 25 total touchdowns. The sophomore season was a step back for Rosen, getting hurt in October and having season-ending surgery on his throwing shoulder.
His final season with UCLA was another terrific showing for Rosen, coming back in Week 1 and throwing for 491 yards and four touchdowns to defeat Texas A&M in one of the most memorable UCLA football games of the century. Rosen ended the season with 3,756 and 28 touchdowns despite suffering two concussions.
Josh Rosen with the game on the line at UCLA was something else 🥲 pic.twitter.com/WtKkZEdqcb
— SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) August 15, 2026
Even if Rosen’s NFL career didn’t go to plan, he’ll forever have a special place in the hearts of UCLA fans.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Remembering UCLA's last true star at the quarterback position