NFL Players Who Ultimately Failed in Their Carrers

NFL draft picks have a great chance to help a struggling football team turn things around by selecting a potential future star of the brand. Unfortunately, many college players who were stars turn out to be disappointments in the pros due to subpar play or poor conduct off the field.

We are aware that fans will continue to grumble about the awful first-round selection their team made five years ago and wasted on a quarterback who would be out of the league in three. You can find comfort in the knowledge that every team makes decisions that they later regret. Check out some of the most recent NFL players who fell short of their draft-pick potential.

Henry Ruggs III – WR

With the 12th overall pick in 2020, Henry Ruggs III appeared to have limitless potential. In his rookie season, he showed some genuine promise at times, giving fans hope that in his second year in the league, he would emerge as the next big wide receiver.

Ruggs tragically hit 156 mph while heavily intoxicated in 2021 and collided with another car, killing the other driver. The blood alcohol level that Ruggs was found to have was twice the Nevada legal limit. The Las Vegas Raider’s playing days in the NFL are almost certainly over, even if he avoids going to jail.

Mitch Trubisky – QB

The Chicago Bears have a long history of attempting to find the ideal candidate for the position of quarterback, a task that they consistently appear to find difficult. To make matters better, Aaron Rodgers has led the rival Green Bay Packers to years of uninterrupted success.

In order to select Mitch Trubisky with the second overall pick in 2017, Chicago moved up. Despite making the Pro Bowl in his sophomore campaign, he struggled in 2019 and 2020. He worked as Josh Allen’s backup in Buffalo in 2021, and the Pittsburgh Steelers signed him in the 2022 offseason after Ben Roethlisberger declared his retirement. Bears fans will be able to attest to the fact that Kansas City selected Patrick Mahomes eight picks after Chicago selected Mitchell Trubisky in 2017.

Saquon Barkley – RB

Saquon Barkley, the second overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, appeared poised to become the sport’s next outstanding running back. That was certainly supported by Barkley’s impressive 1,300 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns during his rookie season.

But he injured himself in the latter part of his second season, and at the start of the 2020 season, he tore his ACL, missing almost the entire season. Barkley, who is still young, must demonstrate his ability to stay on the field and whether he is still as explosive as he was during his rookie season.

Josh Doctson – WR

Josh Doctson, the Washington Football Team’s 22nd overall pick in 2016, possessed the talent to succeed. Unfortunately, he appeared to have been bitten by a snake right away because he missed almost all of his rookie season due to an Achilles injury.

He showed promise in 2017 and 2018, but he never quite lived up to Washington’s expectations as a first-round pick. Since the 2019 season, things for him have not gotten any better. He was released by Washington after that season and has only appeared in one NFL game since.

Odell Beckham, Jr. – WR

The New York Giants selected Odell Beckham Jr., also known as OBJ, with the 12th overall pick in 2014. After making the “catch heard ’round the world” on Sunday Night Football, he instantly became a household name. While he frequently made the highlight reel, the receiver’s journey hasn’t been without bumps.

Over his first few seasons, he was unquestionably one of the league’s top wide receivers, but his attitude and behavior off the field have come into question. When he signed with Cleveland in 2019, Browns fans were thrilled, but he was released in 2021 not long after his father complained on social media about his son not receiving passes. Although he tore his ACL in the Super Bowl, which cast doubt on his future, he joined the Los Angeles Rams in the middle of the 2021 season and helped them win.

Corey Coleman – WR

One of those teams that just doesn’t seem to have much luck with their first-round picks is the Cleveland Browns. After posting impressive numbers at Baylor and establishing himself as one of the best college receivers in the nation, Corey Coleman was selected with the 15th overall pick in 2016.

He was then traded to Buffalo after two very injury-filled and below-average seasons in Cleveland. He was ultimately released by the Bills after just a few weeks, and since then, he has been moving around the league without catching a pass since 2018.

Deshone Kizer – QB

The quarterback position has been the most problematic one for the Browns in the past, which is a position that many teams struggle with. But like so many signal-callers before him, it was believed they may have found their man when they selected Kizer 52nd overall in 2017.

During his time in Cleveland, Kizer completed just 53.6% of his passes and threw a staggering 22 interceptions. After being traded the following year, he spent three seasons with three different teams. Although a backup quarterback, he probably won’t ever start at quarterback in the NFL again.

Sam Darnold – QB

Fans of the Jets, who selected Sam Darnold with the third overall pick in 2018, hoped he would eventually replace the team’s long-struggling quarterback. Sadly, Darnold was never given the chance to fully develop because he spent three seasons getting beat up by bad Jets teams.

Prior to the 2021 season, he was traded to the Panthers in an effort to unleash his potential. Although he played well in his first few games for Carolina, he was less than stellar after that and threw a lot of interceptions. In 2021, he suffered a shoulder blade injury, prompting the Panthers to sign former star quarterback Cam Newton. What will happen to Darnold going forward in 2022 is still uncertain.

Leonard Fournette – RB

It is challenging to include a player who just won the Super Bowl on a list of athletes who haven’t performed to their full potential. Leonard Fournette did not live up to that expectation, despite the Jacksonville Jaguars selecting him with the fourth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Fournette had a strong rookie season, missed some time in year two, and appeared to be on the cusp of a major breakthrough in 2019 with 1,152 rushing yards. He has recovered somewhat since joining Tampa Bay, scoring the same number of touchdowns in 2021 as he did in his rookie season.

J.J. Arcega-Whiteside – WR

J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, who was selected 57th overall in 2019, is one of the few non-first round picks on this list. Although he hasn’t appeared that way, he was predicted to be a superstar for the Philadelphia Eagles. But those expectations were quickly dashed by a disappointing rookie season in which he caught just 10 passes.

Arcega-Whiteside only recorded two catches in nearly the entire 2021 season after making a total of four catches in 2020. If another team decides to take a chance on him, it wouldn’t be shocking if he ends up somewhere other than Philadelphia when the 2022 season begins.

Paxton Lynch – QB

One of the biggest letdowns of the 2016 NFL Draft may be Paxton Lynch. Lynch was hailed as Peyton Manning’s heir apparent when the Denver Broncos selected him with the 26th overall pick, and he is without a doubt a Hall of Famer.

Sadly, it was never even close to being that way. Over the course of his two seasons in Denver, Lynch was only able to start four games. He hasn’t played for a different team since 2017, adding his name to the list of quarterbacks under John Elway who haven’t succeeded. Lynch most recently served as the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ backup quarterback for the CFL team.

Drew Lock – QB

Drew Lock, who was selected 42nd overall in 2019, was viewed as Denver’s potential long-term future signal-caller just before the disastrous Paxton Lynch experiment in Denver. However, it appears that, like Lynch, it wasn’t meant to be.

Prior to being given the reins for 13 games in 2020, Lock showed potential in a few of the games during his rookie season in 2019. Although he threw 16 touchdowns, he also had 15 interceptions. He was demoted to Teddy Bridgewater’s backup in 2021. He was exchanged for Hall of Fame quarterback Russell Wilson by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2022 offseason.

Jalen Reagor – WR

In 2020, the Eagles selected Jalen Reagor with the 21st overall pick in the hopes that he would help them make up for the wide receiver disappointment they had experienced with J.J. Arcega-Whiteside. With Reagor, they might have unluckily stumbled into yet another undesirable circumstance.

Although Reagor’s 396-yard rookie season showed some promise, his second season may have revealed him to be at best a utility receiver. Further reducing the impact of Reagor’s presence is Alabama’s DeVonta Smith, another first-round pick taken by Philadelphia in 2021. Smith has quickly established himself as the top receiver in the area.

Rashaad Penny – RB

Rashaad Penny was selected by the Seattle Seahawks with the 27th overall pick in 2018, going before fellow running back and Pro Bowler Nick Chubb. Penny has only occasionally displayed potential while playing for Seattle.

Since having a largely ineffective rookie season, Penny has been a backup. In his second year, he only gained 370 yards, and ever since, he has struggled with injuries and a lack of ability to outperform his rivals. With starter Chris Carson out for the majority of the 2021 season, he has had a bit more success.

Want to read some more sports-related stuff? Here are the All-Time Top NFL Running Backs

Daniel Jones – QB

After Eli Manning, who led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl victories, Daniel Jones had some big shoes to fill. Jones made his first career start against Tampa Bay and helped the Giants come back from an 18-point deficit to win in a thrilling game.

Unfortunately, Jones hasn’t had much success since his respectable rookie campaign. His 37 victories and 45 touchdowns through three seasons suggest that the Giants might be prepared to let him go soon despite the fact that he has yet to play an entire season without getting hurt.

Jake Plummer- NFL

Jake Plummer was a great potential player. He was a quarterback who played for Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos from 1997 to 2006. Jay Cutler replaced Plummer in 2006. And after some time, he was sold to Buccaneers in 2007, which was a shocking decision. After that, Plummer retired from the NFL. Though it was the worst situation, this one is clear to us all.

Tim Couch-NFL

Tim Couch is a great young sensation from the Browns, He helped the browns to qualify for playoffs in 2002. Many critics and fans believe that he should be on the NFL Hall of fame list. But for the various injuries, Couch became one of the flop signings after that one great year. We hope that he will overcome the odds, and injuries and will become great again.

Troy Aikman-NFL

Troy Aikman was a great NFL player with a long career of 12 seasons. Mainly Aikman played from the 1990s to 2000. But unfortunately, he doesn’t reach the level of a Superstar like Don Meredith or Roger Staubach. The main reason behind this is Aikman’s concussion issues. Troy fought his best but it was harmful to his health, and brain permanently. So he has to retire from the game but still sounds coherent most of the time on NFL telecasts.

Akili Smith -NFL

Akili Smith had a great career in his college days. He entered the NFL league with a couple of slots. But unfortunately, Smith became a flop for various reasons. He has to leave the NFL only after five seasons. It was a disappointing journey for him as he had only five TD passes during his NFL career. Fans of Smith are disappointed by all of these things and Smith`s performances. We hope he will come back with more success.

Andre Ware-NFL

Andre Ware was the Heisman Trophy winner. He was a star in that tournament. Ware was drafted into the NFL quickly after the tournament. Everyone thinks that he will be a successful draft but become a flop signing in Detroit. He played only three seasons in his NFL Career with only five touchdowns. Andre Ware was a fan favorite and popular for his amazing playing style. We hope that he will work hard and will come back very quickly to the NFL.

Heath Shuler-NFL

Heath Shuler was drafted by Washington. Shuler was a Heisman runner up in his tennessee. This player has a great career for Washington. Heath Shuler has a 4-0 record, 13 touchdown passes, more than 20 interceptions and many more. But Shuler left Washington after joining the House of Representatives in 2007 and 11th congressional district. We hope he will come back for one last season in the NFL.

Trent Richardson -NFL

Trent Richardson is one of the most promising youngsters from Alabama. He started as a rookie but quickly claims the stage of success. Richardson got picked up from the draft by the Colts but never proved himself here. But in recent seasons he started to improve and showed some great skills in the game. Some critics think he will be the all-time great if he can play without injuries and controversies.

Jamarcus Russell-NFL

Jamarcus Russell is a young wonder boy from LSU. After watching his great performance on a pro day, Russell was drafted by the Oakland Raiders. But he was not successful in his NFL days because of many reasons like being Overweight, ethical things, and many more. People and fans of the Raiders are disappoint by his form, and russell has to leave the club within a quick time. After that, he never got a chance in the NFL.

Ryan Leaf-NFL

Ryan Leaf is one of the most popular players before the draft pick. But ultimately, after the draft, he became bust and disappointed. All of his fans love to see him perform great, but their wish becomes a nightmare. Leaf only had a few seasons in the NFL and then left it. We hope that Leaf will work hard and come back very strongly into the NFL.

Barry Sanders-NFL

Barry Sanders is a Running back from Detroit Lions and is considered one of the all-time greats. But he achieved that much like other superstars. The main reason behind it is he never gets a good team. Sanders always has to face failure in the N.F.L. seasons. And he never changed his team. For this reason, his dream of dominating the N.F.L. slowly faded away, and he retired from the game. Sanders has almost crossed the great Payton.

Otto Graham-NFL

Otto Graham is another promising and great quarterback of the Cleveland Browns. He was a player from the 1940s and famous for his amazing winning percentage. It is too surprising that he retired from the game too early and joined the broadcast team. If Graham gets opportunities like today’s player, he will be able to reach the level of H.O.F. Also, he lost some of his playing time during world war two. But it is true that graham is a household name of his time.

Tony Boselli-NFL

Tony Boselli was a great player from Jaclsonvillee Jaguars. He played for them for six years. Also joined the Houston Texans in 2002. He was one of the greatest players of Jacksonvile and awarded so many awards. One of the heartbreaking things is he had to retire from the game in 2002 because of several injuries. But he retired as a Jaguar player as he signed a one day contract with them. If he is able to play some more years he will be count as the greatest of this era.

Earl Campbell-NFL

Earl Campbell was a RB from clubs like Houston Oiler and New orlean Saint. Campbell played for a total of 7 years. He was very successful but suddenly Campbell retired from football 1985. He has many awards for his great playing style and attitude. Campbell was the Player of the year, member of pro bowl teams, rookie of the year, NFL players of the year and many more. If he is able to play for some years before retirement, we may see many new records created by him.

Joe Theismann-NFL

Joe Theismann is a 62 years old evergreen athlete. He played for 15 years as a professional player. Theismann played almost 12 years in the NFL and three years in the Canadian League. It had a huge effect on his career, and he quickly retired from all kinds of professional games. So we can count it as a waste of an amazing career.

Al Toon-NFL

Al Toon played as a wide receiver for the New York Jets. Toon played a total of seven years as a player and retired when he was 29 years old. The main reason behind his early retirement is Concussions. He faced more than Nine Concessions during his career, and he was forced to retire from the game. Toon was the AFC player of the year, three pro bowl teams, and all pro teams. Without the injury, he can become the greatest of all time.

Le Charles Bently-NFL

Le Charles Bently was a member of the New Orleans Saints team as a lineman. In addition, he played for the Cleveland Browns as lineman too. Charles only played 57 games in his NFL career. Also, Charles can play any role like guard and center. His life and career when he joined Peyton Hillis. Charles got a staph injury and for that reason, he retired from football in 2009.

Robert Smith- NFL

Robert Smith played for Minnsota Vikings for eight years. He was a great player of his time and won various awards for his great playing style as a running back. Also, Smith earned the distinction for rushing 1521 yards in the year 2000. But this great player retired from the game in the same year. Many fans and critics said that Robert Smith needs to continue his game for at least three more years but nobody knows why he left the game.

Barry Foster- NFL

Barry Foster is an RB from Pittsburgh Steelers. Foster stayed in the NFL league for five years. But he earned so many awards, nominations, and fame within this short time. Foster only appeared in 62 games. But as we all know, injuries can end a career within a short period of time. Barry Foster faced a career-threatening injury during the 1993-1994 season and retired in 1995 from this injury.

Jamal Anderson- NFL

Jamal Anderson is a running back from the Atlanta Falcons and fans love him so much. But for rivals, he is famous for his Dirty Bird dance. Like all other promising stars, Jamal has only played eight seasons in the NFL. But he made himself one of the fan favorite players of the NFL within this time. But he faced a bad ACL injury and is now preparing for surgery. So it is almost certain that he will not come back to the game ever again.

Terrell Davis -NFL

Terrell Davis played only seven seasons for the Denver Broncos and became one of the iconic players of this club. But during his career, Davis has faced so many injuries. Injuries like Acl, Mcl, torn injuries, and knee injuries. Terrell has won two super bowls awards and select as one of the forty men on ESPN’S super bowl roster. Unfortunately, he has to retire from his career within a short time.

Brad Butler- NFL

Brad Butler is very famous for his offensive tackles and guard for the club Buffalo Bills. Butler only played three seasons in the NFL and retired in 2010. he was only 26 years old at that time. Butler quit the NFL because of his interest in Politics. Buffalo fans never accepted his decision and tried their best to stop them. But he was confident about his decision and has stayed on it till now.

Sterling Sharpe- NFL

Sterling Sharpe was a great player from the Green Bay Packers, and he played only seven years in the NFL. Sharp was in great form. He was famous for receiving and holding the ball. Sterling has become one of the most promising players of his time and has achieve many awards. But for the neck injury, he can not extend his career. This player from the Bay packers retired very early for this reason.

Gale Sayers-NFL

Gale Sayers was a player from the Chicago Bears as a running back. He was a great athlete with a short term of career and if an injury does not affect him he can play for a long time. But for this knee injury, Sayers has to retire after seven years of his career. But Gale Sayers earns so many achievements in his short careers like Four Pro Bowl teams, five-time all-pro pick, and many more. Also, Sayers has a record of six touchdowns in one single match. But unfortunately, we are unable to see him because of the dangerous knee injuries.

Glen Coffee- NFL

Glen Coffee was a young sensation from the San Francisco 49ers. Some NFL athletes march to the beat of their own drummer. Glen Coffee is one such competitor. San Francisco selects him in the 2009 NFL Draft. Coffee played for San Francisco for only one season before stunning the squad by announcing his retirement from football. Coffee actually moved to the way of god, and we missed a great NFL player.

Steve Emtman-NFL

Steve Emtman is a defensive player from the Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, and Washington Redskins. Emtman was a great player but played for a very short time in exactly six seasons. Fans loved to see his performances but several injuries forced him to retire from his football career. If he is able to play more seasons, he can break many records with his skills and playing styles.

Napoleon Kaufman- NFL

Napoleon Kaufman is a world-class sensation of this time. Kaufman played for Oakland Raiders for six seasons and earned almost 4800 yards, and had five average yards. For this performance, most people see the next big thing in him. But suddenly, Kaufman retired from the NFL when he decided to become Christian Minister. For this reason, we missed a superstar from the NFL.

Ickey Woods – NFL

Ickey Woods was a great player from 1988 to 1991 as a Running Back. Woods was a player from Cincinnati Bengals. But his career ends within four years because of Knee injuries. Woods hurt himself in both knees within two years. He had 27 touchdowns, almost 1600 yards, and many more achievements. Woods lost his last final against the Bengals in Super Bowl XXII and retired from the game in only 26 years.

Bo Jackson-NFL

Billy Sims-NFL

If we see the history of NFL Football, we get to see some players leave their careers because of many reasons. Some of the reasons are joining other jobs and professions like politics. But some players retire for serious injuries. Billy Sims, a player from the Detroit Lions, is a live example of it. His career only continued for five years, and unfortunately retired from the game in 2011. And Sims did his surgery and rehab processing.

Kevin White-NFL

Kevin White was a young sensation in West Virginia. He has joined various records like receiving yards, touchdowns, and many more. Also, White made the second receiver of the board in 2015. All the people love him for his great athletic agility and ability. We hope he will be more successful in his future career and become one of the greatest of all time.

Pat Tillman -NFL

Pat Tillman is a great NFL player. But he is more famous for something else. Pat Tillman has a short career of four years. Tillman played for Arizona Cardinals and got a chance in the NFL all-star team in 2000. Yet he gave up playing football following the 9/11 terrorist incident and enlisted in the Army. He was a combatant with an American unit in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, he died in Afghanistan in friendly fire. People of America still remember his efforts and dedication to the country.

Charles Rogers-NFL

Charles Rogers is another great pickup by the Lions from the draft. All the people were excited by it. But after some time they realized that it was a bad signing. Rogers was very bad at the field and never performed like fans expected them to. Also, he got several injuries and faced drug issues. Rogers retired from their football career after only three seasons. People and fans have different perspectives about him now. But most of the critics think they miss a great player for these reasons.

Blake Bortles -NFL

Blake Bortles is a player of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Some people think he is one of the greatest quarterbacks of this name. One of his greatest achievements is from the AFC championship leagues. But unfortunately, he leaves this team in the 2018 season and is unable to play like before. Bortles joined and left four teams in four seasons. We hope that he will perform like before within a quick time.

Jim Brown- NFL

Jim Brown, one of the halls of fame in NFL history, played for Cleveland Browns for nine seasons. With an amazing fitness level and playing style, Brown became very popular amongst young fans. Also, he carried the record for the highest rushing. But Brown retired very early at the age of 29, which was very surprising to all. But achievements always stayed on the top. If he can play some more seasons, he surely can become the greatest of all time.

John Ross -NFL

John Ross is a promising youngster because of his speed, agility, and stylish approach during the games. But when The Bengals bought him from the draft, he was unable to fulfill the expectation of the team and left them after four years. Some critics said Ross never adjusted to the Bengal`s environment. But fans of the Bengals blame their team for this flop signing.