There’s no lonelier feeling in football than watching a wide-open receiver drop a perfect pass. Whether it’s nerves, bad hands, or just a cosmic glitch, these moments live forever in blooper reels and fan frustration.
Some receivers had all the speed, swagger, and opportunity—just not the hands to match. Here are NFL receivers who, at one point or another, seemed to forget how to catch the football.
17. Nelson Agholor
Philly fans still joke about his hands, and not in a flattering way. He cleaned things up a bit later, but those early struggles were hard to forget.
16. Breshad Perriman
Drafted with big expectations, he could never string together consistent hands. It felt like every great route ended with a frustrating bobble.
15. Donte Moncrief
He teased potential every year but delivered heartbreak instead. Drops became a familiar part of his stat sheet.
14. Darius Heyward-Bey
Blazing fast, but his hands often lagged behind. For every big play, there were two missed chances.
13. Travis Fulgham
For one magical month, he looked unstoppable—then it all vanished. The sudden case of the drops never really let him recover.
12. Stephen Hill
The Jets hoped he’d be a deep threat, but he couldn’t hold on to the ball. The drops came fast and didn’t stop.
11. James Jones (Post-Packers)
He wore a hoodie under his pads, but it didn’t help his grip. His second stint outside of Green Bay was drop-heavy and disappointing.
10. Kevin White
Injuries were a big part of his story, but so were missed catches. The hype never translated into clean, reliable hands.
9. Dorial Green-Beckham
Physically gifted, mentally inconsistent, and prone to maddening drops. Shaky hands and route running undid his raw talent.
8. Greg Little
His nickname could’ve been “Stone Hands” at one point. He led the league in drops and somehow kept getting targets.
7. Jalen Reagor
Philly fans were already bitter he wasn’t Justin Jefferson, and then the drops started. It just never clicked the way the Eagles hoped.
6. Ted Ginn Jr.
For all his speed, he had an unfortunate habit of letting the ball hit the turf. He made big plays but dropped plenty of easy ones, too.
5. Braylon Edwards
He once led the league in drops while still posting 1,000 yards. His hands were either glue or grease—no in-between.
4. Troy Williamson
A classic case of “track speed but no hands.” Vikings fans still shake their heads when they hear his name.
3. Devin Funchess
He had the size and athleticism to dominate, but never quite became a reliable target. Drops and inconsistency followed him throughout his career.
2. Zay Jones (Early Years)
He turned it around later, but early Zay was dropping everything in sight. Bills fans watched in disbelief as he made a series of blunders.
1. Terrell Owens (Early Years)
Yes, he’s a Hall of Famer—but early in his career, he dropped everything. The hands caught up to the talent eventually, but it took a while.
Read more: Best NFL slot receivers of all time, NFL receivers who catch everything thrown their way
