• by Danielle Oster , Yesterday

Progressive Insurance is putting its “The Backup” campaign on the field for a second consecutive season.

The football campaign likens the brand’s insurance coverage to the role of a dependable backup quarterback in the NFL -- with a new roster of backup quarterbacks for this iteration.

The campaign debuts with an ad starring New England Patriots quarterback Tommy DeVito, who jumps in to save a family photo shoot. It will debut during Fox’s coverage of the Ohio St. v. Texas game on Aug. 30. “The Backup” will continue with new ads rolling out across TV, radio, online video, streaming, social media, and digital platforms over the course of the NFL season. The rest of the team for this year’s “The Backup” campaign includes Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Teddy Bridgewater, Mitch Trubisky of the Buffalo Bills, and Baltimore Ravens QB Tyler Huntley, each of whom will star in their own ad. This year’s campaign also includes a “Backup W-surance” sweepstakes extension on Instagram and TikTok.

According to Sports Illustrated, there are 32 backup quarterbacks in the NFL, as of May, 2025. And Progressive was strategic about which ones it drafted for the campaign, according to Meghan Walsh, who leads integrated marketing for Progressive.

“We knew we wanted unique figures in this campaign, so we started with the ones who have deep relationships with their fans -- figures like Colt McCoy and Case Keenum from last season,” Walsh told Marketing Daily. “This season we loved the idea of bringing new faces who still fit that bill to surprise people, like Teddy Bridgewater and Tommy DeVito. These unsung heroes bring a distinctive take and have a unique personality to offer.”

The decision to bring “The Backup” off the bench for a second season followed success in its first iteration, according to Progressive.

“We found that the idea of having a backup in real life for when the unexpected happens resonated with football fans who put their trust in a backup QB when things don’t go as planned on the field,” Walsh said. “There was a desire to further tap into this connection and to continue the momentum with a focus on digital extensions to engage fans such as the W-surance sweepstakes.”