Football is a game of toughness, grit, and… whining? Oh yeah, the NFL has had plenty of players who just couldn’t stop complaining—about refs, coaches, teammates, the media, or pretty much anything that didn’t go their way. From sideline meltdowns to full-blown diva behavior, these guys made their share of headlines for all the wrong reasons.
So, let’s count down the biggest crybabies in NFL history, ranked from “mildly whiny” to “full-on soap opera.”
15. Michael Thomas – Can’t Guard Him, But Can’t Keep Him Happy Either
Michael Thomas was an absolute beast on the field… when he actually played. But when things didn’t go his way? Suddenly, it was nothing but cryptic tweets, locker room drama, and non-stop complaining. Injuries derailed his career, but so did his tendency to act like everyone was out to get him.
14. Brett Favre – The King of “Will He or Won’t He?”
Favre was an all-time great, but let’s be honest—his never-ending retirement drama was exhausting. Every offseason, we had to endure months of “Is Brett coming back?” Cue the tears, the interviews, and the drama. Eventually, the Packers got sick of it, and somehow, he was shocked that they moved on.
13. Randy Moss – Played When He Wanted To
Randy Moss is one of the best receivers ever, but let’s not forget his iconic line: “I play when I want to play.” When things were going well, he was unstoppable. But the moment things didn’t go his way? You’d see the sulking, the jogging on routes, and the overall “I’m too good for this” attitude.
12. Philip Rivers – The PG-Rated Trash Talker Who Complained About Everything
Philip Rivers was one of the best quarterbacks never to win a Super Bowl, and if you asked him, he’d probably blame the refs. He was constantly whining about missed calls, bad protection, or anything else that wasn’t going his way. The dude never cursed, but somehow, he was always in the refs’ ears.
11. Ben Roethlisberger – Drama King Extraordinaire
Big Ben spent nearly two decades in Pittsburgh, but let’s not pretend it was all smooth sailing. From throwing teammates under the bus, to threatening retirement every offseason, to acting like he wasn’t part of the Steelers’ problems, Ben had a knack for making himself the center of drama.
10. Odell Beckham Jr. – The Sideline Spectacle
OBJ made some of the craziest catches ever, but he also made sure all eyes were on him—whether it was fighting a kicking net (and losing), crying over targets, or constantly feeling disrespected. Every time he changed teams, it was always someone else’s fault.
9. Jay Cutler – The Ultimate “I Don’t Care” Guy
Jay Cutler definitely cared… about making sure everyone thought he didn’t care. Whether it was shrugging off teammates, pouting on the sidelines, or giving the most unenthusiastic body language in history, Cutler acted like everything was just so unfair.
8. Terrell Owens – “That’s My Quarterback”
T.O. could play, but wow, was he exhausting. Between sit-ups in his driveway, beefing with every quarterback he ever had, and constantly making himself the story, Owens had a legendary level of drama. And let’s not forget the tears in his infamous “That’s my quarterback” speech.
7. Jalen Ramsey – Elite Trash Talker, Elite Complainer
Jalen Ramsey talks a lot—and when he wins, it’s great. But when things go south? Suddenly, he’s whining about teammates, demanding trades, or storming out of press conferences. He even faked a back injury in Jacksonville until they traded him. Respect the game, but the antics? Too much.
6. Cam Newton – Super Bowl Sulker
Cam Newton was electric at his peak, but the second things went wrong? Total meltdown. Nothing summed it up more than the Super Bowl 50 postgame, where he sulked in his hoodie, barely answered questions, then walked off mid-interview. Losing sucks, but come on, Cam.
5. Eli Apple – Talks Big, Plays Small
Eli Apple loves nothing more than trash talking—except maybe playing the victim when he gets burned (which happens a lot). Whether it’s beefing with teammates, crying about fan hate, or getting dunked on by every receiver he’s ever faced, Apple never stops talking… even when he really, really should.
4. Aaron Rodgers – The Passive-Aggressive Drama Machine
Rodgers lives for drama. He’ll pretend he’s above it, but then he’s calling out his young receivers, complaining about how the Packers wronged him (after giving him everything), or taking cryptic shots at teammates. Somehow, everything is always about him.
3. Dez Bryant – Sideline Tantrum GOAT
If you ever watched a Cowboys game with Dez Bryant, you definitely saw him yelling at someone—coaches, teammates, refs, himself. Whether it was demanding more targets or just throwing a fit because the team was losing, Dez’s emotional rollercoaster never stopped.
Read More: Screaming from the Sidelines: The NFL’s 14 Angriest Ever Coaches, Ranked
2. Antonio Brown – A Crybaby and a Chaos Machine
AB’s career started as an all-time talent and ended as an all-time trainwreck. From crying about helmet rules, to quitting on multiple teams, to storming off the field mid-game, Brown was never happy unless everything revolved around him.
Read More: The 15 Biggest NFL Trash-Talkers You Secretly Love
1. Tom Brady – The Greatest Ever… at Complaining
Yes, Brady is the GOAT. But let’s not ignore the constant whining. If a defender breathed on him too hard? Flag. If his team lost? It was because of the refs, or the weather, or literally anything else. And let’s not forget deflategate, where he cried innocence even when the receipts were right there. The man hated losing, but his way of handling it? Crybaby-level elite.
Read More: Ranking the 15 Most Immature NFL Players Ever
