Coaches expect their quarterback to be the face of the franchise, but the worst QBs in NFL history were far from that. In fact, they were the exact opposite. They were an embarrassment to the team and an embarrassment to the decision makers that chose to draft or sign them.
Let’s be honest, it’s an easy being a quarterback in the NFL. It’s one of the toughest positions and comes with a great deal of responsibility. While they often receive most of the praise when things are going right, they also receive a majority of the criticism when things are going wrong.
Quarterbacks need to be leaders. They need to have a strong arm, they need to be accurate, they need to thrive under pressure, and they need to possess a high football IQ. Unfortunately, not every quarterback has these traits and the worst QBs in NFL history are perfect examples.
RELATED: 25 High Schools With the Most NFL Players
Who Are the Worst QBs in NFL History?
In order to be considered one of the worst QBs in NFL history, things have to go incredibly wrong for you when given the keys to the offense. Not only does the coach expect you to play well, but so do your teammates. When you don’t deliver, that opportunity will quickly slip away.
There are several factors we’re going to consider when determining the worst QBs in NFL history, but it’ll largely be centered around two major things — how badly they performed and how high their expectations were when they entered the league. Both are equally important.
While not all the quarterbacks listed below had high expectations, they all share one thing in common — they were bad. Not just bad, but terrible, horrifying, embarrassing. Bad enough to result in widespread regret and cause discord throughout the organization they played for.
25. Mark Sanchez
Drafted: 1st Round (5th Overall)
Years: 2009-2018 (8 seasons)
Teams: Jew York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins
Record: 37-36-0
Stats: 79 games, 1,314 completions, 56.6% completion percentage, 15,357 yards, 86 touchdowns, 89 interceptions
Most known for the ‘Butt Fumble,’ Mark Sanchez has better stats than most quarterbacks on this list, but don’t let that fool you. He struggled everywhere he went and seemed to get worse the more he played. It was actually surprising how long the New York Jets kept him around.
You can view the rest of Mark Sanchez’s career stats here.
24. Jimmy Clausen
Drafted: 2nd Round (48th Overall)
Years: 2010-2015 (4 seasons)
Teams: Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens
Record: 1-13-0
Stats: 21 games, 255 completions, 54% completion percentage, 2,520 yards, 7 touchdowns, 14 interceptions
Jimmy Clausen had an impressive junior year at Notre Dame, completing 68% of his passes for 28 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Unfortunately, that success didn’t follow him into the NFL. He had a 1-9 record his rookie year and threw for 3 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.
You can view the rest of Jimmy Clausen’s career stats here.
23. Brady Quinn
Drafted: 1st Round (22nd Overall)
Years: 2007-2012 (4 seasons)
Teams: Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs
Record: 4-16-0
Stats: 24 games, 296 completions, 53.8% completion percentage, 3,043 yards, 12 touchdowns, 17 interceptions
Speaking of Notre Dame, Brady Quinn had 69 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in his final two years on campus. In his first three seasons with the Browns, he had a 3-9 record. After a couple years out of play, he had a disastrous comeback with the Chiefs (1-7 record, 2 touchdowns, 8 interceptions).
You can view the rest of Brady Quinn’s career stats here.
22. Jack Thompson
Drafted: 1st Round (3rd Overall)
Years: 1979-1984 (6 seasons)
Teams: Cincinnati Bengals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Record: 4-17-0
Stats: 51 games, 449 completions, 53.1% completion percentage, 5,315 yards, 33 touchdowns, 45 interceptions
Jack Thompson was an interception machine in college and things didn’t change when he made it to the NFL. He threw for 13 touchdowns and 19 interceptions in his first three years with the Bengals, and 20 touchdowns and 26 interceptions in his next two years with Tampa Bay.
You can view the rest of Jack Thompson’s career stats here.
21. Joey Harrington
Drafted: 1st Round (3rd Overall)
Years: 2002-2007 (6 seasons)
Teams: Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons
Record: 26-50-0
Stats: 81 games, 1,424 completions, 56.1% completion percentage, 14,693 yards, 79 touchdowns, 85 interceptions
The Detroit Lions allowed Joey Harrington to lead their team for four straight years, compiling a 18-38 record with the team. He followed that up with a 5-6 record in Miami and a 3-7 record in Atlanta. It didn’t matter who he played for, Harrington never led his team to a winning record.
You can view the rest of Joey Harrington’s career stats here.
20. Rick Mirer
Drafted: 1st Round (2nd Overall)
Years: 1993-2003 (8 seasons)
Teams: Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders
Record: 24-44-0
Stats: 80 games, 1,088 completions, 53.3% completion percentage, 11,969 yards, 50 touchdowns, 76 interceptions
Another quarterback out of Notre Dame that became one of the worst QBs in NFL history, Rick Mirer was given four years to prove his worth to the Seahawks. The only thing he proved was a 41-56 touchdown-interception ratio, a 20-31 record, and an eventual trade to the Chicago Bears.
You can view the rest of Rick Mirer’s career stats here.
19. Nathan Peterman
Drafted: 5th Round (171st Overall)
Years: 2017-present (4 seasons)
Teams: Buffalo Bills, Las Vegas Raiders
Record: 1-3-0
Stats: 10 games, 71 completions, 52.6% completion percentage, 573 yards, 3 touchdowns, 12 interceptions
No one really had expectations for Nathan Peterman other than the Buffalo Bills’ brass. Despite drafting him in the fifth round, they believed he could be the QB of the future. Unfortunately, his 3 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 8 games with the team was not what they were hoping for.
You can view the rest of Nathan Peterman’s career stats here.
18. Johnny Manziel
Drafted: 1st Round (22nd Overall)
Years: 2014-2015 (2 seasons)
Teams: Cleveland Browns
Record: 2-6-0
Stats: 14 games, 147 completions, 57.0% completion percentage, 1,675 yards, 7 touchdowns, 7 interceptions
Johnny Manziel received a lot of attention at Texas A&M and a lot of hype leading into his NFL career. It didn’t take long for him to become another one of the Cleveland Browns’ horrible busts. His struggles on and off the field led to his release after 2 years, never to play in the NFL again.
You can view the rest of Johnny Manziel’s career stats here.
17. Andrew Walter
Drafted: 3rd Round (69th Overall)
Years: 2006-2008 (3 seasons)
Teams: Oakland Raiders
Record: 2-7-0
Stats: 15 games, 174 completions, 52.3% completion percentage, 1,919 yards, 3 touchdowns, 16 interceptions
For a man that threw 16 career interceptions, it’s sad to think Andrew Walter only threw for 3 touchdowns. He was given the keys to the offense his rookie season and started 8 games after poor play from Aaron Brooks, but a 2-6 record didn’t help his case to maintain that role for long.
You can view the rest of Andrew Walter’s career stats here.
16. Kelly Stouffer
Drafted: 1st Round (6th Overall)
Years: 1988-1992 (4 seasons)
Teams: Seattle Seahawks
Record: 5-11-0
Stats: 22 games, 225 completions, 51.5% completion percentage, 2,333 yards, 7 touchdowns, 19 interceptions
The Seattle Seahawks expected a lot from Kelly Stouffer — otherwise, they wouldn’t have drafted him sixth overall. Over the next four seasons, he started 16 games for Seattle and never threw more touchdowns than interceptions in a single season, compiling a mere 5-11 record.
You can view the rest of Kelly Stouffer’s career stats here.
15. Mike Phipps
Drafted: 1st Round (3rd Overall)
Years: 1970-1981 (12 seasons)
Teams: Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears
Record: 38-31-2
Stats: 119 games, 886 completions, 49.2% completion percentage, 10,506 yards, 55 touchdowns, 108 interceptions
If quarterbacks today played like Mike Phipps did in the 1970s, they wouldn’t have a job for too long — let alone 12 seasons. How this man lasted in the NFL for that long is beyond me. His record isn’t terrible, but he nearly threw twice as many interceptions as he did touchdowns.
You can view the rest of Mike Phipps’ career stats here.
14. David Klingler
Drafted: 1st Round (6th Overall)
Years: 1992-1997 (6 seasons)
Teams: Cincinnati Bengals, Oakland Raiders
Record: 4-20-0
Stats: 33 games, 389 completions, 54.2% completion percentage, 3,994 yards, 16 touchdowns, 22 interceptions
David Klingler started 24 games for the Bengals in his first three years in the league, only winning 4 of them. Despite 13 starts in 1993, Klingler only threw six touchdowns and coupled that with nine interceptions. He spent two years with the Raiders, but only played in two games.
You can view the rest of David Klingler’s career stats here.
13. Norm Snead
Drafted: 1st Round (2nd Overall)
Years: 1961-1976 (16 seasons)
Teams: Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers
Record: 52-100-7
Stats: 178 games, 2,276 completions, 52.3% completion percentage, 30,797 yards, 196 touchdowns, 257 interceptions
Being one of the worst QBs in NFL history, it’s amazing that Norm Snead played a full career in the NFL. In 16 seasons, he only had two seasons with a winning record — 2-0 in 1971 and 8-5 in 1972. His consistent losing should’ve been a red flag to owners, but they kept signing him.
You can view the rest of Norm Snead’s career stats here.
12. Tim Couch
Drafted: 1st Round (1st Overall)
Years: 1999-2003 (5 seasons)
Teams: Cleveland Browns
Record: 22-37-0
Stats: 62 games, 1,025 completions, 59.8% completion percentage, 11,131 yards, 64 touchdowns, 67 interceptions
It takes a special player to be drafted first overall, but Tim Couch proved that sometimes it takes an incompetent scouting team and general manager — especially with Donovan McNabb on the board. He went on to win 2 of 14 games his rookie season and went 22-37 in his career.
You can view the rest of Tim Couch’s career stats here.
11. Jack Trudeau
Drafted: 2nd round (47th Overall)
Years: 1986-1995 (10 seasons)
Teams: Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, Carolina Panthers
Record: 19-30-0
Stats: 67 games, 873 completions, 53.1% completion percentage, 10,243 yards, 42 touchdowns, 69 interceptions
Jack Trudeau started his career with an 0-11 record in 1986, throwing for 8 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. He would only throw more touchdowns than interceptions in one season and finished with a 19-30-0 record as a starter. It’s crazy that he lasted eight years with the Colts.
You can view the rest of Jack Trudeau’s career stats here.
10. Matt Leinart
Drafted: 1st Round (10th Overall)
Years: 2006-2012 (6 seasons)
Teams: Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, Oakland Raiders
Record: 8-10-0
Stats: 33 games, 366 completions, 57.1% completion percentage, 4,065 yards, 15 touchdowns, 21 interceptions
Matt Leinart had an amazing career at USC, throwing for 10,693 yards, 99 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions in three years on campus. He played in nearly the same number of games in college as he did in the NFL, but never lived up to the hype and only lasted six years in the NFL.
You can view the rest of Matt Leinart’s career stats here.
9. Chris Weinke
Drafted: 4th Round (106th Overall)
Years: 2001-2007 (5 seasons)
Teams: Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers
Record: 2-18-0
Stats: 29 games, 386 completions, 54.4% completion percentage, 3,904 yards, 15 touchdowns, 26 interceptions
Chris Weinke was given the keys to the Panthers’ offense in his rookie season, leading them to a miserable 1-14-0 record with 11 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. After that season, he was named the backup quarterback to Jake Delhomme and only won one of his next five starts.
You can view the rest of Chris Weinke’s career stats here.
8. Rick Norton
Drafted: 1st Round (2nd Overall)
Years: 1966-1970 (5 seasons)
Teams: Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers
Record: 1-10-0
Stats: 32 games, 159 completions, 41.6% completion percents, 1,815 yards, 7 touchdowns, 30 interceptions
Being drafted second overall comes with high expectations, but Rick Norton never met them. In his first three seasons, he started six games and lost all of them — throwing 4 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. In his final season with Miami, he threw2 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
You can view the rest of Rick Norton’s career statistics here.
7. DeShone Kizer
Drafted: 2nd Round (52nd Overall)
Years: 2017-2018 (2 seasons)
Teams: Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers
Record: 0-15-0
Stats: 18 games, 275 completions, 53.1% completion percentage, 3,081 yards, 11 touchdowns, 24 interceptions
Many people have forgotten about DeShone Kizer, even though he was in the league just four years ago. He led the Cleveland Browns to an 0-15 record in 2017, throwing 11 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. He was the backup in Green Bay for a year, which is the last we saw of him.
You can view the rest of DeShone Kizer’s career stats here.
6. Frank Tripucka
Drafted: 1st Round (9th Overall)
Years: 1949-1963 (8 seasons)
Teams: Detroit Lions, Chicago Cardinals, Dallas Texans, Denver Broncos
Record: 17-34-1
Stats: 75 games, 879 completions, 50.4% completion percentage, 10,282 yards, 69 touchdowns, 124 interceptions
Frank Tripucka had a hard time winning and nearly threw twice as many interceptions as he did touchdowns. He went 4-8-0 in his first four years — 18 touchdowns and 39 interceptions. He then played in the CFL for 8 years before returning to the NFL, throwing 80 interceptions over the next three years.
You can view the rest of Frank Tripucka’s career stats here.
5. Kim McQuilken
Drafted: 3rd Round (69th Overall)
Years: 1974-1979 (5 seasons)
Teams: Atlanta Falcons, Washington Redskins
Record: 2-5-0
Stats: 26 games, 108 completions, 39.7% completion percentage, 1,135 yards, 4 touchdowns, 29 interceptions
Kim McQuilken had a miserable career in the NFL. He only started 7 games, but somehow managed to throw 29 interceptions to just 4 touchdowns. His 39.7% completion percentage shows just how inaccurate he was and he averaged just 4.7 yards per passing attempt.
You can view the rest of Kim McQuilken’s career stats here.
4. Heath Shuler
Drafted: 1st Round (3rd Overall)
Years: 1994-1997 (4 seasons)
Teams: Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints
Record: 8-14-0
Stats: 29 games, 292 completions, 49.2% completion percentage, 3,691 yards, 15 touchdowns, 33 interceptions
Heath Shuler threw more than twice as many interceptions as he did interceptions, which is unacceptable by any team’s standards. He had a 1-7 record his rookie year with 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, then a 4-5 record with 2 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in his final year in the NFL.
You can view the rest of Heath Shuler’s career stats here.
3. Akili Smith
Drafted: 1st Round (3rd Overall)
Years: 1999-2002 (4 seasons)
Teams: Cincinnati Bengals
Record: 3-14-0
Stats: 22 games, 215 completions, 46.6% completion percentage, 2,212 yards, 5 touchdowns, 13 interceptions
Akili Smith will go down as one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history, along with the next two guys on this list. Drafted third overall, he only lasted four years in the league and had a 3-14-0 record. He could run the ball well, but also had 19 career fumbles — just to add to the misery.
You can view the rest of Akili Smith’s career stats here.
2. Jamarcus Russell
Drafted: 1st Round (1st Overall)
Years: 2007-2009 (3 seasons)
Teams: Oakland Raiders
Record: 7-18-0
Stats: 31 games, 354 completions, 52.1% completion percentage, 4,083 yards, 18 touchdowns, 23 interceptions
Jamarcus Russell was supposed to be the quarterback of the future for the Oakland Raiders, but he only lasted three years in the league. He started 15 games in 2008, leading the Raiders to a 5-10 record. The next season, he had a 2-7 record, throwing for 3 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
You can view the rest of Jamarcus Russell’s career stats here.
1. Ryan Leaf
Drafted: 1st Round (2nd Overall)
Years: 1998-2001 (3 seasons)
Teams: San Diego Chargers, Dallas Cowboys
Record: 4-17-0
Stats: 25 games, 317 completions, 48.4% completion percentage, 3,666 yards, 14 touchdowns, 36 interceptions
Perhaps the biggest draft bust of all-time, Ryan Leaf is hands-down one of the worst QBs in NFL history. If it weren’t for Peyton Manning, Leaf would’ve been drafted first overall — which means he would’ve ruined the Colts’ franchise instead of the Chargers’ franchise.
He only lasted three years in the league and threw more than twice as many interceptions as he did interceptions. His 4-17-0 record is all you need to know about how his career turned out.
You can view the rest of Ryan Leaf’s career stats here.
Who Are the Worst QBs in the NFL Right Now?
The only thing worse than throwing an interception is throwing them more often than you throw touchdowns. It’s not a recipe for success and is something that will lead to your swift demise in the NFL. Coaches don’t like it, owners don’t like it, and your teammates don’t like it.
In today’s NFL, some of the worst quarterbacks include Andy Dalton, Colt McCoy, Josh Rosen, AJ McCarron, Mitchell Trubisky, Drew Lock, Nathan Peterman (mentioned above), Jacoby Brissett, Mason Rudolph, Mike Glennon, Blaine Gabbert, and Geno Smith.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: 25 of the Strongest Running Back in NFL History
There are also several rookies in the NFL right now that are having not-so-good seasons thus far, including Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, and Mac Jones. While they’ll improve as they continue their career, they’re certainly some of the worst QBs in NFL right now.
What to Read Next...
At The Buzzer, or ATB is the place for those who love sports, life, family, community, and so much more. We are far from the run-of-the-mill 24/7 sports news websites. We not only bring you what’s happening in the world of sports in terms of trades and breaking news, but we also bring you the news that goes on behind the scenes, like big life moments, and so much more. So take a minute and read one of our articles, we promise you won't regret it.