NFL's Greatest Flops: The Biggest Player Failures in League History
As the first overall pick in 2007, JaMarcus Russell was expected to be the future of the Oakland Raiders. Instead, he became the ultimate cautionary tale, plagued by poor preparation, weight issues, and a lack of drive that ended his career after just three seasons.
Drafted right after Peyton Manning in 1998, Ryan Leaf was supposed to dominate the league. Instead, his immaturity and erratic play turned him into one of the NFL’s most notorious failures.
Hailed as the best offensive lineman prospect ever, Tony Mandarich was taken second overall in 1989. But his arrogance and struggles adapting to the NFL left the Green Bay Packers regretting their decision.
Selected second overall by the Detroit Lions in 2003, Charles Rogers had immense talent but was derailed by repeated injuries and substance abuse issues, playing only three seasons in the NFL.
A dynamic running back with first-round potential, Lawrence Phillips’ career was overshadowed by his off-field issues, including multiple arrests, which made him a liability to every team he joined.
As the first pick in the 2002 NFL Draft, David Carr was expected to lead the expansion Houston Texans to success. Unfortunately, a weak offensive line resulted in him being sacked a record 76 times in his rookie season, derailing his career.
The Chicago Bears had high hopes for Kevin White when they selected him seventh overall in 2015. However, a string of injuries limited him to only 14 games in four seasons, making him one of the most disappointing wide receivers in recent history.