Every team dreams of finding its franchise quarterback—someone who can lead them to glory and bring stability to the most important position in sports. Unfortunately, not every team gets a Patrick Mahomes or a Joe Burrow sometimes, they end up with someone who can’t hit a screen pass without giving the other team hope.
This list isn’t about the backups who got thrown into the fire or rookies who never had a shot. These are guys who were actually handed the keys as starters and then proceeded to crash the car directly into a ditch. Let’s count down the 20 worst starting quarterbacks in NFL history.
20. Joey Harrington
He was supposed to be the Lions’ savior and ended up being a cautionary tale. Harrington threw picks like the interception was paying him.
19. Akili Smith
One of the most infamous busts of the modern era, Smith was unprepared for the speed of the NFL. Cincinnati gave him every chance, and he gave them almost nothing back.
18. Christian Ponder
Drafting Ponder in the first round felt like a panic move in real time—and it aged exactly how you’d expect. He had the tools on paper but forgot to bring them on Sundays.
17. Blaine Gabbert
Gabbert looked completely overwhelmed whenever he played, like he was seeing ghosts on every snap. Somehow, he’s still in the league, which might be his biggest miracle.
16. Kyle Boller
The Ravens thought he could be a franchise guy, but he had a cannon with no GPS. His deep balls were just vibes.
15. Chris Weinke
Starting as a 29-year-old rookie sounds inspiring until you remember he lost every game that season. The Panthers went 1-15 with Weinke steering the ship directly into the iceberg.
14. DeShone Kizer
He was a rookie starter for the Browns, so you already know this isn’t going to end well. Kizer looked entirely out of his depth from day one and never recovered.
13. J.P. Losman
He had a cool name and a lot of confidence, but not much else to offer. Bills fans are still trying to forget the Losman years ever happened.
12. Jake Locker
Locker was hyped as a gritty leader and dual-threat QB, but his accuracy was all over the place. He retired early, which felt like a mercy for everyone involved.
11. Johnny Manziel
On talent alone, Manziel had a shot—but he treated the NFL like a frat party. His off-field antics overshadowed his play, which, to be fair, wasn’t very good either.
10. Heath Shuler
Shuler was so bad that he helped launch his backup’s political career. He was drafted third overall and never looked comfortable in a pro offense.
9. Tim Tebow
Yes, he won a playoff game, but let’s not rewrite history. Tebow couldn’t throw a spiral, couldn’t read defenses, and somehow still got primetime games every week.
8. Josh Rosen
He once said there were nine mistakes ahead of him in the draft. Turns out, the biggest mistake was picking him at all.
7. Brandon Weeden
Drafting a 28-year-old rookie QB is questionable. Watching him get sacked by his own feet was even worse.
6. Rex Grossman
He made it to a Super Bowl, but don’t let that fool you—he was a turnover machine. “Good Rex” and “Bad Rex” were never a fun gamble.
5. Mike Glennon
Glennon kept getting jobs despite often looking like a deer in headlights. At least he got paid, even if he rarely got first downs.
4. David Carr
He took more sacks than any quarterback in history and never quite shook off the shell shock. Some of it was the Texans’ fault, but Carr didn’t help himself either.
Read More: 20 NFL Players Who Would’ve Been Benched in Today’s League
3. Nathan Peterman
Five interceptions in one half is the stuff of legend, for all the wrong reasons. Peterman somehow became the punchline to every QB joke in the 2010s.
Read More: 15 NFL Quarterbacks Who Couldn’t Handle the Pressure
2. JaMarcus Russell
He had a rocket arm and zero motivation. The Raiders gambled big and ended up with one of the biggest busts in league history.
Read More: 15 NFL Players Doomed by the Teams That Drafted Them
1. Ryan Leaf
No one flamed out harder than Leaf, from poor stats to a worse attitude. He’s still the gold standard for quarterback disasters.
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