15 of the biggest NFL quarterback busts in history
A hard pass
The NFL draft is a crapshoot and a risky business, especially when you roll the dice on a quarterback. Trey Lance of the San Francisco 49ers appears to be the latest high pick who flopped. The 49ers made big moves and gave up a huge package of picks to choose Lance out of North Dakota State. Between injuries and ineffectiveness, he’s now been traded to the Dallas Cowboys.
And there are plenty of sour stories like that throughout NFL history.
Who are some of the others? These QBs join Lance to make up the 15 most notable…
Sam Darnold
As long as we are on the theme of the 49ers, let’s count their current backup as a failure for the team that selected him. The Jets chose Sam Darnold third overall out of USC in 2018 and in three seasons with Gang Green, he was 13-25 as a starter. San Fran is Darnold’s third team.
Ryan Leaf
There is zero sense harping on Leaf’s NFL failures. He has made attempts at redemption in the real world and that is far more significant than disappointing the San Diego Chargers.
JaMarcus Russell
The Raiders chose Russell first overall out of LSU in 2007, and he delivered absolutely nothing.
Matt Leinart
Another USC QB who failed to live up to his draft selection. The Arizona Cardinals chose the 2004 Heisman winner 10th overall in the 2006 NFL draft. He was 7-10 as a starter in Arizona and was out of the league after the 2012 season.
David Carr
The Houston Texans chose David Carr with their first pick — in history — in the 2002 draft. He never had a chance as the QB out of Fresno State was sacked over and over. He was 23-56 in five seasons with Houston before becoming a backup for three other teams.
Johnny Manziel
The Cleveland Browns went for the Heisman winner out of Texas A&M with the 22nd pick in 2014 and were rewarded with a troubled young man. Manziel was in the NFL for two seasons, going 2-6 as a starter.
Kellen Mond
He was only a third-round pick by the Vikings out of Texas A&M but Mond has flopped for two teams. He never made a dent in Minnesota, was gone, and then was off to Cleveland — like Manziel?? With the Browns this training camp, Mond was beaten out for the backup role by UCLA rookie draft pick Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
Robert Griffin
Another Heisman winner who had a much better college career than in the NFL. Griffin started fast after Washington dealt major draft picks to the Rams for a chance to draft the Baylor QB second overall in 2012. He won Offensive Rookie of the Year. And that was that.
Art Schilchter
Art Schlichter was a hero in Columbus, Ohio, at Ohio State. That led to the Colts drafting him fourth overall in 1982. His play was poor and his gambling issues were worse. He may never get his act together. Never.
Josh Rosen
Rosen came to the Cardinals 10th overall in 2018. He lived off headlines mainly at UCLA and the hype led to Arizona making the pick and regretting it. How bad was the selection? Arizona used the first overall pick in 2019 to choose a quarterback, Kyler Murray.
Sam Bradford
Winning the Heisman doesn’t guarantee much in the NFL. The Rams decided they wanted Bradford badly and did what they had to in order to choose the 2008 Heisman winner first overall in 2010.
Brady Quinn
Much like Johnny Manziel, Quinn was a 22nd overall pick in the first round of the 2007 draft. He came from Notre Dame, another golden boy. His NFL career was absolutely forgettable.
Rick Mirer
Another golden domer whose career was far dimmer in the NFL than in South Bend. Mirer was a second overall pick in 1993 by the Seahawks. His career was dreadful. He was 20-31 and defined journeyman.
Mitchell Trubisky
The Bears moved up to draft Trubisky second overall in 2017. They must have had second thoughts as they also signed Mike Glennon to a big free-agent deal. A double disaster. Glennon at least wasn’t a high pick. Trubisky is on his third team now, backing up Kenny Pickett with the Steelers.
