Quarterbacks are the face of the franchise—until suddenly, they’re not. One day, they’re lighting up scoreboards, and the next, fans are wondering what happened to all that magic.
Whether it was due to injury, age, system changes, or just plain regression, these 16 quarterbacks went from top dogs to cautionary tales. Some fell fast, others took a little longer, but all of them crashed hard from their peak.
16. Carson Wentz
At one point, Wentz looked like the future MVP of the league. Then came the injuries, turnovers, and a level of inconsistency that left teams bailing quickly.
15. Matt Cassel
Cassel made headlines when he stepped in for Tom Brady and led the Patriots to 11 wins. But after that magical season, he never really looked like a starting-caliber QB again.
14. Daunte Culpepper
Culpepper was throwing bombs to Randy Moss and putting up video game numbers. Once injuries set in, he was never the same again, bouncing around teams with flashes that never stuck.
13. Baker Mayfield
He had the swagger, the commercials, and a playoff win in Cleveland. But the production didn’t match the hype long-term, and he quickly became more journeyman than franchise guy.
12. Colin Kaepernick
Kaepernick was a dynamic dual-threat who stunned defenses early in his career. But after defenses adjusted and the Niners changed course, his production dipped sharply before his career ended prematurely.
11. Vince Young
Young was electric in college and had early success in the NFL, even winning Rookie of the Year. But inconsistencies and off-field issues derailed what could’ve been a much longer career.
10. Josh Freeman
Freeman had a monster season in Tampa Bay that got fans excited for the future. But his mechanics unraveled, his confidence wavered, and he was out of the league way faster than anyone expected.
9. Nick Foles
Foles gave us one of the greatest playoff runs ever with his Super Bowl MVP performance. But outside of that magical stretch, his career was a rollercoaster full of steep drops.
8. Cam Newton
Cam won an MVP and dragged his team to a Super Bowl with raw talent and physicality. But injuries and a loss of explosiveness caused a major decline in his effectiveness.
7. Blake Bortles
For a brief stretch, Bortles helped the Jaguars reach an AFC Championship Game. Unfortunately, his accuracy issues and decision-making quickly caught up to him.
6. Robert Griffin III
RGIII exploded onto the scene with highlight plays and Rookie of the Year honors. But after a devastating knee injury, he never returned to that same electrifying form.
5. Joe Flacco
Flacco was elite—at least during one iconic postseason run. After that, though, his numbers and mobility took a nosedive as he slowly faded into the background.
4. Marc Bulger
Bulger kept the Rams relevant for a while after the “Greatest Show on Turf” faded. But injuries and constant hits led to a rapid decline that ended his career sooner than expected.
3. Kerry Collins
Collins had a few peaks but also some serious valleys. He looked done multiple times before bouncing back, but once he dropped off for good, it was steep.
Read more: 17 First-Round Quarterback Picks Who Were Spectacularly Overhyped
2. Matt Schaub
Schaub was a reliable starter who even made a Pro Bowl. Then the pick-sixes started piling up, and his performance completely collapsed.
Read more: 17 Quarterbacks Who Went from Elite to Invisible
1. Russell Wilson
Wilson was a superstar in Seattle with Super Bowl success and endless highlights. But his move to Denver kicked off a shocking and steep decline that left fans scratching their heads.
Read more: 15 Quarterbacks Who Fell Off and Never Climbed Back
