50 NFL Players Whose Careers Took Turns for the Worse in 2011

Each and every season some players just have a bad season, whether if it's an off-year or possibly because their careers are turning for the worse. 

Believe it or not, there have been quite a few players who have been pretty putrid in 2011. Some guys who come to mind are Peyton Hillis, Josh Freeman and Mark Sanchez.

In that spirit, let's jump right into the 50 NFL players whose careers took a turn for the worse in 2011. 

Mike Williams

Much like the entire Tampa Bay Buccaneers team, 2011 has been a huge disappointment for second-year wide receiver Mike Williams.

Through 15 games this season, Williams has caught 64 passes for 740 yards and just three touchdowns.

Williams had 10 in 2010—what happened? 

Chad Ochocinco

Chad Ochocinco has gone from being an All-Pro wide receiver with the Cincinnati Bengals to a complete puddle with the New England Patriots.

In 15 games this season, Ochocinco has scored only one touchdown. 

Michael Vick

Michael Vick is playing much like he did back when he was an Atlanta Falcon.

Vick has played in only 12 games this season, as he's suffered an injury to his ribs. In those 12 games, he threw 13 interceptions compared to 15 touchdowns while completing less than 60 percent of his passes and posting a mediocre 82.9 quarterback rating. 

Albert Haynesworth

Albert Haynesworth may have been a non-factor the last few seasons with the Washington Redskins, but many believed he could turn around his career as a New England Patriot.

Time and time again Bill Belichick has turned players' careers around, but he had absolutely no shot with Haynesworth, and he was cut mid-way through the season after recording just three tackles. 

Peyton Hillis

I guess there really is a "Madden Curse."

Peyton Hillis has played in just nine games this season, and he's averaging only 3.7 yards per carry while scoring three touchdowns. 

Ronnie Brown

Ronnie Brown was a decent running back a year ago with the Miami Dolphins, but has been completely pitiful with the Philadelphia Eagles this season.

Brown has run for just 122 yards in 15 games while averaging an embarrassing 3.4 yards per carry and scoring just one touchdown. 

Josh Freeman

Many believed Josh Freeman would turn into a top-tier quarterback in 2011—I really thought he was going to have an incredible season.

However, Freeman has been absolutely dreadful after his amazing 25-touchdown and only six-interception season a year ago. In 15 games this year, Freeman was thrown 14 touchdowns compared to a league-high 19 interceptions. 

Brandon Meriweather

Brandon Meriweather went from being a Pro Bowl safety a year ago with the New England Patriots to being cut in the preseason and signing with the Chicago Bears—then he was ultimately benched.

How pathetic is that?

Meriweather has done one good thing in his NFL career: the Big Bang Clock song. 

Philip Rivers

What has happened to Philip Rivers?

Rivers went from emerging as an elite quarterback to being a complete interception machine in 2011. He has thrown for 4,314 yards, which is pretty impressive, but he has also been picked off for a league-high 19 interceptions.  

Shaun Ellis

Shaun Ellis was a lifelong New York Jet until 2011 when he turned to the dark-side and signed with the New England Patriots.

The 34-year-old has struggled on the field, playing in only 13 games and recording just one sack. 

Chris Johnson

I really hope Chris Johnson is enjoying his whopping $55.26 million contract—he held out the entire preseason and has been a complete fraud in 2011.

CJ2K is averaging only 4.0 yards per carry while scoring just four touchdowns and has only four 100-yard-plus rushing performances this season. 

Curtis Painter

Curtis Painter was a backup a year ago and will likely never be considered a reliable backup quarterback in the NFL again after his embarrassing 2011 performance.

Painter has been intercepted nine times in nine games for the Indianapolis Colts this season. 

Matt Cassel

Matt Cassel was a Pro Bowler a year ago and has been a complete fraud in 2011.

Cassel has completed less than 60 percent of his passes this season while being picked off nine times in nine games. 

Thomas Jones

Thomas Jones was part of one of the NFL's elite rushing attacks with Jamaal Charles, but in 2011, he has been pitiful.

Jones was asked to step up in a big way after Charles went down with a torn ACL back in Week 2, but has been a non-factor for the Kansas City Chiefs, as he's averaging just 3.2 yards per carry.

I think it's time for him to retire. 

LeGarrette Blount

LeGarrette Blount will not be rushing for 1,000 yards like he did a year ago for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The second-year running back out of Oregon has run for just 769 yards with one game remaining in the regular season. 

Nnamdi Asomugha

Nnamdi Asomugha should have just stayed with the Oakland Raiders, or he should have signed with any other team besides the Philadelphia Eagles.

Asomugha could have had a chance at the playoffs with the Raiders, but he now has zero chances with the Eagles entering the final week of the season. 

Ryan Fitzpatrick

Ryan Fitzpatrick played so well in the first half of 2011 that the Buffalo Bills signed him to a seven-year contract worth $62.195 million.

In 15 games, Fitzpatrick has been picked off a league-high 19 times while completing 62 percent of his passes for the Bills. 

Lee Evans

Lee Evans should just retire—his career is pathetic right now.

Evans was a decent wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills a year ago, but is now absolutely pathetic with the Baltimore Ravens. In just eight games, Evans has four catches for only 74 yards. 

Jason Campbell

I know it's not Jason Campbell's fault that he got hurt, but his future with the Oakland Raiders is all but over.

Following Campbell breaking his collarbone, the Raiders went out and traded for Carson Palmer to be their quarterback of the future. 

Chad Henne

Chad Henne was Miami's starting quarterback, but his career as a starting quarterback for the Dolphins is all but over.

Prior to being placed on injured reserve back on Oct. 6, Henne was completing only 57.1 percent of his passes for four touchdowns and four interceptions. 

Darius Butler

Darius Butler will likely never start at cornerback in the NFL ever again.

Butler was a starter for the New England Patriots a year ago, but he was cut from the team and is now riding the Carolina Panthers' bench. 

Carson Palmer

Perhaps Carson Palmer should have just retired, since he's pretty much been a non-factor for the Oakland Raiders in 2011.

I know, I know—the Oakland Raiders are on the verge of making the playoffs. But Palmer is completing just 60 percent of his passes, and he's thrown 15 interceptions compared to his 11 touchdowns. 

Jimmy Clausen

Jimmy Clausen had a chance of being the quarterback of the future before the Carolina Panthers drafted Cam Newton first overall in the 2011 draft.

Clausen is the team's backup and has yet to play in a single game in 2011. 

Donovan McNabb

Donovan McNabb has been so pathetic in 2011 that he's now a free agent, and no one has shown any interest in signing him.

McNabb lasted just six games with the Minnesota Vikings this season before being benched in favor of the rookie Christian Ponder. McNabb completed 60.3 percent of his passes while throwing only four touchdowns. 

David Garrard

David Garrard came into 2011 as the Jacksonville Jaguars' starting quarterback, but was cut after it became known that he needed to undergo back surgery.

Garrard has yet to play for a team in 2011 and will likely never start in the NFL again. 

Rex Grossman

No one knew how bad Rex Grossman sucked in 2011—but we all knew that he did.

Through 12 games this season, Grossman has been picked off a career-high 19 times while completing only 58.8 percent of his passes for the Washington Redskins. 

Adrian Peterson

Adrian Peterson wasn't having a bad season with the Minnesota Vikings, but he may never be the same running back ever again.

In Minnesota's Week 16 game against the Washington Redskins, Peterson tore his ACL and MCL in his left knee. 

DeSean Jackson

In a contract year, you would really think DeSean Jackson would be trying his best to earn himself a large chunk of change—but that has not been the case.

Jackson has been a huge bust in 2011, as he's scored only three touchdowns all season. 

Sidney Rice

Sidney Rice was a solid wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings over the past few seasons, but Rice has been nothing but a puddle for the Seattle Seahawks.

You know the saying, "Seattle is where wide receivers go to die?" Well, Rice played in only nine games this season prior to being placed on injured reserve with a concussion. 

John Beck

John Beck had a legitimate shot at being a starting quarterback in the NFL, but he blew all his chances to do so—he was pathetic during his time as a starter for the Washington Redskins.

Beck played in just four games this season. He completed 60.6 percent of his passes, threw two touchdowns and was picked off four times. 

Blaine Gabbert

I know, I know—Blaine Gabbert is just a rookie, but he has really sucked in 2011.

Gabbert is completing just 50.5 percent of his passes while throwing 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 14 games this season. 

Mark Sanchez

Mark Sanchez may be having the best statistical season of his career, but he's still pathetic.

Sanchez has been benched a few times during practice in favor of quarterback Mark Brunnel. The third-year quarterback out of USC has shown no signs of improving, as he's been picked off 15 times this season and has cost the New York Jets multiple games this season.

It's like Sanchez is holding them back. 

Joe Flacco

Joe Flacco is still making rookie mistakes, as he's having the worst season of his career.

Flacco is completing only 56.8 percent of his passes this season while throwing for only 19 touchdowns compared to 12 interceptions. 

Shonn Greene

How bad has Shonn Greene been this season?

Well, he's had yet another disappointing year.

I will give it to Greene that he will likely run for more than 1,000 yards, but that's still an underachieving number since he has so much potential—it just simply isn't translating to the field. 

Kyle Orton

Kyle Orton was the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, but then was benched in favor of Tim Tebow.

Orton was then acquired by the Kansas City Chiefs, but the team has gone 1-4 since the acquisition. 

LaDainian Tomlinson

LaDainian Tomlinson needs to retire—he is nothing but a waste of a roster spot.

L.T. has ran for only 224 yards this season while averaging a putrid 3.5 yards per carry and scoring only one touchdown. 

Braylon Edwards

Braylon Edwards was such a non-factor with the San Francisco 49ers that he was released just a few days ago.

Edwards appeared in only nine games this season as he reeled in only 15 passes and failed to score a single touchdown. 

Taylor Price

Taylor Price was such a disappointment this season that the New England Patriots released him mid-way through the year.

Price appeared in only three games this season with the Patriots, and he failed to record a single reception. Price now plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars and has caught two passes for 39 yards. 

Todd Heap

Todd Heap is a complete joke.

Heap was released by the Baltimore Ravens prior to the 2011 season and signed with the Arizona Cardinals. Since then, Heap has played in nine games; he recorded 22 receptions and has yet to score a single touchdown. 

Tyler Palko

Tyler Palko had his chance to prove to the NFL that he can be a legitimate starter—and he fell flat on his face.

Palko appeared in six games this season with the Kansas City Chiefs, as he posted a pitiful 59.8 quarterback rating and failed to win a single game. 

Asante Samuel

Asante Samuel really took a turn in the wrong direction with the Philadelphia Eagles this season.

Samuel had seven interceptions a year ago, but has recorded only three this season while struggling to stay on the field, as he's played in only 14 games. 

Terrell Owens

Terrell Owens tore his ACL last season with the Cincinnati Bengals and has yet to play a single game in 2011.

T.O. is a free agent as of right now, and it's questionable if he will ever play in the NFL ever again. 

DeAngelo Hall

I think it's safe to say that DeAngelo Hall is the most overrated cornerback in the NFL today.

Hall made the Pro Bowl a year ago, but is now part of one of the worst defenses in the NFL with the Washington Redskins.

Matt Leinart

Matt Leinart had a shot to prove to the NFL that he can be a starter again, but he simply was unable to stay healthy.

It's not his fault, but Leinart will probably forever be a backup quarterback despite having a tremendous amount of talent and potential. 

Vince Young

Vince Young proved to the NFL that he should never start a game ever again.

V.Y. was absolutely embarrassing during his time as the Philadelphia Eagles' starting quarterback this season. He played in seven games this season and posted a 60.8 quarterback rating while throwing nine interceptions compared to only four touchdowns. 

Sam Bradford

It's amazing how Sam Bradford was Rookie of the Year a year ago, but has been laughable thus far in 2011.

Bradford is completing only 53.5 percent of his passes while throwing only six touchdowns compared to six interceptions in 10 games this season for the St. Louis Rams. 

Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning's career as an Indianapolis Colt could be over, as the team will likely select Andrew Luck with the first overall pick in next year's draft. 

Manning has missed all of this season with a neck injury, and no one knows for sure if he will be able to play football ever again. 

Devin McCourty

Devin McCourty was a Pro Bowl cornerback a year ago and looked to have a promising future entering his second year in the NFL, but has really taken a turn for the worse.

McCourty has been part of the worst defense in the NFL this season with the New England Patriots. 

Roy Williams

Roy Williams had a legitimate shot at joining the Chicago Bears and turning into a very productive wide receiver since he'd be the No. 1 receiver in Chicago.

That did not happen.

Williams has played in 14 games this season, making only 33 receptions and scoring just one touchdown. I think that it's safe to say that Williams is old and washed-up. 

Reggie Wayne

Reggie Wayne has been a non-factor in 2011 without quarterback Peyton Manning.

Wayne has played in all 15 games this season for the Indianapolis Colts, and has caught 67 passes and only four touchdowns.