Quarterback is the most glamorous position in football—until you’re holding a clipboard on the sideline. One minute you’re the face of the franchise, the next you’re watching someone else throw your touchdowns.
For these quarterbacks, getting benched wasn’t just a rough patch—it was the beginning of the end. Some got replaced by future stars, others just ran out of chances. Either way, the fall was swift, and the bounce-back never came.
15. Matt Barkley
Barkley had a shot to prove himself in Philly, but he quickly faded behind a crowded quarterback room. Every chance he got after that felt like a last resort.
14. Geno Smith (pre-Seattle revival)
Before his stunning second act in Seattle, Geno’s early days with the Jets were a mess. A benching turned into years of being a backup with zero momentum.
13. Kyle Boller
He came in with a big arm and high hopes in Baltimore, but consistency was never part of the package. Once he got benched, he became a journeyman with no real future.
12. DeShone Kizer
The Browns threw him into the fire as a rookie, and it did not go well. After his benching, he never got another meaningful shot.
11. Drew Lock
He had his moments in Denver, but the leash got shorter with each turnover. Once he hit the bench, he never sniffed the QB1 spot again.
10. Josh Rosen
Drafted top 10, but it was downhill almost immediately. After being benched in Arizona, he became the poster child for “what went wrong.”
9. Paxton Lynch
Denver gave him every chance to seize the job, but it never clicked. Once they pulled the plug, so did the rest of the league.
8. David Carr
The Texans’ offensive line basically ended his career before it started. After getting benched, he faded into a backup role with no real comeback.
7. Christian Ponder
Minnesota hoped he’d be the guy, but the results were painfully average. Once he got benched, his name rarely came up again—except in punchlines.
6. Blake Bortles
There was that one fluky playoff run, but his benching in Jacksonville marked the end of his brief moment. After that, it was just backup gigs and meme status.
5. Mark Sanchez
From the “Sanchize” to the butt fumble, it was a fast fall from grace. Once the Jets benched him, he never regained starter-level trust.
4. Tim Tebow
He was polarizing but undeniably electric, for a moment. Once the Broncos moved on, so did the rest of the league, and quickly.
Read More: 20 NFL Players Who Would’ve Been Benched in Today’s League
3. Vince Young
He had talent and flashes of brilliance, but inconsistency and tension with coaches doomed him. Once he lost the starting gig, his career never got back on track.
Read More: 15 QBs Who Would’ve Benched the Coach If They Could
2. Carson Wentz
He went from MVP candidate to backup in record time. After Philly benched him, he had brief rebounds, but the magic was clearly gone.
Read More: 15 Pitchers Who Fell Off and Never Climbed Back
1. Matt Leinart
The hype from his USC days was sky-high, but the NFL didn’t buy in. Once Arizona benched him, he never got close to reclaiming a starting job again.
Stay in the Game With the Latest Scores, Highlights, and Stories — Follow GamerKoala on MSN.
