NFL: The 42 Most Despised Players of All Time

Whether players are a complete disgrace to society or are just simply too good, NFL fans will find a way to despise them.

Taking a look at the NFL's illustrious history, there are quite a handful of players who are completely despised by fans—most of them because they're horrible human beings, and some of them just because of their success or stellar talents.

Here are the 42 most despised players in NFL history.

Be sure to leave a comment with some feedback, and if you have any other players I missed who you personally despise, be sure to share with us all why you hate that player!

This article was first seen at PatriotsPlus.net. Be sure to follow Tony Santorsa on Twitter @ TonySantorsa.  

42. Bo Jackson

Why do so many NFL fans despise Bo Jackson? Well, he was the first overall pick in the 1986 draft, selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; however, Jackson had other plans.

Following being drafted, Jackson elected to sign a contract with the Kansas City Royals baseball team, which essentially wasted Tampa Bay's pick. 

Then, a year later, Jackson re-entered the draft and was selected 183rd overall by the Los Angeles Raiders.

41. Charles Rogers

Whatever happened to Charles Rogers? 

Rogers put up stellar numbers at Michigan State, but the second overall pick in the 2003 draft amounted to absolutely nothing for the Detroit Lions.

Rogers had a career 36 receptions for four touchdowns in just 15 games for the Lions.

40. Larry Johnson

Larry Johnson is simply against the whole purpose of a team and has no common sense when it comes to social media.

Johnson was suspended several times by the Kansas City Chiefs, as he simply did not get along with any of the Chiefs coaches.

Not only was Johnson a mess in the locker room, but he's also had some legal troubles and even dropped a few anti-homosexual slurs via his Twitter account.

It's easy to see why so many people despise Larry Johnson.

39. Eric Dickerson

Eric Dickerson may have been an all-time great running back, but he never really portrayed that he was a team player.

After Dickerson's stellar 2,105-yard rushing year in 1984, he elected to ask for a pay raise and held out the first two weeks of the season.

38. Kelly Stouffer

Kelly Stouffer is just the perfect example of being too cocky.

Stouffer was the sixth overall pick in the 1987 draft; however, he felt like he deserved a whole lot of money despite not playing any games in the NFL. Stouffer sat out the entire '87 season, and after agreeing to a contract, he never lived up to his high expectations for the Seattle Seahawks.

37. Rodney Harrison

Rodney Harrison was one of the most frequently fined players during his time spent in the NFL.

Many fans lean towards hating Harrison due to his proclaimed "dirty" playing style. However, when you watch him play, you just realize that he's trying to physically dominate every player on every single play of the game.

36. Chad Ochocinco

Many people may love Chad Ochocinco, but many other people certainly despise his huge ego and his maturity level that resembles that of a child.

Ochocinco is known to have over-the-top touchdown celebrations and has been fined several times by the NFL.

35. Akili Smith

Akili Smith is yet another quarterback in NFL history who has been labeled a bust. 

Not only was Smith a bust, but he also held out the entire training camp of his rookie season and practically amounted to nothing for the Cincinnati Bengals.

34. Tony Romo

Does Tony Romo have more interest in being the starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys or a celebrity? It's definitely hard to tell.

Everyone despises Romo not only for his public relationships, but also because of his first "choke performance" as a member of the Cowboys.

In a 2006 Wild Card matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, Romo botched a snap on a field goal attempt that would have given the Cowboys a victory. From that point on, Romo has composed an awful 1-3 playoff record as a starter.

33. Plaxico Burress

Plaxico Burress may be despised by many fans across the NFL, but he may be one of the dumbest human beings on the face of the planet.

Why on earth would he feel that it's necessary to carry a loaded gun tucked away in his sweatpants into a New York City club? Who knows? But he's finished his jail time, and now he's free.

32. Conrad Dobler

Conrad Dobler played football not to make friends, but to make enemies.

Dobler was said to spit, bite, punch and kick opponents, and his dirty play has resulted in him being one of the most despised players of all time.

31. Donovan McNabb

Donovan McNabb did so much for the Philadelphia Eagles fanbase, as he led the team to multiple playoff appearances and put his heart and soul into winning games. However, fans still find ways to hate him.

McNabb was often criticized for being a scrambling quarterback, so he then spent more time as a pocket passer—but fans still found a way to hate him.

McNabb is certainly one of the most despised players in NFL history, but it's almost a mystery why.

30. Shawne Merriman

Not only is Shawne Merriman a performance-enhancing-drug user, but he's also a cocky player who has fans of the opposing team cringing every time he does his "lights out" sack dance.

29. Martin Gramatica

From his over-celebrating field goal completions to his inconsistency in completing kicks, many fans really despise Martin Gramatica.

Gramatica is currently 35 years old and is a free agent thanks to his inability to routinely make kicks.

28. Keyshawn Johnson

Keyshawn Johnson is almost the pioneer of all prima donna wide receivers in the history of the NFL.

Johnson was known for his feuds with coaches and quarterbacks and his rants when he felt like he wasn't getting the ball enough. In fact, Johnson wrote an autobiography titled Just Give Me the Damn Ball! Now that's just amazing.

Due to his cocky attitude, his huge ego and his large mouth, Johnson is one of the most despised players of all time.

27. Jack Tatum

Many fans despise Jack Tatum due to his extremely dirty hit on New England Patriots wide receiver Darryl Stingley in a preseason game in 1978. Stingley's spinal cord was damaged badly as a result of the hit, and he became paralyzed from the chest down.

Tatum openly stated that he believes it wasn't a dirty hit and that he never apologized to Stingley.

How sick and twisted is that? No wonder so many people despise him.

26. Jim McMahon

Jim McMahon may have you confused with his huge ego and his cocky attitude. If you take a look at his average stats, you may think that you have confused him with an All-Pro quarterback.

McMahon was definitely a personality in the NFL during his time, but his play as the Chicago Bears quarterback was simply average.

25. John Elway

Some people may find it hard to believe, but John Elway is despised on many levels.

That could be because of his decision to refuse to play for the Baltimore Colts, who selected him first overall in the 1983 draft, or all the fanbases' hearts he's broken thanks to his many fourth-quarterback comebacks as the Denver Broncos' starting quarterback.

24. Ray Lewis

Ray Lewis may be loved by Baltimore Ravens fans, but anyone outside of the fanbase tends to hate him.

Lewis is a hard-hitting linebacker with a big mouth, so it's definitely easy to understand why he's so despised across the NFL world.

23. Eli Manning

It's kind of shocking to believe how hated Eli Manning is by not only NFL fans, but his own New York Giants fans as well.

Manning is easy to hate due to his inconsistent play and his lack of emotion and on-field leadership. Also, Manning made a huge deal when he was selected by the San Diego Chargers first overall in the 2004 draft and refused to play for them.

I think it's safe to say that Eli almost welcomes all of these fans despising his play, his attitude and his non-emotions.

22. Deion Sanders

The big mouth that is attached to Deion Sanders is the reason why he's so despised across the NFL—he simply says whatever he wants.

Also, Sanders is known to be one of the biggest celebrators in the history of the sport, as he would frequently dance and high-step his way into the end zone.

Now that Sanders is retired from the NFL, he's still a big talker as an analyst on the NFL Network.

21. Ricky Williams

Ricky Williams can be despised on two levels: Whether it's testing positive for marijuana or being a somewhat of a disappointment, many fans hate him.

Williams had a few stellar seasons as a member of the New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins. However, he announced an early retirement in 2004 after testing positive for marijuana. 

While being retired, he studied Ayurveda, an ancient Indian system of holistic medicine, at the California College of Ayurveda.

In 2007, Williams returned to football and hasn't been the same player since.

All in all, "Sticky Ricky" may be despised, but he's one interesting character.

20. Hines Ward

Hines Ward may be one of the hardest-working wide receivers in the NFL, but thanks to his questionable blocks, he is definitely a despised player.

Ward is known for being a great blocker. However, many of his blocks tend to be below the knees, as it appears he's attempting to injure the opposing player—or maybe because he's such a good blocker. Who knows?

Not to mention every single time Ward receives a huge hit from a defender, he just simply hops back up with a huge smile on his face. No wonder why he's so despised.

19. Randy Moss

Ever since Randy Moss' infamous fully-clothed mooning of the Green Bay Packers faithful, Moss has become one of the most despised players of all time.

Moss was a quitter in Oakland, New England and Tennessee—he's burned several bridges throughout his career.

The future Hall of Fame wide receiver is definitely an egocentric human being who has the maturity level of a child.

18. Steve Wisniewski

Steve Wisniewski is pretty much the poster child for the Oakland Raiders. Wisniewski was known for his dirty play, as he would frequently chop-block and give blind-side hits, and he was one of the league's biggest trash talkers.

17. JaMarcus Russell

JaMarcus Russell had all the talent in the world but never matured into a grown man.

Russell was the first overall selection in the 2007 NFL draft and was an absolute disappointment.

The former Oakland Raider was released on May 6, 2010 due to drug charges and the inability to stay in shape.

As this point in Russell's very short NFL career, he's one of the most despised players in NFL history.

16. Tony Mandarich

Tony Mandarich was a huge bust as he was selected second overall by the Green Bay Packers in the 1989 NFL draft.

Mandarich was a massive offensive lineman, but it became known later that he was an avid steroid user.

Mandarich never panned out to be a solid lineman, as he checked into rehab in 1995 due to drug use.

Due to Mandarich's bust label and his drug use, he's one of the most despised players of all time.

15. Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger may be loved by Pittsburgh Steelers fans, but ever since he entered the NFL, he's shown inconsistent levels of maturity.

Roethlisberger has been accused of rape twice during his time in the NFL and even was involved in a motorcycle accident, which resulted in many facial fractures that caused him to miss some time with the Steelers in offseason workouts and training camp.

With Roethlisberger's low maturity level and his instant success as an NFL quarterback, it is no wonder why so many fans tend to despise Big Ben.

14. James Harrison

It's almost like James Harrison has no common sense when it comes to player safety—the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker has been fined several times for helmet-to-helmet contact.

Harrison is definitely a competitor and a great football player, but he almost plays too recklessly, which results in him being despised by many fans across the NFL world.

13. Bill Romanowski

Bill Romanowski played football not to make friends, but to hurt every single player who lined up against him.

Romanowski was a feared linebacker during his prime but was also known for his very questionable and sometimes dirty play.

12. Tom Brady

Tom Brady is despised on many levels. Whether it's because of his many Super Bowl victories, his stellar play as an NFL quarterback, his so-called whining to the referees, the way that the NFL protects him or because of his supermodel wife Gisele Bundchen, he is by far one of the most despised players of all time.

11. Terrell Owens

How can Terrell Owens be so hated? He has no criminal record and has put up big numbers during his NFL career.

Well, he's been described as a cancer to any NFL locker room.

Owens has been known to make life difficult for quarterbacks, such as Donovan McNabb, Carson Palmer and Jeff Garcia. He's also been on numerous reality TV shows during the NFL offseason.

T.O. is not only despised by many NFL fans, but he's probably also despised by many NFL quarterbacks and coaches.

10. Ryan Leaf

Ryan Leaf is one of the biggest busts in NFL history, which causes him to be one of the easiest-to-hate players.

Leaf was the second overall pick in the 1998 NFL draft and was one of the league's biggest disappointments, as he finished his career with an awful 50.0 passer rating while tossing 14 touchdowns and 36 interceptions and only completing 48.4 percent of his passes.

Way to go, Ryan Leaf—you're one of the most despised players in NFL history!

9. Lawrence Taylor

During Lawrence Taylor's time in the NFL, he was an absolute beast of a pass rusher and is arguably one of the best defensive players of all time. However, he's one of the most despised human beings in the history of the league.

Taylor has been linked to drug use and recently pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct and patronizing a 16-year-old prostitute in 2010.

8. Jerramy Stevens

In my opinion, Jerramy Stevens is not only a disgrace to the NFL but is also a disgrace of a human being. He's just a bad person with no morals.

Stevens has been in trouble with the law several times, as he's been charged with sexual assault, marijuana usage and possession, reckless driving, hit and run, vandalism and rape.

7. Michael Irvin

Michael Irvin is the poster child for all cocky University of Miami players and was one of the first prima donna wide receivers who demanded the ball nearly every single play.

Not only was Irvin a headache on the field, but he has also been in trouble with the law off the field. Irvin had a few drug-related arrests and was involved with a sexual assault allegation, but he received no charges.

6. Adam "Pac-Man" Jones

Adam "Pac-Man" Jones simply does not get it—it's like he has no morals.

Jones was involved in a shooting case at a Las Vegas strip club, which resulted in an NFL suspension handed down by commissioner Roger Goodell.

Jones is definitely one talented football player, but he's yet to live up to expectations and is one of the most despised players in NFL history.

5. Brett Favre

Over the past couple of years, Brett Favre has burned quite a few bridges and has become one of the easiest-to-hate players in the NFL.

Whether it's reports of Favre "sexting" younger women or him demanding attention from the media, Favre is one despised man.

It's a shame—if only Favre wasn't so egocentric, all of us could admire his gutsy performances, but thanks to his attitude, everyone tends to despise him.

4. Lawrence Phillips

Lawrence Phillips had all the potential in the world but was a pure piece of garbage—for a lack of a better term.

He refused to attend team meetings in St. Louis, assaulted women, purposely hit people with his car and has been convicted for several domestic abuse crimes and is currently spending 10 years in jail.

Also, Phillips is the reason why Steve Young retired, as he missed a blitzing defender who knocked out Young with a concussion.

Phillips is such a despised player that it's almost scary.

3. Michael Vick

Everyone is well aware of Michael Vick and his time that he spent in jail because of his hosted dog fights, better known as Bad Newz Kennels—how sick is that?

Now that Vick has served his jail time, he received the 2010 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award, and now more and more people despise him due to his success after being in prison.

2. Rae Carruth

Wide receiver Rae Carruth's career came crashing down on November 16, 1999. Carruth was involved in a shooting incident that resulted in the death of his pregnant girlfriend. Following the shooting, his girlfriend fell into a coma while the baby was forced to be born by cesarean section.

Months later, Carruth was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, shooting into an occupied vehicle and using an instrument to destroy an unborn child.

Carruth was then sentenced to 18 to 24 years in prison.

To say that many people despise Carruth is just an understatement.

1. O.J. Simpson

O.J. Simpson is the most despised player in the NFL history—plain and simple.

Simpson escaped murder charges for the deaths of his former wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman—even though many believe he's guilty.

From that point on, Simpson has been in trouble with the law quite a few times and is currently spending a total of 33 years in prison after being charged with kidnapping and armed robbery.

Simpson is not only the most despised player of all time but is also just a disgrace of a human being.