The quarterback position is the most difficult position in professional football. Players spend decades on honing their craft, only to have their careers cut short due to injuries or personal decisions. Quarterbacks play an average of four years in the NFL, which is only a blip on the historic timeline of professional football. Here are ten NFL quarterbacks whose careers were cut way too short.
10. Vince Young
Vince Young was one of the most exciting players in college football history, but his NFL story didn’t have as much joy. After making a Pro Bowl in his rookie year with the Titans, Young would lead the Titans to a 10-6 record the following year in 2007. In 2009 Young made the Pro Bowl again. However, his quarterback record doesn’t tell the entire story, as the head coach at the Time Jeff Fisher never even wanted to draft Vince Young let alone start him. Under pressure from the owner, Coach Fisher started Young and made him conform to his system. Coaching wasn’t the only downfall of Young’s career, as excessive partying and drinking caught up to him and he was out of the league by 2012.
9. Greg Cook
Greg Cook was the fifth overall pick in the 1969 American Football League Draft. Cook was doomed after only a few games in the AFL, as he suffered many injuries that went undiagnosed due to the limited medical technology at the time. He suffered a torn rotator cuff and detached biceps which are injuries that were strenuous and nearly impossible to overcome at the time. Despite injuries, Cook won Rookie of the Year in his first season, but that would be his only accolade and would be forced into retirement due to injuries after only two years as a professional player.
8. JaMarcus Russell
The downfall of JaMarcus Russell needs to be studied by a Harvard class because it is just so fascinating, but ultimately Russell’s playing days were wasted due to his own self-destructive behavior. Bad decisions on and off the field led the former first-round pick to be one of the biggest draft busts of all time. There is a story that one time the Raiders’ coaching staff gave Russell a blank film tape to study to see how dedicated he was to the game. Upon returning to practice, Russell claimed he watched blitz tapes, and the coaches knew he was lying. Again, Russell’s downfall needs to be studied by NFL historians, but his talent was wasted due to his own negligence.
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7. Ryan Leaf
In the days leading up to the 1998 NFL Draft, the big debate was between Peyton Manning, or Ryan Leaf for the number one selection. The Colts had the number one pick and selected Manning as their quarterback of the future, leaving the Chargers with Ryan Leaf out of Washington State. Leaf was expected to be the best quarterback in the AFC, and it was thought that he would have a prosperous career. However, analysts were dead wrong. Leaf struggled to get along with coaches and teammates, and his product on the field was less than desirable as he tossed 14 touchdowns to 36 interceptions in his entire career. Ultimately Leaf only won four games as a starter and was out of the league by 2001. Ultimately, his own stubbornness and poor decisions were the reason his career did not last.
6. Brock Osweiler
Osweiler’s career would be absolutely a storybook… if it were written in reverse. Early in his career, Osweiler helped lead the Denver Broncos to a Superbowl victory. After that, he signed a large deal with the Houston Texans but just didn’t pan out as the team’s starter. Nothing other than a lack of production could be attributed to his fall from grace, and after expecting Osweiler to be a franchise quarterback he fell off and retired at the age of only 28. All in all, Osweiler is considered a one-year wonder.
5. Johnny Manziel
A common theme in quarterback whose careers were cut short has been their own self-destructive attitudes. Once he was drafted by the Browns in the first round in 2014, Manziel was seen partying and drinking more than actually playing football. Manzeil was in and out of rehab during his playing days and on the field never showed signs that he was ready to be an NFL quarterback. All in all, Manziel had talent but never capitalized on it, and his coaches never took it upon themselves to develop him into the player he could have been. Manziel was out of the NFL after only two seasons.
4. DeShone Kizer
DeShone Kizer was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. In his rookie year, he led the Browns to a perfect record… of 0-16. Technically it’s still a perfect record though. Kizer finished his career as a backup in Green Bay and only played a total of two years in the NFL. His career is categorized by poor production which ultimately led to the end of his career. All in all, Kizer could not compete in the NFL and never won a game as a starter.
3. Brady Quinn
Another Browns quarterback who didn’t find success is Brady Quinn. Quinn was drafted 22nd overall in 2007 and was regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in his draft class. He was the second quarterback taken in the draft but only played a total of 20 games in four years. After unproductive stints with Cleveland and Kansas City, Quinn was out of the league on account of he was simply not good enough to play quarterback in the NFL.
2. EJ Manuel
EJ Manuel was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He was expected to play similar to how Patrick Mahomes plays now but he never even came close. He started ten games in his rookie year but lost the starting job to Kyle Orton in 2014. Manuel never regained his role as the starter and was sent to Oakland in 2017. Following his stint with the Raiders, Manuel joined the Chiefs and retired after never taking a snap for Kansas City. All in all, the 2013 draft class was not quarterback-heavy, but Manuel was expected to be a bright spot in a less-than-stellar class. Unfortunately, that never happened.
1. Andrew Luck
Drafted in 2012 as the first overall pick in the NFL Draft, Andrew Luck had big shoes to fill to replace former Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. In his career, Luck racked up four pro bowls and was named the 2018 Comeback Player of the Year. He led Indianapolis to three deep playoff runs and was on his way to a hall-of-fame career. However, Luck battled injuries in the seven years he was in the league and announced his retirement in August 2019 at the age of 30. The sad thing is, the Colts were primed and ready to make a push towards the Superbowl, but Luck just had enough and cited injuries, pressure, and self-absorption as reasons for his retirement.
