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The NFL Network recently compiled a list of the 100 best players in NFL history, as selected by a blue-ribbon panel. This is not that list. Part 1 is below
Blair Thomas was a bust. A larger-than-large bust.
Selected by the Jets as the No. 2 overall pick in the 1990 NFL draft, the Penn State All-American was supposed to become one of the great running backs in league history. He was, Joe Paterno said, "the best player I've ever coached" — a brutalizing combination of otherworldly speed and bulldozer power.
After six years, however, Thomas was an NFL ghost — a forgotten man whose 2,236 career rushing yards represented one of the biggest disappointments in league history. Thomas was never great. Never exceptional. He was, frankly, average. A solid, unremarkable, run-of-the-mill NFL player who, had he not been selected so high, would have gone down as a solid, unremarkable, run-of-the-mill NFL player.
Which is why he doesn't belong here.
Earlier this month, the NFL Network completed its 100 greatest players series — an impressive list that started with Joe Namath at No. 100 and ended with Jerry Rice at No. 1. Inspired by that effort, I have compiled my own rankings — the 100 worst players in NFL history.
The base criteria is simple: You had to have been a very bad NFL player. That alone, however, is too easy. The league is filled with subpar performers who last a game or two, then vanish for eternity. (Where have you gone, Onzy Elam?) Here, not only do the candidates have to be bad; they have to be bad and of consequence. A high draft pick who flopped miserably (Ryan Leaf, No. 6). A starting cornerback who was regularly abused by opposing quarterbacks (Curtis DeLoatch, No. 53). A backup signal caller who was asked to save his team but could barely complete a forward pass (Babe Laufenberg, No. 3). A field-goal kicker who, literally, couldn't kick a field goal (Bob Timberlake, No. 2).
Some of the players might surprise you. Larry Brown, the accidental MVP of Super Bowl XXX, parlayed his shining moment into a large free-agent deal with the Raiders — who were shocked to learn he was terrible at all aspects of the sport. Erik McMillan, a two-time Pro Bowl safety with the Jets, intercepted passes only when he wasn't getting burned by opposing receivers.
There have been a million lists of the NFL's biggest disappointments, and this is not one of them. Not all of these men were disappointing. They were, however, all bad. Very bad.
Here, for the first time, are the 100 worst players in NFL history.
Well, my 100 worst players in NFL history.
100-51
100. Larry Brown; cornerback; Cowboys, Raiders; 1991-98 A 12th-round pick out of Texas Christian, Brown somehow held a starting job with the Cowboys for five years. No speed, no hands, no confidence — and he lucked into the Super Bowl XXX MVP trophy when Pittsburgh quarterback Neil O'Donnell threw him two softies.
99. Chad Cascadden; linebacker; Jets; 1995-99: Oftentimes, "overachiever" is code for something like "This team is so bad, they've got Cascadden logging serious time." Slow, unskilled, overwhelmed — the model Jet of his era.
98. Bobby Carpenter; linebacker; Cowboys, Dolphins, Lions; 2006-present: Still earning an NFL paycheck, but for how long? The softest linebacker in the history of the league — but a heckuva nice guy.
97. Bucky Dilts; punter; Broncos, Colts; 1977-79: His best year was his rookie year, when he averaged 39.2 yards per punt. To quote Evan Greenberg, "His punts were kind of like dying quails, the equivalent of Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards' ski jumping accomplishments." Had one rushing attempt in his career and lost 14 yards.
96. Rick Norton; quarterback; Dolphins, Packers; 1966-70: Started only 11 career games, which was about 11 too many. Seven touchdown passes, 30 interceptions, and 56.7 yards per game.
95. Ahmad Carroll; cornerback; Packers, Jaguars, Jets; 2004-06, 2008-09: If Joe Montana stands as the perfect quarterback, Carroll stands as the imperfect cornerback. Slow to respond, not especially aggressive, gets beat deep, overwhelmed by tall receivers. Three career interceptions.
94. Steve Pisarkiewicz; quarterback; Cardinals, Packers; 1978-80: The Cards expected Pisarkiewicz to quickly supplant Jim Hart as the team's leader. Instead, they found themselves cursed with a scatter-armed underachiever who was out of the league after thee years.
93. Erik McMillan; safety; Jets, Chiefs, Browns, Eagles; 1988-93: There is often no more misleading statistic than interceptions, and nobody proved that like McMillan. A two-time Pro Bowler with the Jets, McMillan spent most of his time hanging back and waiting for balls to come his way. He was a poor tackler and a worse cover man. Once teams figured that out, he was exposed and, quickly, gone.
92. George Izo; quarterback; Cardinals, Redskins, Lions, Steelers; 1960-66: The St. Louis Cardinals thought they were landing a franchise quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1960 draft. Instead, they got a soft-tossing journeyman who, in seven wayward seasons, never threw more touchdowns than interceptions.
91. Kit Lathrop; defensive lineman; Broncos, Packers, Chiefs; Redskins; 1979-80, 1986-87: Lathrop was an NFL nobody before jumping to the USFL's Chicago Blitz. He was twice named to the new venture's All-League team, but when it folded he returned to the NFL. Where he stank.
90. C.C. Brown; safety; Texans, Giants, Lions; 2005-present: As the joke goes, C.C. stands for "Can't Cover." Some players manage to find work no matter how poorly they play. Here's Exhibit A.
89. Frank Tripucka; quarterback; Lions, Cardinals, Broncos; 1949-52, 1960-63: In 1952, the legendary Notre Dame quarterback threw three touchdowns and 17 interceptions — then left to play the next eight seasons in Canada. He returned in 1960 to lead the very bad Broncos and was, well, very, very bad.
88. Ryan Sims; defensive tackle; Chiefs, Buccaneers; 2002-present: Over nine years, the man drafted ahead of Albert Haynesworth and John Henderson has accumulated 8.5 sacks and zero big plays. Shockingly resilient for a shockingly subpar player.
87. Michael Booker; cornerback; Falcons, Titans; 1997-2001: Atlanta used the 11th pick in the 1997 draft on Booker, then learned that he didn't really care for professional football. Started only 10 games as a pro before retiring with casual indifference.
86. Joe Pisarcik; quarterback; Giants, Eagles; 1977-84: Though best remembered for his botched handoff in the closing minutes of a loss to the Eagles in 1978, one game alone does not define Pisarcik's dreadfulness.
85. Troy Williamson; wide receiver; Vikings, Jaguars; 2005-09: Blown away by his breathtaking speed, Minnesota used the No. 7 pick in the 2005 draft to take Williamson. Apparently, the team forgot about his hands. Following the 2006-07 season, Williamson blamed poor depth perception for 11 drops. Later threatened Vikings coach Brad Childress to a fight — which, oddly, helped his popularity.
84. Dave Brown; quarterback; Giants, Cardinals; 1992-2001: The Giants thought Brown would become the next Phil Simms. Instead, he became the next Scott Brunner. Indecisive, erratic, and the face of a very bad era of New York Giants football.
83. Eric Ghiaciuc; center; Bengals; 2005-08: The weakest link on a dreadful offensive line, Ghiaciuc's blocking in three years as a starter helped the Bengals go 19-28-1. Has tried catching on with various teams, but never sticks.
82. Carl Smith; fullback; Lions; 1960: At the time, Smith's size (6 feet, 200 pounds) made the Lions think they had drafted football's next great blocking back. Smith played 14 games and showed the good people of Motown that size doesn't equal skill. He lasted a single season.
81. Erik Flowers; defensive end/linebacker; Bills, Oilers, Rams; 2000-2004: When the Bills used a first-round pick on Arizona State's fantastic pass rusher, they were thinking Bruce Smith 2.0. With five career sacks, they got Byron Smith 2.0.
80. John Lee; kicker; Cardinals; 1986: First player of Korean descent to be drafted into the NFL was also first player of Korean descent to be dumped by the NFL. Cardinals used a second-round pick on UCLA's All-American kicker, signed him to a four-year, $900,000 deal, then watched as he made only eight of 13 field goals. "His leg just wasn't strong enough," Rams coach Gene Stallings once said. "You're going to miss field goals, I understand that. But my gosh, his leg."
79. Charles Rogers; wide receiver; Detroit Lions; 2003-05: The No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft admitted he loved marijuana more than touchdowns. The end result: 36 catches and four touchdowns in three seasons.
78. Eric Schubert; kicker; Giants, Cardinals, Patriots; 1985-87: Schubert earned raves at the University of Pittsburgh for his powerful leg. Accuracy? Eh, not so much. With the Cardinals in 1986, Schubert connected on three of 11 kicks. That's 27.3 percent, for those keeping score.
77. Dan McGwire; quarterback; Seahawks, Dolphins; 1991-95: In a 1992 game against the Cowboys, McGwire — a 6-foot-8, 243-pound tree of a quarterback (who happens to be Mark McGwire's younger brother) — was sacked four times before being knocked out in the third quarter. It was the best performance of his career.
76. Eric Curry; defensive end; Buccaneers, Jaguars; 1993-99: When the Bucs picked him with the sixth selection in the 1993 Draft, the Alabama stud was considered a game-changing pass rusher. His 12 career sacks — many of which came by pure accident — dispute that point.
75. Akili Smith; quarterback; Bengals; 1999-2002: The third overall pick simply had no clue how to play quarterback in the NFL. To his credit, he admitted as much.
74. Tim Couch; quarterback; Browns; 1999-2003: See: Smith, Akili.
73. Jim Gallery; kicker; Cardinals, Bengals, Vikings; 1987, 1989-90: When kickers are drafted, as Gallery was by Tampa Bay in 1984, there's the general expectation that the guy's pretty good. Gallery, however, was anything but. Of his 25 career attempts, 11 went through the uprights. With the Bengals in 1989, he made two of six. In other words, he probably loses a kicking contest with Ndamukong Suh.
72. Siran Stacy; running back; Eagles; 1992: His funky name brought him fame. His funky game brought him shame. The Eagles wasted a second-round pick on Stacy, who appeared in one game before being released. A year later the Browns brought him in for an audition, but lost interest when he was arrested for theft at K-Mart.
71. Otis Smith; cornerback; Eagles, Jets, Patriots, Lions; 1991-2003: Somehow lasted forever, but has any defensive back in modern NFL history given up more big plays?
70. Quincy Carter; quarterback; Cowboys, Jets; 2001-04: For a minute there, it looked as if Jerry Jones was right to use a second-round pick on a player projected to go in the fifth or sixth round. Carter, however, never met a defense he could read or a receiver he couldn't overthrow. Legal problems also damned his career.
69. Lawrence Phillips; running back; Rams, Dolphins, 49ers; 1996-99: Mostly remembered for his myriad legal incidents, Phillips also happened to be a junk halfback. Never averaged more than 3.5 yards per carry in a disastrous career that made Dick Vermeil cry (more than once).
68. Everett McIver; offensive guard; Jets, Dolphins, Cowboys; 1994-99: As a rookie McIver, a converted defensive tackle, was placed on the offensive line and asked to block Buffalo's Bruce Smith. The result: Quarterback Boomer Esiason was nearly killed, and New York's Hugh Douglas gave us the quote of the year: "Owww — Boomer's dead. Is he dead? Oh my God, he killed Boomer!"
67. Norris Weese; quarterback; Broncos; 1976-79: The former Ole Miss star replaced Archie Manning in college and did quite well. His NFL career? Not so much. Weese was long considered Denver's quarterback of the future, but the future never came. Went on to a nice career as a CPA.
66. Dennis Byrd; defensive end; Patriots; 1968: Not to be confused with Dennis Byrd, the New York Jets lineman from the late-1980s/early-'90s. Or, for that matter, with a competent NFL player. The Boston Patriots used the No. 6 selection in the 1968 draft to take Byrd, then discovered that he could neither rush the quarterback nor stop the run. He lasted one year.
65. Aundray Bruce; linebacker/tight end/defensive end; Falcons, Raiders; 1988-98: Had he gone in the sixth round, Bruce would've been sorta OK. But as the No. 1 selection of the 1988 NFL draft, he goes down as a huge failure. Started 16 games as a rookie, 13 games in his second year — then spent the rest of his days as a role player, jumping from position to position and doing very little of note.
64. Dana Nafziger; tight end/linebacker; Buccaneers; 1977-82: Caught nine passes for 119 yards for the 2-12 Bucs of ‘77 — and it was all downhill from there.
63. Rae Carruth; wide receiver; Panthers; 1997-99: Carolina's 23rd all-time leading receiver ran dreadful routes when he wasn't allegedly hiring a hitman to kill his girlfriend.
62. Roger Vick; fullback; Jets, Eagles; 1987-90: Combined poor running and terrible blocking into one unique package.
61. Drew Henson; quarterback; Cowboys, Vikings, Lions; 2004-08: Henson's defenders would note that he appeared in only nine games. Henson's detractors would note that he was given 8,000 chances to unseat mediocre quarterbacks and never came close. On Thanksgiving Day 2004, Henson started his first game for Dallas, going 4-12 with 31 passing yards before exiting. The anti-Bo Jackson — dreadful in both professional football and baseball (hit .234 in three seasons of triple-A ball, then managed one hit in nine at-bats with the Yankees).
60. Scott Fitzkee; wide receiver; Eagles, Chargers; 1979-82: When coaches want their pass catchers to understand the power of burst, they show videos of Jerry Rice. When coaches want their pass catchers to understand what happens when you don't have burst, they show Fitzkee. Four NFL seasons, 17 catches.
59. Chris Weinke; quarterback; Panthers, 49ers; 2001-07: Started 15 games as a 29-year-old rookie and reminded many of another Heisman winner — the immortal Gino Torretta. Started only four more games before his retirement after '07.
58. Tony Mandarich; offensive lineman; Packers, Colts; 1989-91, 1996-98: Judged solely by his three years in Green Bay, during which he was ruthlessly mocked by opposing pass rushers, Mandarich is Top 5. But in a Vanilla Ice-like return from the dead, Mandarich actually played reasonably OK for the Colts.
57. Matt Robinson; quarterback; Jets, Broncos, Bills; 1977-82: Once upon a time, Robinson was considered the next Joe Namath. Once upon a time, bread was a nickel a loaf. Robinson was never able to beat out Richard Todd in New York, Craig Morton (age 37) in Denver, or Joe Ferguson in Buffalo. He went to the USFL and sucked there, too.
56. Leeland McElroy; running back; Cardinals; 1996-97: At the '96 Draft at Madison Square Garden, McElroy was the last player in attendance to be picked. Afterward, he gave the requisite "I'll prove everybody wrong" speech. True to his word, he proved everybody with the Cardinals wrong.
55. Jason David; cornerback; Colts, Saints; 2004-2008: Easily the lousiest cornerback of the 2000s, and a man whose 16 career interceptions can be chalked up to the old adage, "If they throw your way 30 times a game, you might catch one or two."
54. Roosevelt Potts; fullback; Colts, Dolphins, Ravens; 1993-98: Ran for 711 yards as a rookie with the Colts in 1993 before defenses learned that slow, immobile ball-carriers tend to stink.
53. Curtis DeLoatch; cornerback; Giants, Saints, Panthers; 2004-07: Save for covering and tackling, awfully good.
52. Browning Nagle; quarterback; Jets, Colts, Falcons; 1991-96: In the early 1990s, all Jet fans heard about was Nagle's big arm. Then, in 1992, he started 13 games, and his big arm — which really was quite big — had no touch or accuracy. Seven touchdowns, 17 picks, zero future.
51. Kenyatta Walker; offensive tackle; Buccaneers; 2001-06: Once, while facing Julius Peppers, had three false starts called on the same down.
50. Bruce Mathison; quarterback; Chargers, Bills, Seahawks; 1983-87: Threw four touchdowns and 14 interceptions for Buffalo in 1985, which was actually an improvement over opening day starter Vince Ferragamo (five touchdowns and 17 picks). Not surprisingly, that's the last time an NFL team carried two Nebraska quarterbacks on its roster.
48. Kwame Harris; offensive tackle; 49ers, Raiders; 2003-08: Initially famous for being drafted out of Stanford in the first round. Later famous for nearly getting Alex Smith killed.
47. Byron Hanspard; running back; Falcons; 1997-98: Doak Walker Award winner at Texas Tech was the Leeland McElroy of his era. Which, interestingly, was also Leeland McElroy's era.
46. Anthony Davis; running back; Buccaneers, Rams, Oilers; 1977-78: Coming out of college, he told people he'd be better than Archie Griffin. Though Griffin was himself a bust in the pros, Davis proved to be the bust of busts: 15 games, 304 rushing yards (at 3.1 yards per carry), one touchdown. Became the first player in football history to infuriate coaches in four different leagues (NFL, WFL, CFL, USFL).
45. King Hill; quarterback; Cardinals, Eagles, Vikings; 1958-69: Because he played so long ago, people never evoke Hill's name when discussing the all-time bad QBs. But when the Chicago Cardinals selected Hill with the first overall pick of the 1958 draft, odds are they weren't counting on the man to throw 37 touchdowns and 71 interceptions. Now works as the marketing director at Augusta Pines Golf Club in Spring, Texas.
44. Aaron Maybin; defensive end; Bills; 2009-present: Jerry Sullivan of the Buffalo News 
43. Johnny Mitchell; tight end; Jets, Cowboys; 1992-96: In the golden age of bad Jets football, few were quite as bad as Mitchell, a first-round pick out of Nebraska whose "amazing athleticism" was cited in at least 4,321 different stories explaining why he continued to earn a paycheck. Interestingly, selected one spot after the Giants took tight end Derek Brown of Notre Dame. To cite Mike Freeman, who covered the Giants for The New York Times, "Brown was horrible, Mitchell was indeed worse."
42. Heath Shuler; quarterback; Redskins, Saints; 1994-97: Shuler, a congressman from North Carolina, apparently 
41. Brian Bosworth; linebacker; Seahawks; 1987-89: For a second, people bought the hype. The Mohawk, the trash talk, the swagger. Then Bo Jackson ran him over, and Seattle fans seemed to realize they were watching a (very) poor man's Stan Blinka.
40. Cedric Jones; defensive end; Giants; 1996-2000: New York used the No. 5 pick in the '96 draft on a man who didn't compile his first sack until his third season. A very bad player.
39. William Green; running back; Browns; 2002-05: Forget his myriad legal problems. Green was selected with the 16th pick in the first round because he was thought to be fast, rugged, and unstoppable. He was stopped.
38. Spergon Wynn; quarterback; Browns, Vikings; 2000-01: Some names simply ring with the laughter of the gods.
37. Freddie Mitchell; wide receiver; Eagles; 2001-04: Though probably not the worst receiver in NFL history, Mitchell is definitely the worst receiver in NFL history to talk nonstop trash. After the Patriots defeated the Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX, Bill Belichick, who never utters anything of note, said of Mitchell: "All he does is talk. He's terrible, and you can print that. I was happy when he was in the game."
36. Bill Capece; kicker; Buccaneers; 1981-83: Throughout the 1980s, the Bucs led the league in oddly named kickers — Obed Ariri and Donald Igwebuike spring to mind. Yet it was the guy with marginally more conventional name, Capece, who stood out. His impressive '82 showing (18 of 23) was bookended by two historically abysmal runs, including the 10-for-23 '83 that got him fired — and opened the door for Ariri.
35. Sammie Smith; running back; Dolphins, Broncos; 1989-92: Highly touted first-round pick out of Florida State gained great fame … for going to jail on charges of possession and distribution of cocaine.
34. Golden Richards; wide receiver; Cowboys, Bears; 1973-79: "Golden Richards," Bob Avellini, the former Chicago quarterback, once told me, "is the worst wide receiver I have ever seen." Indeed, Richards couldn't run, and his routes were sloppy, and his hands were merely OK. But, uh … well … eh — Avellini's right.
33. Elvis Patterson; cornerback; Giants, Chargers, Raiders, Cowboys; 1984-93: His nickname was "Toast," and it fit him like a scarf. Not much more needs to be said.
32. Paul Palmer; running back; Chiefs, Lions, Cowboys; 1987-89: First-round pick was too small and erratic to begin with. Then he threatened to intentionally fumble if he didn't get his way with the Chiefs. Oddly, this didn't go over well.
31. Stan Thomas; offensive tackle; Bears, Oilers; 1991-94: Drafted 22nd overall by the Bears in 1991, Thomas was oddly timid and passive. Lasted four years.
30. Joe Danelo; kicker; Giants, Bills; 1975-84: Admittedly, kicking in the 1970s and '80s wasn't the precise art it is in 2010. That said, in 1979 Danelo went 9 for 20. Read that again: 9 for 20. He followed that up with a banner year — 16 for 24. (On the bright side, he never missed a kick from inside 19 yards. Not once).
29. Jim Grabowski; running back; Packers, Bears; 1966-71: Miami made Grabowski the No. 1 pick of the 1966 AFL draft, then the Packers took him ninth overall in the NFL draft. Green Bay won the rights, but lost the war. In six seasons, Grabowski never started a game and averaged more than four yards per carry only once. Not much of a blocker, either. Went on to work as a radio analyst for University of Illinois football for nearly 30 years.
28. Alex Van Dyke; wide receiver; Jets; 1996-2000: The Jets used their top two selections in the '99 draft to take Keyshawn Johnson and Van Dyke. The two combined for 840 career receptions — 814 of them by Johnson.
27. Happy Feller; kicker; Eagles, Saints; 1971-73: The Eagles actually used a fourth-round pick to make certain the University of Texas star would be their kicker. Well, they got him. In three seasons, Feller connected on 16 of 43 attempts.
26. Vernon Gholston; linebacker/defensive end; Jets; 2008-present: His superpower? Invisibility.
25. Rashard Anderson; cornerback; Panthers; 2000-01: Made Deion Sanders look physical. An indefensible first-round blunder.
24. Mike Phipps; quarterback; Browns, Bears; 1970-81: Before the start of the 1977 season, Chicago GM Jim Finks sent a second-round pick to Cleveland for Phipps. One year later, the team's quarterback rotation involved Phipps, Bob Avellini, and Vince Evans — a merry-go-round from signal-caller hell. Thanks to a 55-touchdown, 108-interception career, Phipps was the worst of the bunch.
23. Kenny Jackson; wide receiver; Eagles, Oilers; 1984-91: Speed like Flash, hands like a burled-oak table. Once, by sheer accident, he caught 40 passes. It might have been the other Kenny Jackson.
22. Dick Leftridge; fullback; Steelers; 1966: The third overall pick in the '66 draft, Leftridge reported to training camp and dazzled the Steelers — with his fat. In one year with the team, he carried four times for 17 yards. According to a piece in the July 19, 1966 Hinton Daily News, Leftridge had a clause in his contract that allowed the Steelers to fine him $50 for every pound over 230. "The Steelers put in the papers that I weighed 300 pounds when I reported," Leftridge said. "Everybody believed that and they still do. I admit I was lazy sometimes, but I wasn't fat." He wasn't good, either.
21. Craig Whelihan; quarterback; Chargers; 1997-98: The greatest quarterback in Pacific University history started seven games with the Chargers in 1997 and another seven in 1998. San Diego won two of those … in spite of its quarterback.
20. Limas Sweed; wide receiver; Steelers; 2008-present: Is it possible that, 10 years from now, we'll be grouping Sweed with Lynn Swann and John Stallworth as all-time Pittsburgh greats? I suppose so. Thus far, however, Sweed's career is noteworthy for how incredibly bad it's been. He dropped a sure touchdown in the 2008 AFC Championship Game because, egad, his eyes were on the scoreboard. He dropped another gimme touchdown last year, and he has missed all of 2010 with a torn Achilles tendon. Career totals: 20 games, seven catches, 69 yards.
19. David Shula; kick returner; Colts; 1981: A triple threat — Shula was a bad offensive coordinator with the Cowboys in the early '90s; a failed head coach with the Bengals from 1992-96; and, as a rookie out of Dartmouth in '81, an excruciatingly slow kick returner. Boasting 5.0 speed, Shula averaged five yards on 10 punt returns and 16 yards on five kickoff returns.
18. Renaldo Nehemiah; wide receiver; 49ers; 1982-84: Having never played college football, Nehemiah, one of the all-time great hurdlers, decided to give the NFL a try. San Francisco coach Bill Walsh bit — and so did Nehemiah. His speed was blazing; his hands were coated in melted butter. Over three seasons he caught 43 passes and probably dropped just as many.
17. Neil O'Donoghue; kicker; Bills, Buccaneers, Cardinals; 1977-85: Lasted nine years while making 59 percent of his attempts. Best known for missing a kick against the Washington in the last game of the 1984 season that would have sent the Cardinals to the playoffs. Also missed three field goal attempts in overtime of a Monday Night clash with the Giants in 1983. The game ended in a 20-20 tie.
16. Michael Haynes; defensive end; Bears; 2003-05: First-round pick out of Penn State was deemed a can't-miss by scouts. He missed. Forty-nine tackles and five sacks in three lousy seasons.
15. Jeff Komlo; quarterback; Lions, Buccaneers; 1979-83: The former Delaware Blue Hen became the Lions' starter as a rookie, then threw 23 interceptions (with just 11 touchdown passes) and never regained the trust of anyone. To put his badness in context: In 1983 he was the Bucs' third-stringer, behind Jack Thompson and Jerry Golsteyn.
14. Michael Haddix; running back; Eagles, Packers; 1983-90: Averaged three yards per carry for his career, the worst in NFL history for anyone with more than 500 runs.
13. Johnny (Lam) Jones; wide receiver; Jets; 1980-84: His Olympic speed had the Jets dreaming of Jones and Wesley Walker flying past AFC East cornerbacks. Walker was blind in one eye, but caught every Richard Todd spiral thrown his way. Jones, blind in neither eye, did not.
12. JaMarcus Russell; quarterback; Raiders; 2007-09: In Russell's defense, he did throw 13 touchdowns and only eight interceptions in 2008. But that was it. Literally, that was it. Three years, not one other noteworthy thing to discuss.
11. Shante Carver; defensive end; Cowboys; 1994-97: It took Cowboy veterans three days to start asking which scout had recommended Carver, and four days to ask whether the man had been intoxicated while doing so.
10. Jimmy Hines; wide receiver; Dolphins, Chiefs; 1968-70: Owner of the worst hands and the greatest nickname in league history ("Oops"). Hines won a gold medal in the 100 meters at the 1968 Olympics, then was taken by Miami in the sixth round of the 1968 draft. After a season on the practice squad, he played in 10 games in 1969, catching two balls for 23 yards.
9. Kim McQuilken; quarterback; Falcons, Redskins; 1974-77, 1979: One can certainly argue that McQuilken belongs at No. 1 on this list. In five NFL seasons, the Lehigh product threw for four touchdowns and 29 interceptions. He went on to become executive vice president of the Cartoon Network, which is somehow appropriate.
8. Ted Gregory; defensive tackle; Saints; 1988: Drafted in the first round by Denver out of Syracuse, Broncos coach Dan Reeves was shocked to meet his new defensive tackle for the first time. "I'm taller than he is!" Reeves announced — noting that Gregory was not 6-foot-1, as listed, but closer to 5-foot-9. Gregory was traded to the Saints, where he played in three games before vanishing.
7. Rocky Thompson; running back; Giants; 1971-73: Shortly after Thompson was selected in the first round of the 1971 draft out of West Texas State, The New York Times reported that "Rocky Thompson … is listed in Bermuda and in official Brit track records as Ralph Gary Symonds." Sadly, neither Rocky nor Ralph could muster more than three career touchdowns.
6. Ryan Leaf; quarterback; Chargers, Cowboys; 1998, 2000-01: To call Leaf a bust is unfair to the Blair Thomases and David Carrs of the world. Leaf wasn't merely a bust. As a rookie he threw two touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Think about that — two and 15. And he was the No. 2 overall pick. And No. 1 was Peyton Manning. And he was a dolt. And …
5. John McKay Jr.; wide receiver; Buccaneers; 1976-78: The biggest beneficiary of nepotism in NFL history. McKay lacked NFL speed and separation, but the expansion Bucs were coached by John McKay Sr. — the same man who coached his son at USC. An absolutely lousy NFL player whose 41 catches over three seasons were the byproduct of Daddy screaming at his QBs, "Hit the short kid who looks like me!"
3. Babe Laufenberg; quarterback; Saints, Chargers, Cowboys; 1986-90: On the bright side, Laufenberg was beloved as one of football's true nice guys. On the down side, well, he was dreadful. Five touchdown passes and 11 interceptions in 16 career games. In 1990, the Cowboys needed to win one of their final two games to reach the playoffs. When Troy Aikman was injured against Philadelphia on December 23, Laufenberg came in and completed 13 of 36 passes with four interceptions. The following week, starting against Atlanta, he went 10-for-24 with one touchdown and two picks. Dallas lost both contests — and the Babe never appeared in another NFL game.
2. Bob Timberlake; kicker; Giants; 1965: The Giants used the 33rd pick in the draft to select Timberlake, a 22-year-old quarterback/kicker out of Michigan. In Ann Arbor, Timberlake was a Tim Tebow-like figure. In 1964, he led the Wolverines to their first Big Ten title in 14 years and followed that with a Rose Bowl victory over Oregon. He even placed fourth in Heisman voting.
1. Rusty Lisch; quarterback; Cardinals, Bears; 1980-84: Sure, Leaf and Russell were bigger busts. Lisch, after all, was a fourth-round pick who had backed up Joe Montana at Notre Dame. But if you have one game you need to lose, and you require a quarterback to take you there, Lisch is — hands down — the man you want. In 115 career attempts he threw one touchdown and 11 interceptions. That one touchdown came in St. Louis on Oct. 9, 1983. The pass traveled a single yard, to tight end Doug Marsh. With Neil O'Donoghue's extra point, the Redskins' lead was cut to 31-14 — late in the contest.
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