JaMarcus Russell and the Biggest Reclamation Projects Ever

JaMarcus Russell is in the news yet again. This time it's in the form of a tryout for the Washington Redskins. 

This is the same team coached by no-nonsense Mike Shanahan. He is the guy who just called Donovan McNabb fat. Then he goes out and finds the fattest quarterback he can find to work out. 

This got me thinking. If Russell does catch on, he will be one of the bigger comeback stories in NFL history. With that in mind, I have compiled a list of best comebacks in sports.

10: JaMarcus Russell

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DENVER - DECEMBER 20: Quarterback JaMarcus Russell #2 of the Oakland Raiders drops back to pass against the Denver Broncos in the fourth quarter at Invesco Field at Mile High on December 20, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. The Raiders defeated the Broncos 20-1

Let me start with the potential comeback of JaMarcus Russell. 

Russell was a college phenom who Al Davis just could not get enough of. He threw a giant contract his way when he made him the first overall draft choice by the Oakland Raiders.

Russell thanked Davis and the organization by getting fat. He quickly deteriorated into the body of an NFL spectator, not an elite NFL player. 

Russell was released in 2009 with no one in sight who wanted to claim him. That is, until today.

News broke that the team that does not put up with unfit players is giving a shot to the epitome of unfit players. We will monitor this to see how the once promising quarterback shapes up. 

9: Deion Sanders

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TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 29: NFL commentator Deion Sanders speaks during a broadcast at the Tampa Convention Center on January 29, 2009 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

Deion Sanders had two mistresses. He shared a love for both baseball and football. That love may have kept him from fulfilling on the talent he had for both sports. 

Sanders was one of the best defensive backs from 1999 until 2000, but in 2001, he said goodbye to football.

As athletes are prone to do, Sanders heeded to his itch to play again. This time he took his unfinished business to Baltimore. In 2004, Sanders un-retired and became a Raven.

The two seasons he spent in Baltimore were some of the worst of his career. Aged and worn, Sanders could not match the ability he had when he first left the game. 

8: Stephon Marbury

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LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 07: Stephon Marbury of the Boston Celtics attends Game Two of the 2009 NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic at Staples Center on June 7, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly ackno

Stephon Marbury is a big fan of himself. That may be why he self glossed himself Starbury.

Well, Starbury was over the hill in 2009. His lack of effort and public feuds with management forced the Knicks to bench him. When it was clear that Marbury did not want to continue his career with the Knicks, he was banned from practices and later released from the organization altogether.

The Boston Celtics were in the middle of a conference race that year and needed bench depth. They took a chance on Marbury with mixed results. It is unclear whether his limited minutes and point production helped in any way that year as the Celtics lost to the Lakers in the finals.

With a lack of interest from teams, Marbury has since moved on from the NBA to play overseas in the Chinese Basketball Association. 

7: Rick Ankiel

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SAN FRANCISCO - OCTOBER 08: Rick Ankiel #28 of the Atlanta Braves hits a solo home run in the tenth inning of the National League Division Series with the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on October 8, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Justi

Rick Ankiel was a very good pitcher. He could throw three pitches for strikes and in 2000 touted a 3.50 ERA.

But then, he lost it.

After a dismal League Championship Series, he was never the same. He attempted to regain his stuff in 2001 to no avail. 

Ankiel went up and down in the minors for his remaining career until 2004 when he switched to playing outfield. There his career found a second wind. He was invited to spring training by the same team that had him pitch in NLCS just five years prior, the St. Louis Cardinals. 

Ankiel was a mainstay in the Cardinals outfield from 2006 until the time he was traded to the Royals this past season. 

6: Ricky Williams

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CINCINNATI - OCTOBER 31: Ricky Williams #34 of the Miami Dolphins runs with the ball during the NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on October 31, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Ricky Williams was a highly touted recruit on draft day. So much so that then Saints head coach Mike Ditka traded away all of his picks just to sign the running back.

Williams only played for the Saints for three seasons before he was traded to the Miami Dolphins. There his career took a strange turn. 

In 2004 he tested positive for marijuana use. This was the last of many positive results. Instead of facing a stiff suspension, Williams decided to shock us all and retire from football.

After a brief tour with the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League, the Dolphins re-signed Williams in 2007. He has since become a model citizen and productive contributor to the Dolphins back field.  

5: Jim Plunkett

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LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 30: Quarterback Jim Plunkett #16 of the Los Angeles Raiders drops back to pass during the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 30, 1986 in Los Angeles, California. The Eagles won 33

Jim Plunkett was a wonderful quarterback that sort of lost it for a couple of years. 

After two dismal years in San Francisco, he was given his outright release. The Raiders who were in the market for a backup came calling. He would ride the pine for two years until an injury to Dan Pastorini forced Oakland's hand. 

Plunkett entered the game rusty. He threw five interceptions.

Had the Raiders not had any confidence in their third-string quarterback, Plunkett's career would have died that day. As fate would have it, he started the next game and won. He then lead the Raiders to a nine-game revival and then the playoffs. There they won four straight and became the eventual Super Bowl champions. 

4: Tommy John

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Tommy John was a fantastic pitcher who was having a great year in 1974. Mid-way through, he tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching arm. Until that time, an injury like that ruined a career. 

He had what would later be referred to as Tommy John surgery and would come back the next year with the Dodgers and post a 10-10 record. While that is astounding, it is the fact that he continued to pitch until 1989 that is really amazing. 

3: Michael Vick

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PHILADELPHIA - SEPTEMBER 12: Michael Vick #7 of the Philadelphia Eagles walks off the field after a loss in a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lincoln Financial Field on September 12, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Packers beat the Eagles

Michael Vick used to be the only reason to watch the Atlanta Falcons. He was one of the quickest and most versatile quarterbacks in the NFL. 

Then came 2007 and his suspension and later on jail time for aiding a dog fighting ring. Vick would be out of football until 2009. 

With the backing of Tony Dungy, the Eagles took a shot at the once-great quarterback. His first year was relatively slow going compared to his 2010 season. This year he has taken the reins of the Eagles offense and is very well a Pro Bowl quarterback again. 

2: Shaun Livingston

Shaun Livingston was an up-and-coming guard for the much maligned Los Angeles Clippers.

On February 26, 2007, he suffered one of the grisliest injuries I have ever seen. He tore two vital knee ligaments and badly sprained a third. His NBA career was no longer a certainty. 

With hard work and effort, Livingston has made it back into the league. After a productive 2009-2010 campaign he was granted a two-year contract from the Charlotte Bobcats. 

1: Josh Hamilton

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NEW YORK - OCTOBER 18: Josh Hamilton #32 of the Texas Rangers hits a double in the top of the ninth inning against the New York Yankees in Game Three of the ALCS during the 2010 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium on October 18, 2010 in New York, New York. (

Josh Hamilton is one of the best sports stories of all time. 

It started so promising. He was the first overall selection by Tampa Bay in 1999. He was clearly one of the best young talents in all of baseball.

But sadly, in 2001 his career took a turn for the worse. He was involved in a car accident wherein he sustained several injuries. This lead to drug and alcohol use that would eventually see him dismissed from baseball altogether. 

Many people do not get their lives back together after such an ordeal, let alone make it back to the major leagues. Josh Hamilton did just that. 

In 2007 after catching on with the Reds, he was traded to the Rangers. This is where we find ourselves today. Hamilton is one of the best players in baseball and just enjoyed a trip to the World Series.