50 Biggest Boneheads in NFL History
I realize the following list could potentially be construed as insulting, and worse yet, ironic, if written by a substandard journalist.
Thatās why this morning, so as to prevent embroiling myself in any kind of journalistic double standard, I took the Wonderlic test. Or at least the watered-down ESPN Page 2 version of it.
Conclusion:
The following list is both insulting and ironic.
Two notes before we begin our journey:
1. Ā A special mention goes to Richard Langford, who (unbeknownst to him) contributed greatly to this writing. While researching my selections, I found that just two months ago RL had compiled a very similar slideshow: The 25 Dumbest Players In NFL History. In an attempt not to copy him directly, I included all 25 of his entries. Thank you Richard Langford. Fifty percent of this slideshow belongs to you.
2. The last time this Internet historian attempted such an all-encompassing list (shamelessly self-promoting link), I asked for help because I knew Iād need it. This time, I ask the same. Should you think of anyone not on the list (and there will be many), add him to the comments. As soon as we get to a deserving 100, Iāll do another list. In short, help me do my job. The unemployment rate is too high.
Also, when some kid 20 years from now makes a slideshow chronicling the 50 biggest boneheads in B/R history, Iād prefer not to be on it.
Rules of the Road:
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None so complex (this is the idiot slideshow after all).
There is but one tidbit of which you should be made aware: Each of the unwitting participants has been categorized by a particular style of boneheadedness, and while many of those receiving honor were certainly considered for multiple categories, I tried to choose only the one which would best illuminate their particular brand of buffoonery.
For this list, Boneheads 1.0, the categories are as follows:
Boneheaded at Life
Boneheaded Quotes
Financial Boneheadedness
On the Field Boneheadedness
Idiot Savants
Just missing the categorical cut was the type of unprotected boneheadedness that has allowed Antonio Cromartie to leave a cookie trail of illegitimate children from San Diego to New York.
We begin with Idiot Savantsāa category that originally included the likes of Andy Reid and Bill Belichick, but has since had most of the savant whittled out of it.
50. Josh McDaniels, Coach, Denver Broncos
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āWe begin with Idiot Savantsāa category that originally included the likes of Andy Reid and Bill Belichick, but has since had most of the savant whittled out of it.āĀ
E.g. Josh McDaniels, the idiot savant who may have overplayed his savant.
Hired to replace 14-year legend Mike Shanahan, wunderkind McDaniels quickly went about disassembling what had been the NFLās second-ranked offense.
Within three months, Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler was a Chicago Bear, and within a little over a yearās time, Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall was a Miami Dolphin and potential Pro Bowl running back Peyton Hillis (thank you, Josh) was a Cleveland Brown.
McDaniels somewhat amazingly won his first six games, but then proceeded to lose 17 of the next 22.
He was fired 12 games into the 2010 season.
49. Ray Handley, Coach, New York Giants
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The original Josh McDaniels.
Ray Handley took over a Bill Parcells-assembled Giants team that had won the Super Bowl the previous yearā¦and he quickly derailed it.Ā
He benched Phil Simms, alienated the fanbase and was relieved of his duties after the 1992 season. He amassed a 14-18 record in his two years, and never coached again.
Adding historical insult to injury, Handley was picked as Parcells' successor over then-Giants defensive coordinator Bill Belichick.
.jpg?w=256 "Browns Football")
48. Terry Bradshaw, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
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He may be dumb, but heās not stupid.
Bradshaw, more than any man on this list, is the one to whom the title Idiot Savant most aptly applies.Ā
Heās silly, heās loud, and he speaks with a Southern twangāall of which have probably contributed to his reputation as something less than, shall we say, informationally cognizant.
But somehow, in spite of these alleged shortcomings, TB was drafted first overall, won four Super Bowls, then parlayed those things into a successful broadcasting career.
As far as Iām concerned, Terry Bradshaw is one cool cot.
Financially Boneheaded
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Researching this subcategory was kind of depressing, so Iāll try to stick with only the most notable of the bunch.Ā
Most shocking to me was the realization that this section of the list could have been much longer. Two years ago, SI found that 78 percent of NFL players have gone bankrupt within two years of leaving the league. I wonder if thatāll factor into the new collective-bargaining agreement.
Seventy-eight percentĀ is a pretty astounding number.
The guys listed here should at least take comfort in knowing that theyāre not alone.
Exempted from list status were: Dermontti Dawson (not an idiot), Marlin Briscoe (pioneerĀ plus bankrupt = still pioneer), Bernie Kosar (heās Bernie Kosar), and Johnny Unitas (I hall-passed Bernie Kosar, soā¦).
As my cash-strapped exemptions illustrate, you donāt have to be a bonehead to lose all your money.
47. Travis Henry, RB, Buffalo Bills
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You donāt have to be a bonehead to lose all your money, but you can be. Former NFL running back/amateur drug mule Travis Henry is one such example.Ā
After emerging from a failed marriage at 19, Henry went on to fatherĀ 11 children withĀ 10 different women (one had twins) in the ensuingĀ 12 years. His prodigious fertility spree was only curtailed when, in 2009, TH was sentenced to three years in federal prison for his role in a cocaine distribution syndicate.Ā
Henry has been out of football since 2008, though should he maintain his current pace upon release, heāll be able to field his own team by 2024.
CNBC on Henryās financial woes:
āThe former running back for the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos has indicated in various court filings that his child support payments of roughly $180,000 per year have left him penniless.ā
Travis Henry,Ā No. 47, for patterning his sexual practices after an oscillating sprinkler.
46. Drew Bledsoe, QB, New England Patriots
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Iām not sure if I think heās an idiot so much as I just liked his crime.
From SI:
āIn May 2007 former quarterbacks Drew Bledsoe and Rick Mirer and five other NFL retirees invested at least $100,000 apiece in a now-defunct start-up called Pay By Touchāwhich touted 'biometric authentication' technology that would help replace credit cards with fingerprintsāeven as the company was wracked by lawsuits and internal dissent.ā
45. JaMarcus Russell, QB, Oakland Raiders
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I feel bad for this, because he took his career so seriously.Ā
The latest from JaMarcus Russell is that his $2.4 million Bay Area mansion is being foreclosed upon. Iād say that it's a sign of the times if he hadnāt received $32 million in guaranteed money just a little over three years ago. (Presumably, he lost it all in treating a persistent cough.)
JaMarcus was a finalist for several sections of this list, but his recent success in this category precludes him from further consideration.
If things donāt work out with the house, he could probably live inside his necklace.
44. Rocket Ismail, WR, Dallas Cowboys
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Iām sorry for this, Rocket, because I actually admire your persistence.
Rocket Ismail is something of an investment Renaissance man, who, after pocketing around $18 million over the course of his NFL career, proceeded to lose that money through a series of ill-fated business ventures.
His investments included (again, from CNBC):
Theme restaurant Rock Nā Roll CafĆ©.
Financing for an inspirational religious movie.
Music label COZ records.
A revolutionary new cosmetic procedure meant to oxygenate the skin.
A phone-card dispensing company.
A retail store called āItās in the Name,ā where tourists were meant to purchase framed calligraphy of names or proverbs.
Bite Tech, Inc., a designer of specialty mouth guards.
You have to spend money to make money, but I think thereās a missing part of the equation where it says donāt spend your money on things that donāt matter.
That investment resume aside, Ismail has never filed for bankruptcy, and, according to the afore-referenced article, he today has found work as a financial advisor.*
(*Just kidding.)
Boneheaded at Life
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Thereās a saying that football is 10 percentĀ physical, 90 percentĀ mental. Well, the guys in our third category are 90 percent mental.
They are the people who made it, then subsequently lost it, purely on the back of their decision-making.
Theyāre the guys of whom you ponder aloud, āWhat were they thinking?ā
Just missing the cut were Reggie Wayne (for lending a mistress his credit card), Tom Cable (for throwing a co-worker into a wall), Randy Moss (for nudging a police officer out of the way via the front of his car), and Tatum Bell (because hey, weāve all been there).
43. Marshawn Lynch, RB, Buffalo Bills
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Marshawn Lynch earned a BAL distinction when he allegedly, for no apparent reason, stole $20 from a police sergeantās wife in a TGIFridayās.
(In Lynchās defense, he might need that money in three years.)
This is from the police sergeant (from NESN):
ā[Lynch] takes the $20 out of her hand, and my wife says āWhat are you doing?' And Lynch says 'Don't worry.' When my wife's girlfriend came back to the table, she told her about it," the woman's husband stated. āThe girlfriend approached Lynch and said, 'Give my friend her money back,' and Lynch threatened her saying 'Do you know who I am? There's going to be consequences.'ā
The Cal product signed a six-year, $18.9 million contract in 2007. Lynch has since been arrested on misdemeanor gun charges in California, and was the target of a lawsuit by a woman who claims she was struck by a drunken Lynchās SUV in May of 2008.
42. Brett Favre, QB, New York Jets
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Just in case he didnāt do enough to tarnish his legacy by teasing the Green Bay faithful with annual retirement flirtations, Brett Favre allegedly decided it appropriate to document his intent to seduce New York Jets game-day hostess Jenn Sterger by texting her a picture of his then 38-year-old gunslinger.
I know heās just a "kid in a sandbox," but what if that sandboxed kid was in actuality married to another sandboxer that had been with him since high school and stayed with him through a high-profile alcohol addiction?
Then, I think, the kid should get out of that sandbox.
He could have made this list in several categories, but ultimately, Favre claims a BAL nom for allowing a younger generation of fans to quite tangibly investigate how they measure up to an NFL legend.Ā
41. Dante Culpepper, Bryant McKinnie and the Rest of the 2005 Minnesota Vikings
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In October 2005,Ā an alleged sex party occurred withĀ 17 key members of the Minnesota Vikings.
The players rented two boats on Lake Minnetonka and flew in prostitutes from both Atlanta and Florida.
Many of the players then proceeded to engage in some pretty wacky (and very public) sexual escapades in front of the boat's 90 passengers, all while allegedly documenting the proceedings via photographsāone of which is to the left of this text.
An anonymous former Viking admits this is not the first time such an incident has gone down.
40. Dwayne Bowe, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
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Shall we stick with the prostitution for a while?
Dwayne Bowe unintentionally outed his Kansas City teammates when he told ESPN The Magazine that during a trip to San Diego, some of said teammates had arranged for a (generously titled) groupie to be waiting in every room.
Via Pro Football Talk:
āāMy rookie year, we were playing in San Diego,' Bowe says. 'You hear stories about groupies hanging out in hotel lobbies, but some of my teammates had it set up so there was a girl in every room. The older guys get on MySpace and Facebook a week before we go to a city; when a pretty one writes back, they arrange to fly her in three of four days in advance. They call it importing.āā
Just to alleviate any potential legal concerns, Bowe added: āYounger guys donāt have the money to do it.ā
So you see, itās not prostitution officer. Sheās imported.
Bowe claimed he was misquoted (in a surprisingly funny interview)ā¦right up until ESPN responded that they had recorded the conversation.
Congratulations, Dwayne Bowe.
The No.Ā 40 slot is yours for unintentionally whistle-blowing about completely intentional āwhistle-blowing.ā
39. Adam “Pacman” Jones, CB, Tennessee Titans
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A man whose greatest contribution to society was teaching a generation of suburban fans the phrase, āmaking it rain.ā
Watch this video (although maybe not at work), which ESPNās John Barr has narrated with the type of awe-induced fascination usually reserved for National Geographic.
Look really closely at the part where the strippers are scrambling for money. I could be wrong, but I swear I saw Rocket Ismail circling the pile.
38. Matt “Scarface” Jones, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
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A man whose greatest contribution to society was teaching a generation of suburban fans the phrase, āmaking it snow."Ā
Perhaps more of a "cautionary tale"-type guy then an "approach with caution" one, the former first-round pick was arrested at gunpoint in July of 2008 while chopping up six grams of cocaine with a credit card. He was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance, because six grams is apparently enough to distribute.
Jones was arrested again in 2009 after a failed drug test represented a violation of his parole.
His crimes are not particularly outlandish for this list, but Jones hasnāt played a game in two seasons and he looks like Johnny Depp in Blow.
37. Jeff Reid, K, Pittsburgh Steelers
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Taking up Mike Vanderjagtās āidiot kickerā mantle, two years ago Jeff Reed got liquored up and proceeded to get cited by police for destroying a paper towel dispenser on account of its being empty. (In Reedās defense, what was left of the paper towel dispenser did not dispute his allegations.)
That same year, Reed was cited for public intoxication while defending a peeing teammate outside a Pittsburgh bar.
In 2010, Reed complained about receiving the franchise tag, subsequently had the worst year of his career, then continued his assault on inanimate objects by blaming his performance on the turf: āI canāt help it when turf moves and you miss a kick.ā
Cherry on the sundae?
Reed complained that the Pittburgh fans ābuy tickets just to bash me.ā
The fans too?
Somehow, I think this was always about the towels.
36. Eugene Robinson, SS, Atlanta Falcons
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I have more sympathy for the innocuous. Eugene Robinson, prepare to get blasted.*
Not only did the Atlanta safety break curfew on the eve of the Super Bowl, he did so by attempting to pick up a prostitute at 3:00 in the morning while his wife was asleep in his hotel room!
I get wanting to blow off some steam before the big game, but come on Eugene, how was this ever going to end well? The chances were relatively high that your wife would wake up and notice youāre gone, and if you didnāt think that was likely...how quick were you planning on being?
For ill-timed infidelity, coupled with a poor performance in the Super Bowl the following day (that wasnāt his fault; he hadnāt slept), Eugene Robinson lands the No.Ā 36 spot.
*That was the pickup line that got him arrested.
35. Michael Vick, QB, Atlanta Falcons
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Vick is on this list, in this spot, for not realizing what he had to lose. Of course his crimes were heinous, but if that wasnāt enough to dissuade him, what was to be the staggering cost of his actions should have been.Ā
Vick was sentenced to serve 23 months in jail for his involvement in an illegal dog fighting ring, by way of which Vick forfeited his then-record $130 million contract along with an estimated $7 million a year from outside endorsements.
He filed for bankruptcy in 2008, listing debt of $10-to-$50 million, and now essentially plays football to pay back that money.
Vick also once tried to bring pot on an airplane, although, in his defense, it was in a hidden compartment of a fake water bottle.
34. Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
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I honestly never expected this from a guy named Roethlisberger. Itās like someone with the name Urkel becoming a cocaine dealer.Ā
After just two years and one Super Bowl title with the Steelers, Roethlistbergerās career nearly ended when he crashed a motorcycle while not wearing a helmet. Thatās pretty dumb.
Still, Ben could potentially have been considered an idiot savant if his subsequent crimes didnāt include bathroom courtship.
Both in 2009 and 2010, Roethlisberger was accused of sexual assault; after the latter accusation he lost all benefit of the doubt with me.
Fool me once? Shame on you.
Fool me twice? Thatās probably sexual misconduct.
33. Shaun Rogers, DT, Cleveland Browns
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Iāll admit, heās on this list mainly as a set-up man, but Rogers' crime is not trite.
He attempted to bring a loaded weapon on a plane.
I too have seen Wesley Snipes in Passenger 57, and I too am amused with the prospects of Rogers filling a similar role (Passengers 57Ā and 58?), but Shaun, you brought a loaded weapon to an airport. How was that going to end well?Ā
This wasnāt his first brush with the law, either.
In 2007, he was accused (though cleared) of inappropriate touching at a club in Detroit, and in 2006 he was suspended for taking a banned substance to control his weight.
(The supplier of the weight loss substance has since asked that Shaun not mention it by name, as Rogersā results are hardly a ringing endorsement of the productās viability.)
32. Plaxico Burress, WR, New York Giants
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He who was being set up.
Burress, who couldāve made this list for spiking a live ball in 2001, ultimately earned his spot by shooting himself in the leg with an unregistered handgun that heād stuck down his sweatpants. That the incident took place in a club in New York (they of the notoriously strict gun laws) adds to its credence.
From the NY Daily News:
āAs Burress was being led into a VIP area, with a drink in his hand, the gun slipped down his pants leg. He reached for the weapon, but fumbled it and if went off, sources said. The bullet tore through Burressā already injured right thigh, police said.ā
Oh boy. I feel bad even joking about this, but letās gingerly wade into the water.
Plax lost some serious cool points for this one. Burress is not supposed to be Cheddar Bob from 8 Mile. If Urkel carried a gun, this is the type of shenanigans he'd get into. Youāre Plaxico Burress man! Youāre Plaxico Burress.
I donāt know what to say. (Except that Iāve referenced Urkel in two of the last three slides.)
When you get out, go do some good and lecture kids about gun safety.
31. Lawrence Taylor, LB, New York Giants
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It takes some serious work to redefine the most successful defensive career in NFL history, but Lawrence Taylor has put in some serious work.
When you type Lawrence Taylor into Google, the qualifier "DUI" comes up before "stats."
Again, letās let CNBC break this down for us:
āIt was a career marked by controversy for former Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor, starting in 1988 when the NFL suspended him for failing a second drug test. The real trouble began, however, both personal and financial, after his retirement in 1994. He was arrested in two states on drug charges in 1996 and filed for bankruptcy to keep creditors from taking his house.
"Two years later, he received five years of federal probation for falsifying tax documents and tax evasion. And in 2009 he was arrested for fleeing the scene of an accident, and the statutory rape of a 16-year-old girl, for which he is currently serving six years probation as part of a plea agreement.ā
Easily eligible for financial categorization, I think the former LT qualifies most strongly for his everyday transgressions.
30. O.J. Simpson, RB, Buffalo Bills
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I forget what he did.
Boneheaded Quotes
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This is a fun section. So fun, we have an inappropriately lengthy list of runners up.
Ricky Williams
āI didnāt quit football because I failed a drug test, I failed a drug test because I was ready to quit football.ā
Maurice Clarett
āItās a humbling thing being humble.ā
Craig "Ironhead" Heyward
āPeople say Iāll be drafted in the first round, maybe even higher.ā
Mike Vanderjagt
āWhat do you want to know about Peyton?ā
James Harrison
āAs far as Iām concerned, [Obama] wouldāve invited Arizona if they had won.ā
Karl Mecklenberg
āDefensively, I think it is important to tackle.ā
Antrel Rolle
āWe risk ourselves out there on the field each and every day also. When soldiers come home from Iraq you donāt boo them.ā
Kellen Winslow
Channing Crowder 1
After expressing surprise that the people in London speak English, he continues: āCouldnāt find London on a map if they didnāt have the names of the countries. I swear to God. I donāt know what nothing is. I know Italy looks like a boot. I know London Fletcher. We did a football camp together. So I know him. Thatās the closest thing I know to London. Heās black, so Iām sure heās not from London. Iām sure thatās a coincidental name.ā
Channing Crowder 2
āLike they didnāt see Chad Henne get hit twice when he slid. Yeah, a little Stevie Wonder and Anne Frank.ā
Channing Crowder 3
āIs that the blind girl? Helen Kellerā¦I donāt know who the [expletive] Anne Frank is. Iām mad right now. [Expletive] it. Iām not as swift as I usually am."
29. Steve Johnson, WR, Buffalo Bills
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Hours after dropping what would have been the game-winning touchdown pass, the Billsā third-year wide receiver tweeted the following:
āI PRAISE YOU 24/7!!!!!! AND THIS HOW YOU DO ME!!!!! YOU EXPECT ME TO LEARN FROM THIS??? HOW???!!! ILL NEVER FORGET THIS!! EVER!!! THX THOā¦"
Johnson brings up some interesting points here, most notably: How is God getting a free pass when things go awry?
Sure, Iād like to thank God for my health and my happiness, but Iād also like to thank him for the pile of dog crap I stepped in this morning. (Very funny, Big Guy.)
The only other thing I want to mention is that itās Steve Johnsonās Twittoral assertion that God reads Twitter.
(If youāre sending God prayers via Tweet, you better make sure heās verified.)
28. Bill Cowher, Coach, Pittsburgh Steelers
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āWeāre not attempting to circumcise rules.ā
He shouldāve been. Rules are inherently Jewish.
Plus, itās arguably cleaner, and what you might lose in sensitivity, you gain back in the ability to see the rules more clearly.
27. Jerry Rice, WR, San Francisco 49ers
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āI feel like Iām the best, but youāre not going to get me to say that.ā
Jerry Rice used to catch bricks from his father in order to toughen up his hands.
Now, Iām not going to suggest that this quote was the result of a wayward brick, but I will suggest that this quote sounds like it came from a man whoād been hit in the head with a wayward brick.
26. Donovan McNabb, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
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McNabb, never known for being the sharpest knife in the quarterback drawer, unintentionally confirmed the suspicions when he dropped this bombshell after a 2009 tie with the Bengals:
VideoĀ and Transcript:
McNabb: Iāve never been a part of a tie, never even knew that was in the rulebook. But again, you know, itās part of the rules and we have to go with it, so, um, you know I was looking forward to the next opportunity to getting out there and trying to drive to win the game, but, uh, unfortunately, with the rules, we settle for a tie.
Did you know the game was over when it was over?
McNabb: Well when the play was called, uh, you know, I kind of figured that, I guess thereās, thereās ties in the NFL, so, umā¦you know.
ā¦You seriously didnāt know that?
McNabb: No, I didnāt know that.
You thought there was like another overtime?
McNabb: Yeah. Yeah.
Iād like to offer two observations.
The first is that McNabbās postgame inflection suggests he was offering an excuse for tying. As in, we would've won, but the NFL stopped the game. I think he misinterpreted why he was being criticized.
And the second observation is this: I like to read about fallibility, and I find myself rooting for the guys who are courageous (or aware) enough to acknowledge their own. And 99 percent of the time, Iām all for admitting fault, inability or lack of knowledge. Itās human, and often, itās funny.
This is the other one percent.Ā
When youāve been the sole captain of a metaphorical ship for 10 years running, I think youāre beyond the point in time where you can stop and ask the crew what the "N" stands for.
25. Terrell Owens, WR, San Francisco 49ers
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āDonāt say I donāt get along with my teammates. I just donāt get along with some of the guys on the team.ā
In Terrellās defenseā¦(fill in later when youāve thought of something that could possibly defend Terrell Owens).
24. George Rogers, RB, New Orleans Saints
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āI want to rush for 1,000 or 1,500 yards, whichever comes first.ā
In researching this slide, I found there to be a George Rogers Foundation that each year offers a George Rogers Scholarship to students seeking post-secondary education.Ā
I was severely disappointed to subsequently uncover that it was not in memory ofĀ our George Rogers.
The man who produced this quote enabling kids to get educated wouldāve made that scholarship pleasingly ironic.
As it stands now, itās just for the betterment of humanity.
23. Bill Peterson, Coach, Houston Oilers
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āMen, I want you just thinking of one word all season. One word and one word only: Super Bowl.ā
Bill Peterson (he's the one on the photo's perimeter) was the coach of the 1979 Houston Oilers.
I need only one word to respond to him: Superbowlistwowordsbill.
22. Alex Karras, DT, Detroit Lions
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āI never graduated college, but I was only there for two termsāTrumanās and Eisenhowerās.ā
I didnāt know enough about Alex Karras before doing this slide.
Karras was the son of a Greek immigrant doctor and a Canadian woman; the two of whom somehow managed to produce three sons who played professional football.
The only real, non-commercial act of boneheadedness I could find on Karrasā record was a one-year suspension for betting on NFL games.
Other than that, he seems to put on the silly for the camera.
He was in Blazing Saddles (which I would describe as the pinnacle of a long and successful acting career), and if Karras were playing today, thereās a strong chance heād have a reality show.
21. Joe Don Looney, RB, Detroit Lions
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āA good back makes his own holes. Anybody can run where the holes are.ā
Related note: Joe Don Looney has never had a girlfriend.
20. Joe Theismann, QB, Washington Redskins
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āNobody in football should be called a genius. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein.ā
Thereās really nothing I can say here to improve upon this quote.
How about I use the rest of this slide to plug Joe Theismannās website, a site I believe he designed himself.
On the Field Boneheadedness
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Bo Jackson once said, āFootball is easy if youāre crazy as hell.ā
Well, not for these guys.
Be they coach, GM, coordinator or strength coach, these are the guys who did their worst when directly in the spotlightāmaking draft decisions or on the field of play.
Just missing the cut were Pat Sims (for jumping), Barry Switzer and Sam Wyche (for decision-making skills), Deion Sanders and Matt Hasselbeck (for hubris), William Clay Ford (for being so disengaged that one could make the argument itās complacency, not boneheadedness, that is his true crime), and Richie Incognito (who has temporarily reverted to Bruce Banner).
And you know what? Thereās actually one more.
Because to a Cleveland fan, Braylon Edwards deserves a special mention on this list. The Michigan product once asked Houston safety Will Demps for advice on breaking into the modeling industry. Between plays.
Think about that for a second.
Vanity, thy name is Braylon.
19. Sal Alosi, Strength Coach, New York Jets
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Last December, New York Jets strength coach Sal Alosi was suspended (and subsequently resigned) when he purposefully tripped Miami Dolphins gunner Nolan Carroll as he ran to cover a kickoff return.Ā
Surprisingly, Alosi was caught red-handed, as he attempted his mischiefĀ during a nationally televised NFL game.
Said Jetsā GM Mike Tannenbaum, via ESPNās Rich Cimini:
āWe donāt coach that. [Mike] Westhoff doesnāt coach that. Coach Ryan doesnāt coach that.ā
Youāve been defined as a wayward strength coach, my friend.
As such, youāve lost your spotting privileges.
18. Vince Young, QB, Tennessee Titans
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Vince Young scored a six on the Wonderlic test, and has in the past made clear he doesnāt enjoy people pointing that out.Ā
Iām not looking to insult anyone here. In fact, Iād hope most players would wear their inclusion on this list as a badge of honor!
But in the event that you, the reader, are worried about the psychological impact one might incur upon reading his name off this list, consider the following from this Page 2 article:
āCharlie Wonderlic Jr., president of Wonderlic Inc., says, āA score of 10 is literacy, thatās about all we can say.ā"
Weāre in the clear. I doubt Vince Young is reading this.
17. Ryan Leaf, QB, San Diego Chargers
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On this list not for busting to historic extent, but for exacerbating said busting by pouting, and yelling, and basically alienating every fan, teammate, and/or member of the media who could have possibly made things easier on him.
He never seemed to learn how not to make things worse.
Once, according to Wikipedia, Leaf āallegedly lied about a hand injury in order to get out of practice so that he could play golf instead.ā
Thatās representative of his most trivial discretions, but somehow those are the most annoying.
Since leaving football, Leafās been a coach, arrested, and currently works for a travel company.
According to the AP, he has landed a publishing deal to write three books. Thereās a lot about what heās done so far that screams "author."
16. Owen Schmitt, FB, Seattle Seahawks
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Schmitt is a lesser name, in for a nondescript crime.Ā
But according to science, should he keep smashing that thing into his head, Schmittās chances for upward list mobility only increase from here.
15. Gus Frerotte, QB, Washington Redskins
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The original Owen Schmitt.Ā
After scoring a touchdown on a one-yard run, Gus Frerotte famously celebrated-slash-damaged his spine by ramming his head into a padded wall.
Behind the pad? Cement.
14. Bill Gramatica, K, Arizona Cardinals
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Staying with the irreparable injury theme...
In celebrating a successful kick, Gramatica didnāt sprain his ankle or anythingāhe tore his ACL.
Go big or go home. Thatās what the Gramaticas say, which is ironic because theyāre little.
The Cardinals lost the game, Gramatica lost the season and this was the most publicly embarrassing way a legās been injured since this guy went on this show.
13. Marty Mornhinweg, Coach, Detroit Lions
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During his 5-27 stay in Detroit, Marty Mornhinweg is now known the world over as the guy who, after winning the OT coin toss in a 2002 game in Chicago, kicked the ball away. Going against the same wind that Marty feared, the Bears won on the opening drive. Mornhinweg was fired at the end of the season.Ā
I intuit that I like Marty Mornhinweg as a person, so Iāll say only this:
You probably take the ball if a tornado is blowing in the other direction.
As it stands, the only thing blowing harder than the wind that day was Marty Mornhinwegās decision-making.
12. Dan Orlovsky, QB, Detroit Lions
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Hereās the video.
In Orlovskyās defense, Jared Allen is a scary dude. I would have done the exact same thing had I been in his position.
Iām not questioning his reasoning.
What did seem odd to me was that Orlovsky didnāt seem to realize heād stepped out of bounds (by two feet) until he had trotted halfway to the sideline.
That earns him the No. 12 spot.
11. Aaron Brooks, QB, New Orleans Saints
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Aaron Brooks was never renowned for his cerebral quarterbacking, and I think no play exemplifies it better than this one:Ā
In a 2004 game vs. San Diego, Brooks scrambled away from an onrushing Charger before finally resorting to throwing the ball out of bounds.
It wouldāve been a fairly innocuous play, had he not thrown the ball 30 yards behind him.
The throw was ruled (quite obviously) a backwards pass, and the Saints lost every one of those 30 yards on the play (which looked something like this).
On the bright side, Aaron Brooks avoided the sack.
10. Garo Yepremian, K, Miami Dolphins
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Iām going to hand this one off to AolNewsās Shane Bacon, so as not to attempt a pass.
āYepremianās antics could have cost the 1972 Dolphins their perfect season. Leading 14-0 and attempting a field goal, the kick was blocked and instead of falling on the ball, Yepremian tried to pick it up and throw it.
"Amazingly, a kicker isnāt that great at throwing, and the ball ended up slipping awkwardly out of his hands and into the hands of the Redskins, who scored a touchdown. No harm, no foul, Miami still won 14-7, but that sure made it interesting.ā
The NJ Star Ledgerās Jerry Izenberg has provided us with his memory of the proceedings.
Izenberg: āAs a forward passer, [Yepremian] was a great place kicker."
9. Deltha O’Neal, CB, Denver Broncos
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Covering Marvin Harrison in the 2003 AFC Wild Card game, Deltha OāNeal allows Marvin Harrison a 20-yard catch over the middle. And then he forgets something.
In Delthaās defense, heās certainly not alone here, but boyā¦
The only plausible explanation I have for this is that itās orchestrated.
Iām still formulating my case, but Iām pretty sure Marvin Harrison is a real-life Keyser Soze.
8. Dwayne Rudd, LB, Cleveland Browns
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I was there.
I was at this game.
The stadium was somewhere between catatonic and declaring referee-induced Jihad, John Madden spent the night musing on ārulesā vs. āspirit of those rules,ā and I made a $50 bet that Quincy Morgan would be the NFLās next great receiver.
I remember that day in astonishing detail.
If only Rudd couldāve kept it in his helmet.
7. DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
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Too soon?
Thatās what Andy Reid said.
During a Monday Night Football game in 2008, the rookie incarnation of the Philadelphia receiver was apparently taking notes from Oregon State's Chad Johnson in leaving the ball just short of the goal line.
I want to know at what point he realized he made a mistake. I personally think it was the second he let go of the ball (look at the subtle peek over his left shoulder prior to the dance), and the ensuing celebration is an elaborate ruse to try and cover it up.
Two interesting side notes:
6. Dan Snyder, Owner, Washington Redskins
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Thatās by Dave McKenna.Ā
All Iām going to do is link to that article, for fear that Dan Snyder will sue me.
5. Matt Millen, GM, Detroit Lions
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Norman Einstein once said that āthe definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.āĀ
And so we come to Matt Millen.
Thereās a reason WRs are considered a risky prospect in the first round, and thereās a reason the risk increases exponentially when selecting them three years in a row. Between 2003-2005 Millen drafted Charles Rogers, Roy Williams and Mike Williams with the second, seventh, and 10th picks in the draft, respectively.
With the exception of Roy, who was adequate, they all busted.Ā
Millenās draft record is the stuff of legend, and will probably go unequaled in the years ahead simply because I cannot imagine another set of circumstances allowing a GM that bad to stay employed for that long.Ā
Says one AFC executive, via Ron Borges of the Boston Globe:
āHeās got the worst record in history from a general manager and heāll have that record forever. No one else will ever get to have double-digit losses for six straight years. Iāve been in the league for over 20 years and Iāve never heard of a team going 23-68 without making a change in management. The only thing heās accomplished since he got to Detroit is surviving. Donāt ask me how heās done it.ā
I think I know. The following is the only time Iāve seen Millen questioned.
In response, he almost eats Steve Young alive.
4. Al Davis, Owner, Oakland Raiders
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Look, I donāt want to jump on the anti-Al bandwagon here, but Al Davis would sign my car if it drove a 4.4 40.
Heās made a habit out of drafting athletes over football players, and as a result has blown a number of high first-round picks rivaled only by Matt Millen.
The Raiders are in a perpetual state of flux, and itās most recently been accelerated by the hiring of new coach Hue Jackson, during whose introductory press conference Davis spent a good 20 minutes lambasting Tom Cable.
Thatās pretty much the equivalent of railing on an ex for two hours while youāre on a first date.
I wanted to attach the accompanying YouTube video, but there are eight of them.
I attachedĀ one.
Sit down and take a peek if you have two hours.
3. Bob Gibson, Offensive Coordinator, New York Giants
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This is the guy who made the Miracle at the Meadowlands possible.
From ESPN Page 2:
ā1978. Giants lead the Eagles 17-12 with 20 seconds left. Eagles have no timeouts left. All NY QB Joe Pisarcik has to do is fall on the ball, andā¦game over. But Giants offensive coordinator Bob Gibson calls a handoff to Larry Csonka.
"Csonka canāt believe it when he hears the call in the huddle, and says, 'Donāt give me the ball.' The exchange between Pisarcik and Csonka is botched. Herman Edwards snags the loose ball and runs 26 yards for the winning TD.
"The next day, Gibson gets his walking papers. At the end of the season, Giants head coach John McVay is gone. And the Eagles, thanks to the Miracle, make the playoffs.ā
Wow. As a coaching blunder, that will be tough to top. I did my best to look Gibson up (if only to make sure heās okay), and the best I could find was this New York Daily News submission that reveals him managing a small bait shop in Florida, where he owns a ranch and raises cattle.
That actually doesnāt sound too bad. To get out of New York and just catch your breath, sit down. Take a knee.
2. Jim Marshall, DE, Minnesota Vikings
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A two-time Pro Bowl defensive end, Jim Marshall infamously plucked a fumble from the ground, and then proceeded to run the ball 66 yards in the wrong direction.
āNwodhcuot!ā
The ensuing celebratory "spike" sent the ball sailing out of bounds for a safety, a dramatic punctuation of what is considered by many to be the most embarrassing moment in NFL history.
Jim Marshall is now the proud namesake of the Jim Marshall Scholarship Fund, which seeks to allow six-year-old children the opportunity to become college seniors and then subsequently work their way backward down to K-1.
1. Leon Lett, DL, Dallas Cowboys
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The Dallas defensive lineman was two yards away from giving the Cowboys a 59-17 lead in Super Bowl XXVII, when he decided to get a little funky around the goal line. Buffalo receiver Don Beebe came out of nowhere to knock the ball out of Lettās hands, costing him what was sure to be the only Super Bowl scoring opportunity of his career.Ā
He gets the nod over Jim Marshall because he topped that play the next year.
Oh, Leon Lett. May your reign live on in infamy.Ā
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