Some players flash so brightly, so quickly, that it feels like they’re destined for NFL stardom. And then just as fast as they arrived, they fade away, leaving fans wondering if they ever really saw what they thought they did.
From breakout running backs to surprise quarterbacks, these one-year wonders had a single season of glory before reality came crashing back down. Here are 20 NFL stars who turned out to be one-year mirages.
20. Gary Barnidge
He came out of nowhere with a monster season at tight end, then vanished almost as quickly. One magical year with the Browns was all we got.
19. Peyton Hillis
He bulldozed defenders and landed on the Madden cover, then fell off the NFL map. That 2010 season feels like a fever dream.
18. Steve Beuerlein
He lit it up in his mid-30s with a Pro Bowl season for Carolina, then never came close again. A late-career explosion that never got a sequel.
17. Domanick Davis
He looked like the next great back for Houston before injuries and inconsistency shut the door. That rookie year was something, though.
16. Tommy Maddox
After disappearing for years, he came back to life in Pittsburgh with one shockingly good season. It didn’t last long, but it was wild while it lasted.
15. David Tyree
His helmet catch made him immortal, but that Super Bowl moment was the peak. He never became a regular star on the field.
14. Don Majkowski
The “Majik Man” was electric for one season with the Packers before disappearing into backup roles. Brett Favre showed up, and that was that.
13. Michael Clayton
He looked like a future WR1 as a rookie in Tampa Bay, then totally fell off the radar. It was a steep and sudden drop.
12. Shaun King
He nearly led the Bucs to a Super Bowl as a young starter, but his career fizzled from there. That 1999 run remains his high point.
11. LaRon Landry
A physical freak who had one Pro Bowl season before falling off due to injuries and suspensions. He looked like a superstar for a brief moment.
10. Kevin Ogletree
He kicked off a season with a massive Week 1, and everyone thought he was the next big thing. That week turned out to be his career highlight.
9. Mike Anderson
He rushed for over 1,400 yards as a rookie and then became a ghost. The Broncos’ plug-and-play system strikes again.
8. Ickey Woods
He gave us the Ickey Shuffle and a breakout rookie season, then injuries derailed everything. His moment was short, but unforgettable.
7. Matt Cassel
He filled in for Tom Brady and went 11-5, earning a huge contract elsewhere. The magic didn’t follow him after New England.
6. Alfred Morris
He burst onto the scene with a monster rookie campaign in Washington. After that, he never really came close to replicating it.
5. Mark Sanchez
A couple playoff runs and the “Sanchise” nickname made it feel real. But once the defense couldn’t carry him, the mirage was exposed.
4. Derek Anderson
He threw 29 touchdowns in a Pro Bowl season for the Browns. Then the bottom fell out, and he became a long-time backup.
3. Jonas Gray
He ran for 201 yards and four touchdowns on a single Sunday night. Then he overslept and basically vanished from the NFL.
Read more: 15 NFL Teams That Lost the Plot After One Good Year
2. Blake Bortles
He had one season with gaudy stats and a playoff run that got people talking. But the rest of his career showed who he really was.
Read more: 10 Pitchers Who Talked a Big Game but Folded Under Pressure
1. Robert Griffin III
He exploded onto the scene with speed, swagger, and a Rookie of the Year award. But after one electric season, injuries and dysfunction derailed what could’ve been something special.
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