The quarterback position in the NFL is the most difficult position in all of sports to master. Therefore, there is normally a large amount of turnover from season to season at the position as teams look for that ever-elusive franchise quarterback.
With that being said, we present to you a list of ten quarterbacks from the 2000s that you may have forgotten.
Kyle Orton (2005 – 2014)
We begin the list with former 2005 4th-round pick of the Chicago Bears Kyle Orton. Orton actually started 15 games for the Bears as a rookie in 2005, compiling an impressive 10-5 record. However, that record was quite misleading as Orton’s numbers were terrible and the Bears leaned on their defense and run game to get the majority of those victories.
After four less-than-impressive seasons in Chicago, Orton moved on to Denver for two and a half seasons before ending up in Kansas City to finish off the 2011 season. After two seasons in Dallas where he barely played, Orton finished his career in 2014 with Buffalo where he had arguably his best season going 7-5 and putting up respectable numbers.
Orton was your prototypical game manager and someone you may have forgotten despite the fact he spent a decade in the league.
Brady Quinn (2007 – 2014)
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Brady Quinn is next up and joins a long list of swings and misses that the Cleveland Browns have had at the quarterback position in recent memory. After a stellar career at Notre Dame where he set numerous records, the Browns invested a first-round pick in Quinn in 2007.
Unfortunately for Quinn and the Browns, things did not work out and he lasted only three seasons in Cleveland appearing in just 14 games. After bouncing around the league for a few teams over the next several seasons, Quinn decided to retire while appearing in just 24 career games while throwing just 12 touchdown passes.
Quinn has parlayed his football career into a successful broadcasting role where he has appeared
on Fox Sports as a color analyst.
David Carr (2002 – 2012)
The Houston Texans made David Carr their first-ever draft pick in 2002 when they selected him first overall in the NFL Draft. Carr’s career got off to a very rocky start as he set the record for being sacked the most times ever in one season with 76, a record that still stands to this day.
After stints with several teams over the next few years, Carr finished up his career in New York with the Giants where he earned a Super Bowl ring backing up Eli Manning.
These days David Carr is known for being a personality on television and for being Derek’s brother more than being remembered for his NFL career.
Chad Pennington (2000 – 2010)
The Jets selected Pennington in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft in hopes of finding a franchise quarterback that they so desperately needed. The former Marshall quarterback had several successful seasons mixed in with numerous disappointing ones throughout his career.
Pennington is the only player in NFL history to win the Comeback Player of the Year more than once as he captured the honor in both 2006 and 2008.
Despite the success Pennington had in his career, he has mostly been forgotten as have most of the quarterbacks that have played for the New York Jets over the years.
Troy Smith (2007 – 2012)
Troy Smith had a stellar collegiate career at Ohio State culminating with a Heisman Trophy winning season in 2006. Despite earning the college’s top award, Smith was not selected until the 5th round of the NFL Draft, 174th overall.
Many teams passed on Smith due to his small stature and they ultimately were proven to be right as Smith only lasted a few seasons in the NFL while appearing in just 20 games.
Smith joins a long list of quarterbacks out of Ohio State that had disappointing NFL careers.
Kyle Boller (2003 – 2012)
Despite spending nearly a decade in the league, Kyle Boller’s career was mostly forgettable even though the Ravens spent a first-round pick on him back in 2003. Boller was given the opportunity to be the starter in Baltimore, but the Ravens were led by their defense and running game so the chance to put up numbers was just not there for him.
After five lackluster seasons in Baltimore, Boller spent the last few seasons of his career with the Rams and the Raiders before retiring in 2012.
Boller is married to former Miss California Carrie Prejean, so at least he found some success off the field.
Jimmy Clausen (2010 – 2015)
The Carolina Panthers selected Jimmy Clausen in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft and he appeared in 13 games as a rookie. The Panthers would finish dead last that season with a record of 2-14, securing the #1 overall pick in the following year’s draft.
With that pick, the Panthers selected quarterback Cam Newton out of Auburn, which basically ended Clausen’s playing time as he failed to appear in a game over his next three seasons in Carolina.
Clausen appeared in a few more games with the Bears and the Ravens in 2014 and 2015 before calling it quits.
Kevin Kolb (2007 – 2013)
The Eagles chose Kolb in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft, but he was buried on the depth chart behind starter Donovan McNabb and back-up A.J. Feeley. The next season he was promoted to second string and when McNabb was benched in a game against the Ravens, Kolb finally had his opportunity to prove he can be a starter in the NFL.
Unfortunately for Kolb and the Eagles, he did not live up to expectations and spent the next couple of seasons in Philly barely seeing the field before moving on to Arizona.
Sadly, Kolb suffered a severe concussion in a 2013 preseason game and was forced to retire in 2014 due to post-concussion syndrome.
Christian Ponder (2011 – 2016)
The first round of the 2011 NFL Draft saw four quarterbacks chosen within the first 12 picks with the Minnesota Vikings choosing Christian Ponder with the 12th pick out of Florida State. Ponder’s career did not get off to a great start as there was a lockout before the 2011 season which may have contributed to Ponder’s slow start to his career.
The Vikings also traded for Donovan McNabb that off-season, with the hopes of teaching and mentoring Ponder, but unfortunately for them, it did not pan out that way.
After a few more seasons in Minnesota, Ponder moved on to Denver in 2015 and then San Francisco in 2016, but never appeared in an NFL game again after leaving Minnesota.
Rex Grossman (2003 – 2013)
The only quarterback on the list to lead his team to the Super Bowl, Grossman had a memorable 2006 season leading the Bears to the Championship game. Unfortunately for Grossman and the Bears, they ultimately fell short losing to Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts 29-17.
While in Chicago, Grossman played the role of game manager to perfection by leaning on his run game and a stellar defense led by future Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher.
After six seasons in Chicago, Grossman went on to play a few more seasons with Houston and Washington but was never able to duplicate that magical run he had in 2006.
