Sometimes, quarterbacks burst onto the scene looking like the next big thing, only to fade out faster than a TikTok trend. Whether it was injuries, attitude, bad timing, or just plain regression, these guys had their moment… and then watched it vanish for good.
Some of them had one amazing season, others were supposed to be franchise saviors, and a few somehow fooled us all. Here’s a look at 15 quarterbacks who fell off and never found their way back up the mountain.
15. Blake Bortles
For one fleeting moment, it looked like Blake Bortles might actually take the Jaguars to a Super Bowl. Then reality set in, and he became the punchline of every quarterback joke for the next five years.
14. Josh Freeman
Freeman had one really promising season in Tampa Bay and looked like a future star. Then everything unraveled, and by the time he was 26, his NFL career was basically over.
13. Matt Cassel
Cassel went 11-5, filling in for Tom Brady, and cashed in big. Unfortunately, he never played at that level again and bounced around as a journeyman backup.
12. Jameis Winston
Winston gave us one of the wildest seasons ever—30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in the same year. Since then, he’s bounced between backup gigs and never fully regained a starting role.
11. Mitchell Trubisky
Taken ahead of Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson, Trubisky was always fighting that shadow. He had flashes, but ultimately couldn’t keep the starting job anywhere for long.
10. Colin Kaepernick
Kaepernick was electric at his peak and led a team to the Super Bowl. But once the league adjusted and his play dipped, he never got another shot—regardless of the politics.
9. Daunte Culpepper
Culpepper was a machine with Randy Moss, but injuries and a messy post-Minnesota career ended his climb. He never looked the same after that brutal knee injury.
8. Carson Wentz
For 13 weeks in 2017, Wentz looked like the MVP. Since then, it’s been a masterclass in decline, complete with turnovers, inconsistency, and locker room questions.
7. Vince Young
He was Rookie of the Year and made a Pro Bowl early in his career, but things unraveled quickly. Between clashes with coaches and struggles on the field, his rise was way shorter than expected.
6. Robert Griffin III
RGIII had one of the most thrilling rookie seasons ever, then injuries completely derailed him. He never came close to recapturing that magic.
5. Marc Bulger
Bulger was a solid starter who made two Pro Bowls with the Rams. Then the team fell apart, and he never recovered his confidence or his spot.
4. Baker Mayfield
The former No. 1 pick had his big playoff moment with Cleveland and looked like “the guy.” Then injuries, inconsistency, and multiple team changes dropped him down the pecking order fast.
3. Tony Eason
Eason helped the Patriots reach the Super Bowl in the ’80s but didn’t even finish the game. His play dipped hard after that, and he never found a way back.
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2. Johnny Manziel
“Johnny Football” was all hype and swagger but none of the staying power. Off-field chaos and bad habits torpedoed his career almost instantly.
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1. Cam Newton
An MVP and Super Bowl appearance made it look like Cam was headed for greatness. But after injuries and erratic play took over, he was never able to reclaim that elite form.
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