Confidence is essential in the NFL—but sometimes, it crosses the line into full-blown fantasy land. These players didn’t just believe in themselves… they believed in alternate realities where they were unstoppable, underappreciated, or both at once.
Whether they were hyping themselves up in press conferences, creating chaos on social media, or just flat-out ignoring reality, these guys made NFL history in the most delusional way possible. Here are the 15 most delusional NFL stars of all time—legends in their own minds, and not afraid to say it.
15. Sam Darnold
Darnold once claimed he was seeing ghosts on the field—and still thought he was the answer at quarterback. The confidence never quite matched the tape, but maybe he’ll prove us all wrong in Seattle.
14. Eli Apple
Apple talks like a shutdown corner, but plays like a revolving door. Every time he gets burned, he somehow comes back with more swagger.
13. Blake Bortles
Bortles once told the media he was better than a third of the league’s starting quarterbacks. The only thing he led the league in was confusing optimism.
12. Vince Young
Young called the Eagles a “dream team” the moment he signed. The season turned into more of a fever dream.
11. Michael Thomas
“Can’t Guard Mike” was his Twitter handle—until defenders started doing just that. Injuries piled up, but the self-belief never wavered.
10. Baker Mayfield
Baker planted flags, ran his mouth, and acted like he was the second coming. He had more commercials than playoff wins for a while.
9. Ryan Leaf
Leaf carried himself like a future Hall of Famer—until the actual games started. He crashed hard, but his early bravado was truly something to behold.
8. Antonio Brown
At one point, AB believed he was bigger than any team, any contract, or any rulebook. He might still believe that, even now.
7. Jay Cutler
Cutler’s default expression was a smirk that said, “I’m better than this,” even when he threw four picks. He looked permanently annoyed to even be on the field.
6. JaMarcus Russell
Russell reportedly didn’t watch film—but insisted he knew the offense like the back of his hand. His arm was elite, but his grasp on reality? Not so much.
5. Colin Kaepernick
Kap once compared himself to elite starters while out of the league for years. The belief in his comeback was strong—even when no teams were calling.
4. Johnny Manziel
Manziel acted like he was still in college, even when the NFL kept humbling him. He thought the league was his playground… it was not.
3. Cam Newton
Cam declared, “I’m back!” after a single touchdown—then got benched soon after. The energy was always elite, even when the results weren’t.
2. Le’Veon Bell
Bell turned down big money thinking he’d reset the market. Instead, he sat out a year and never quite got back to being that guy.
Read More: 15 Most Jealous NFL Stars of All Time
1. Terrell Owens
Owens once held a press conference in his driveway while doing sit-ups. He always believed he was misunderstood—not dramatic—despite the endless trail of team drama.
Read More: Ranking the 15 Most Overdramatic Players in NFL History
