If, at first, you don’t succeed as an NFL quarterback, just keep your head up and find your niche outside of football.
While retired NFL quarterbacks and all-time greats like Tom Brady, Peyton and Eli Manning, Brett Favre, and Troy Aikman still hang around in the public spotlight, you hardly hear from former highly-touted QBs who went down as busts.
So, what are some of the more notable but disappointing former signal-callers up to these days? We get you caught up here with 10 former NFL quarterbacks who found another successful career after retiring from football.
Find out the career paths these quarterbacks had taken after retiring in the NFL.
Ryan Leaf
Leaf is widely considered the biggest draft bust in NFL history — a testament to just how special of a talent he was in college. Both Leaf and some guy named Peyton Manning were considered two-generational, can’t-miss quarterback prospects in the 1998 NFL Draft.
The Indianapolis Colts had the top selection in the draft and had a franchise-changing selection to make. “The Sheriff” made it a little easier for Indy by telling them that if they didn’t take him, he’d come back to kick their rear-ends.
Indy selected the future Hall of Famer and five-time MVP and two-time Super Bowl champion. The San Diego Chargers traded up via the Arizona Cardinals to take Ryan Leaf at No. 2, believing they had also secured their new franchise QB.
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But Leaf’s career almost ended as soon as it had started. He quickly became a problem in the locker room because of his me-first attitude and temper problems. He clashed with reporters, skipped team practices to play golf, and hardly engaged in film study.
Leaf missed his entire sophomore season with a shoulder injury. He lasted just two seasons with the Chargers and one with the Dallas Cowboys, going 4-17-0 as a starter with 14 touchdowns and 36 interceptions.
Leaf sadly struggled with alcohol and drug addictions and had several run-ins with the law, which led to him spending 32 months in prison.
Fortunately, Leaf has made good on his second chance and has turned his life around tremendously. Happily married with two kids, Leaf is now a Keynote speaker, a mental health advocate, the CEO and President of RAM Consultant, Inc., AND took over as the new host of “The Last Mile Radio” for Sirius XM in December 2024.
Leaf is a shining example that it’s not about how you start but how you finish. It’s never too late to find success, regardless of what obstacles and hardships you find along the way.
Sam Bradford
The Oklahoma product was drafted first overall by the St. Louis Rams in 2010. That class wound up being awfully strong, but it was incredibly weak for signal-callers. I mean, it’s not good when Bradford, Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy, and Jimmy Clausen are the headliners.
Unlike most other QB draft busts, Bradford actually showed promise in his rookie year. He nearly led the Rams to an NFC West division title and won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors after throwing for 3,512 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions.
Unfortunately, injuries largely derailed Bradford’s career. After suffering a season-ending ACL tear in 2013, Bradford suffered the same injury in 2014 preseason play and missed the entire campaign.
Career revival attempts with the Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, and Arizona Cardinals went nowhere. Bradford lost his starting QB job in Arizona to rookie Josh Rosen in 2018 and was out of the NFL soon after.
Bradford was out of the public spotlight for the first few years following his playing career. In 2024, it was reported that he became one of the new owners of Good Day Farm Little Rock, a medical marijuana dispensary in Little Rock, Arkansas.
With marijuana legal in more than three dozen U.S. states, it’s a booming industry and one of the most financially secure businesses to invest in. So don’t be surprised if Bradford continues raking in the big paychecks in his post-football life.
David Carr
The Houston Texans entered the NFL as an expansion team in 2002, becoming the league’s 32nd franchise. They were awarded the No. 1 selection of the 2002 NFL draft, using it on promising Fresno State quarterback David Carr.
It’s hard to blame Carr entirely for his shortcomings in Houston. He had little talent around him outside of Andre Johnson and took 76 sacks in his rookie year — a single-season record that stands today.
After five underwhelming years in Houston, Carr had brief stints as a backup for the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, and San Francisco 49ers. If there’s one silver lining, it’s that Carr won a Super Bowl 46 ring as Eli Manning’s backup with the G-Men in 2011.
But fear not for Derek Carr’s older brother. David has been the offensive coordinator of the Bakersfield Christian High School team in Bakersfield, California, since 2015. David and Derek’s brother, Darren, is the head coach of the team.
In 2016, Carr began his career in NFL media as an analyst for NFL Network. Carr writes columns for the website and appears regularly on their television programming.
He didn’t cut it as a player, but you won’t find many who provide better analysis than Carr. And
hey, he left it to his younger brother Derek to carry the success at the NFL level. No big deal.
Jake Locker
The 2011 NFL Draft may go down as the greatest in NFL history. Surprisingly, though, the first round featured three all-time NFL quarterback draft busts in Blaine Gabbert, Christian Ponder, and Jake Locker.
A star QB out of Washington, Locker was taken eighth overall by the Tennessee Titans in the star-studded 2011 draft. However, injuries and poor play limited him to 30 total games and only one season as the Titans’ primary starting quarterback. That was in 2012 when he threw for 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
After suffering a season-ending injury for the second straight year in 2014, Locker stunned the football world by announcing his retirement just a few months before his 27th birthday in 2015.
Locker has hardly been heard of since, but rest assured, he’s doing just fine outside of football. Along with fellow Ferndale, Washington native and former NFL punter Michael Koenen, the ex-Titan now runs the “Locker Room” fitness company in their aforementioned home city.
Locker is also busy in the best job of them all: A dad. Jake and his wife, Lauren Locker, have four children.
Heath Shuler
A couple of years removed from their dynastic run that produced three Super Bowl championships, Washington turned to another highly-touted quarterback to start up a new golden era of football.
Washington drafted the Tennessee quarterback third overall in the 1994 NFL Draft — one pick after the Colts took future Hall of Fame RB Marshall Faulk with the No. 2 selection. Unfortunately, Shuler’s NFL career was awfully short and not so sweet.
Shuler played just 19 games in Washington over three years and 10 with the New Orleans Saints in 97. Though his NFL career produced just 19 NFL games, 13 touchdowns, and 19 picks, Shuler went on to enjoy tremendous success after retiring.
Shuler entered a career in politics and served as the U.S. Representative of North Carolina’s 11th congressional district from 2007 to 2013. He was also a member of the Democratic Party’s Blue Dog Coalition for two years.
In August 2024, Shuler joined SHARx Rising Tides Army — an advocacy organization that pushes for lower costs and affordable prices for prescription drugs and medication. Fellow former NFL quarterback Brock Osweiler is also part of the organization.
Andre Ware
Ware certainly had what we can only call a “unique” career. The star quarterback out of Houston won the 1989 Heisman Trophy and SWC Offensive Player of the Year en route to having his No. 11 retired by the Cougars.
The Detroit Lions selected Ware with the No. 7 pick in 1990, but his college success never translated over to the NFL. He appeared in just 14 total games over four seasons, six of them as the designated starter.
Ware threw for five touchdowns and eight interceptions during his tenure in Detroit. Career revival attempts with the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars went nowhere, but he enjoyed some success in the CFL up north and won a Grey Cup league championship with the Toronto Argonauts in 1997.
Though Ware’s NFL career was a giant flop, the sports broadcasting business was another story. He has been the Houston Texans’ radio color commentator since their inaugural 2002 season.
Ware briefly worked as a commentator for CBS before joining ESPN in 2003. He has spent over two decades at the Worldwide Leader in Sports, working on their “College Football Live’ program while also serving as a studio analyst.
J.P. Losman
Buffalo Bills fans needn’t be reminded of how many first-round picks and cash they burned through trying to find a franchise quarterback for two decades before finally hitting the jackpot with Josh Allen in the 2018 NFL Draft.
The Bills drafted Losman 22nd overall in 2004 — the same legendary QB class that included Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning, and Philip Rivers. However, Losman hardly stood a chance on a lousy Bills team that failed to supply him with competent coaching and talent.
Losman only started 33 games over five years with the Bills, and he was only the primary starter during the 2006 season. He last served as the Miami Dolphins’ third-string QB in 2011 before hanging up the cleats.
But Losman has found another way to stick around the game in his post-playing days. He joined the Clemson Tigers’ football program as a student coaching intern in 2017, winning a national championship with the school in 2018.
Losman worked his way up to senior offensive analyst in 2021 but left for the Oklahoma Sooners football in 2022. Losman now serves as their Player personnel and football administration assistant.
Perhaps he’ll continue to work his way up from there and end up as a head coach someday.
Rick Mirer
Mirer has the unfortunate reputation of being a big-time bust for not one but TWO NFL franchises. Allow us to explain…
The Seattle Seahawks selected the Notre Dame quarterback second overall in the 1993 NFL draft — right after future star Drew Bledsoe went first overall to the New England Patriots.
Mirer never cut it in his four seasons with Seattle. He was 20-31-0 as their starting QB with only 41 touchdowns against 56 interceptions, but here’s where it gets weirder: The Chicago Bears actually gave up their 1997 first-round pick to Seattle to acquire Mirer in a trade.
Seattle would move up to select future Pro Bowler Shawn Springs with the No. 3 pick. Mirer made just three starts in Chicago and was released in the offseason. His final NFL season was spent with the Detroit Lions as a backup QB in 2004.
But shed no tears for Mirer, who has built up a booming winery business in his post-football chapters. Mirer owns the Mirror Napa Valley winery, located in Napa Valley, California. Other notable athletes and sports figures featured in the Napa Valley winery business include Joe Montana, John Elway, Dwyane Wade, and Yao Ming.
You know what they say…”Wine a little, you’ll feel better.”
Tim Couch
The Cleveland Browns have had a long and tragic list of big-time draft busts since they were reactivated as an NFL franchise. Perhaps none bigger than Tim Couch, the Kentucky QB they selected first overall in 1999.
Browns fans know how that all went. Couch went 22-37-0 as their starting QB, tossing 64 touchdowns against 67 interceptions. The Browns let him go after the 2003 season— and Couch never played in the NFL again.
Couch found some broadcasting work with FOX Sports in his post-playing career but has since entered the world of financial consulting with his brother, Greg Couch.
Tim and Greg Couch are part owners of the successful Meridian Wealth Management firm in Lexington, Kentucky. Greg founded the company in 2009, and it was valued at $3.5 billion in 2024.
Christian Ponder
Remember what we said about Locker, Gabbert, and Ponder all being quarterbacks taken in the first round back in the 2011 NFL Draft? About that Ponder guy…
Ponder was taken 12th overall by the Minnesota Vikings in 2011, taking over as their starting QB following Brett Favre’s 75th retirement or whatever it was. Ponder could never really put it together, though, finishing 14-21-1 as a starter with 38 touchdowns and 36 interceptions.
Ponder got tryouts with the Raiders, Denver Broncos, and San Francisco 49ers but never lived up to his potential. He was officially out of football by the end of the 2016 season.
We didn’t hear about Ponder much in his post-playing days, but he’s come out of his shell and has proudly detailed his new career endeavor.
Ponder founded a company, “The Post”, a private membership network company that works with former athletes. Customers who want to join The Post must have a background in the Olympics, Paralympics, or professional or college sports.
The Post helps former athletes find work in the business industries. They run a series of workshops to help enhance communication, leadership, and group planning.
The company is based in New York City and includes more than 500 members. Talk about being a “team’ player, both on and off the field.
