15 Most Delusional Players in the NFL

Chris Johnson hasn't just been the biggest disappointment this 2011 NFL season—he also doesn't seem to understand that.

He doesn't think the Tennessee Titans' lackluster running game is a reflection on him.

Johnson isn't the only player in the league to be delusional about his talent, production or anything else for that matter. The league seems to be full of people who protest constantly despite what appears obvious to the general public.

They need clarification of what is what, and Bill Parcells is not available today. Therefore, the following slides will "keep it real" and provide the dose of reality that these players desperately need.

Honorable Mention: Terrell Owens

Terrell Owens has had a great career.

The emphasis in that sentence should be placed on the word "had."

He wore out his welcome with the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills. He spent last season with the Cincinnati Bengals, yet this time was hardly the team's biggest headache. 

Owens required knee surgery this offseason to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

He insisted he was ready to come back, but his recent audition indicates that Father Time has caught up to the previously-ageless receiver.

Not one NFL team bothered to show up for the aforementioned workout. Additionally, Keyshawn Johnson and Jerry Rice stated that they recognize the fatigue in his legs and that his burst is all but gone.

The only one who doesn't understand that Owens' career has reached the end of the road is Owens himself. The only reason he isn't higher on the list is because he isn't actually in the league.

15. Bart Scott

The New York Jets very well may be watching the playoffs safely from home this year. 

The Buffalo Bills and the New England Patriots lead the division, and neither show any of signs of slowing.

Scott is famous for his bravado both on and off the field, and few teams have been targeted by Scott more than the Patriots.

Scott might be smart to realize that his team is not the dominant defense that it once was.

He pointed out last year that the Pats couldn't "stop a nosebleed," but the tables are slowly turning. This year, the Jets are ranked No. 24 against the rush, while the Pats boast a top-10 rushing defense (although they are terrible against the pass).

Hopefully, Scott realizes that his decline mirrors the New York defense.

It's one thing to be loud when you "got it," but quite another when you can no longer bring it.

14. Michael Vick

Michael Vick has undoubtedly been through more than the average American.

He has been put on a pedestal, pulled down from said pedestal and dragged through the streets.

But none of those prior incidents can prepare a man for dealing with concussions.

He definitely sustained one early in the season, but the game against the Washington Redskins makes one wonder who is responsible for his long-term health.

Washington linebacker London Fletcher had to hold him up and call to the Philadelphia Eagles sideline for help.

Vick was removed from the game, but Vince Young promptly threw an interception. Vick returned to the game the next series.

The team has already tried to have Vick use a Kevlar-padded helmet. He needs to understand that this will be a lingering issue.

13. Plaxico Burress

This may not be so much an indictment of the man himself as the perception created by him and received by the New York Jets coaching staff.

Plaxico Burress has infamously been away from football the last couple years due to an self-inflicted incident in a New York night club.

Upon his release from prison, he was signed by the Jets, and Rex Ryan has been extremely vocal in his support.

Despite his three-touchdown game prior to the bye week, Plaxico is still not a free-agency steal. He is 34 years old and has difficulty getting separation from defensive backs.

He is still capable of getting jump balls in the end zone, but if the Jets are going to move the ball consistently, they are going to have to look elsewhere. 

12. Adrian Peterson

Nobody is denying that Adrian Peterson is the best running back in the NFL.

He definitely earned the lucrative extension that the Minnesota Vikings gave him and continues to validate it.

Peterson's problem is that he stayed in Minnesota. He is already 26 years old and has amassed 1,365 carries. He probably only has a few more truly productive years left.

He should have at least looked at other options. While his loyalty should be applauded, NFL teams are notorious for not showing that same trait towards players who have sacrificed their bodies for the sake of the franchise. 

Minnesota has an aging roster and an unproven rookie for its quarterback.

Peterson's best chance at winning a Super Bowl may have left when Brett Favre's durability did.

11. Ndamukong Suh

The Detroit Lions and Ndamukong Suh have been accused of many things so far this season.

If the Lions are sliding into the role formerly occupied by the Detroit Pistons Bad Boys teams, then Suh is a dead ringer for Bill Laimbeer.

Some of the charges levied at Suh and his compatriots may be exaggerated, especially the stories supposedly fabricated by the Atlanta Falcons and Roddy White.

However, Suh plays with an edge that makes him great and somewhat nasty.

His tackle of Jake Delhomme, who was the quarterback of the Cleveland Browns at the time, was especially brutal, considering he twisted off his helmet. 

Suh originally tried to defend his actions but lately has been embracing his "evil" side.

He may not need this reality check, but better to be safe than sorry.

10. Chad Ochocinco

Chad Ochocinco is a master of creating publicity, but he doesn't have the ability to free himself from opposing defensive backs anymore.

He spent his time during the lockout riding bulls and trying out for MLS clubs.

After the lockout ended, he was sent to the New England Patriots, or "heaven."

His time in New England has been less than heavenly considering his production. He's failed to catch a pass in the last two games and might as well be invisible when he does see the field.

He reportedly does not know the offense yet, and if he doesn't catch on quick, Bill Belichick may have to cast him out of nirvana. 

9. LaDainian Tomlinson

LaDainian Tomlinson was cut by the San Diego Chargers a couple years ago and then signed with the New York Jets.

He was unhappy about the decision and left with a serious chip on his shoulder.

LT has been a decent acquisition for the Jets. He continues to be a key receiver for Mark Sanchez out of the backfield and is reliable in pass protection.

LT holds a serious grudge against the Chargers, though. He was so angry that he got the Jets logo tattooed on his leg upon his arrival in New York.

He needs to understand that his time as an elite running back is and was over. The Chargers made a move that was in the best interest of the franchise and it was nothing personal.

8. James Harrison

James Harrison has felt victimized by the NFL's evolving rules directed at improving player safety.

He apparently feels the NFL unfairly focuses on him when levying fines.

Harrison must not have seen the film. There have been occasions when he has been the victim of circumstance, particularly when his prey has dropped his head just prior to receiving the blow.

However, the hits too consistently find the helmets of opponents for it to be all coincidence.

He may have figured this out, as he hasn't been in the headlines since he blasted NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and his own teammates in a controversial interview. Granted, this is probably only because he has been out with an eye injury, but no news is good news for the stud linebacker.

7. Cedric Benson

Cedric Benson must think that he has nine lives, but that feline quality does not extend to the Bengal.

He was cut by the Chicago Bears after repeated arrests involving motor vehicles and alcohol despite his first-round draft pick status.

He was able to revive his career in Cincinnati and legitimize his high selection.

However, it would seem that he is getting too comfortable again for his own good. Shortly before the lockout ended, Cedric Benson was arrested again for assault against a family member. 

The arrest occurred at 6:42 a.m. which leads to the belief that alcohol may have been involved.

Considering he was also arrested in an Austin bar the prior summer, he is delusional if he believes that he can continue this behavior and remain in the league.

6. Peyton Manning

The Indianapolis Colts may be headed for a showdown with their franchise quarterback Peyton Manning.

Never has it been more obvious how much a single player means to a team than this year. Without the perennial Pro Bowler, the Colts have yet to notch a single victory.

The team's current record puts them in a position to draft Standford's Andrew Luck, who experts and fans alike hail as the next great quarterbacking prospect.

There has been speculation that Peyton will not be OK with this. 

Manning is an intelligent person, so he must see that this is happening regardless. A quarterback as old as himself coming off multiple neck surgeries cannot be relied upon if the franchise is going to avoid seasons like the current one. 

The Colts may have to thank him for his service and hand him a gold watch if he cannot handle this simple truth.

5. Dominic Raiola

The Detroit Lions are not just competitive this year but are currently in the playoff picture.

The offensive line has not helped out, yet the offense has generally been stellar.

Dominic Raiola is outspoken, and his leadership abilities cannot be argued. Additionally, he has been through quite a bit as a member of the Lions for the last 11 years.

He has never been shy when talking to the media.

It is time for Raiola, like Scott, to calm down some. His mouth is much louder than his game at this point and probably always was.

The offensive line cannot open any holes for the rushing game and quarterback Matthew Stafford has taken a fair amount of hits so far.

These problems can be directly attributed to the line and their loquacious leader.  

4. Rex Grossman

Rex Grossman has never appeared to be completely lucid, but with the amount of media and fan scrutiny he has endured since college, he can hardly be blamed.

He can, however, be held accountable for his preseason contention that the Washington Redskins would win the NFC East.

It seems obvious now that the Redskins are on their way to the basement of the division instead of the playoffs.

Grossman is dealing with other issues, though. He did have a couple solid games to begin the season but tapered off quickly.

In fact, he has been benched for journeyman John Beck. 

3. Tim Tebow

Tim Tebow is a great guy. Tebow is also a terrible NFL quarterback.

Tebow has done a commercial and made statements that he will be a quality quarterback in the league.

He even fooled a few people by leading a miraculous comeback win over the toothless Miami Dolphins.

Then he started against the Detroit Lions. Struggle is not nearly a descriptive enough word to portray what happened that day.

He put up a 56.8 quarterback rating while being directly responsible for two Detroit defensive touchdowns. 

His throwing motion requires a sundial to time and his accuracy is horrible at best.

It's hard not to root for Tebow, but he needs to switch positions if he wants to make it in the league.

2. Carson Palmer

Carson Palmer decided last season that he would rather retire than continue to play for the Cincinnati Bengals. 

He made good on his threat, so owner Mike Brown finally relented and traded away the former Heisman winner for a pair of first-round picks. 

However, Palmer apparently doesn't realize that the Oakland Raiders may have made the worst trade in NFL history when they acquired him.

Last year, Palmer was just as much at fault for Cincinnati's poor season as any of his teammates. He may have thrown for 26 touchdowns but he also accounted for 20 interceptions and three fumbles.

He seems to believe that he is going to revive his career in Oakland, but that statement may be just as crazy as refusing to get paid for his mediocrity.

In his only start, his throws did not contain any of the zip that allowed him to lead the Bengals to the playoffs years ago. Perhaps Oakland should put a call in to a certain retired signal-caller in Mississippi. 

1. Chris Johnson

Chris Johnson spent the entire preseason engaged in contested negotiations with the Tennessee Titans.

The young running back was definitely underpaid at the time, so very few people thought less of the man for his actions.

The concern has been since he signed his $53 million extension, he has produced at a rate that would get a man cut from the Indianapolis Colts. In eight games, he has 302 yards and a single touchdown. 

The stats alone are enough to irk people, but the worst part is that he refuses to take any of the blame.

He recently told the media that he was not the cause of the anemic running game.

The statement seems asinine, considering that the Titans upgraded by signing quarterback Matt Hasselbeck prior to the season.

The lack of personal accountability reaches new heights considering backup Javon Ringer out-gained the former 2,000-yard rusher against the Colts.