Some quarterbacks light it up just long enough to make everyone believe they’re the next big thing. And in today’s NFL, one hot season is often all it takes to land a massive contract—whether or not it was a fluke.
These are the quarterbacks who rode a single breakout campaign to the bank. Some faded fast, some hung around, but they all proved one thing: timing is everything.
18. Scott Mitchell
Mitchell turned a brief hot streak in Detroit into a pretty hefty deal. Too bad the flash didn’t last much longer than the ink drying on that contract.
17. Nick Foles
Foles caught fire in Philly and parlayed his Super Bowl magic into a big payday in Jacksonville. That run was legendary, but the Jaguars era? Not so much.
16. Brock Osweiler
Osweiler looked promising in Denver in limited action, then Houston handed him a giant deal. One year later, they couldn’t ship him out fast enough.
15. Matt Flynn
Flynn threw six touchdowns in a meaningless Week 17 game and somehow turned it into a starter deal with Seattle. He lost the job to Russell Wilson before the regular season even started.
14. Rob Johnson
Johnson had one electric game for Jacksonville, and the Bills got dollar signs in their eyes. That investment didn’t exactly pay long-term dividends.
13. Derek Anderson
Anderson lit it up for the Browns in 2007 and made the Pro Bowl. He got a contract bump but never came close to recapturing that lightning again.
12. Case Keenum
Keenum’s Cinderella run with the Vikings in 2017 got him a sweet deal in Denver. It didn’t take long before the Broncos realized it was a one-year wonder.
11. Blake Bortles
Bortles had one big season where everything clicked, and the Jags made the AFC title game. He got an extension and then promptly reverted to being Blake Bortles.
10. Mitchell Trubisky
Trubisky’s 2018 season convinced the Bears—and maybe himself—that he was the future. Fast-forward a couple of years, and he was backing up in Buffalo.
9. Tim Tebow
Tebowmania was real, and it led to short-term fame and a starting gig in Denver. The playoff win over Pittsburgh got him headlines, but it didn’t earn him staying power.
8. Carson Wentz
Wentz was an MVP frontrunner before getting hurt in 2017, and Philly backed up the Brinks truck. But post-injury, Wentz never looked quite the same.
7. Daunte Culpepper
Culpepper exploded in 2004 with Randy Moss and got a huge contract extension from the Vikings. Then came the injuries, and it was downhill from there.
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6. Josh Freeman
Freeman had a breakout season in Tampa Bay which led many to believe he was the long-term answer. That shine wore off quickly, and so did the opportunities.
5. Nick Mullens
Mullens posted solid numbers in a short stretch with San Francisco and became a buzzy name. It led to backup jobs and nice paydays, despite not doing much afterward.
4. Jeff George
George had a rocket arm and showed flashes, especially during a strong year in Minnesota. That was enough to earn another starting gig—but never consistent success.
3. Marc Bulger
Bulger took over from Kurt Warner and had a monster first full year as the Rams’ guy. The extension came fast, but the success didn’t really stick.
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2. Jared Goff
Goff looked like the next big thing under Sean McVay and cashed in accordingly. But once the Rams moved on, it became clear that the system did a lot of the heavy lifting.
1. Daniel Jones
Jones had a well-timed breakout in 2022, and the Giants locked him up with a massive deal. One year later, they were probably already second-guessing that investment.
