Building a winning NFL team isn’t easy, but some general managers have made it look downright impossible. From disastrous draft picks to comically bad trades, these guys turned their teams into perennial bottom-feeders.
Whether it was mismanaging salary caps, passing on franchise-changing players, or handing out head-scratching contracts, their failures became legendary. Some even left their franchises in worse shape than they found them, setting back success for years. Here are the worst general managers in NFL history, ranked from bad to downright catastrophic.
14. Phil Emery (Chicago Bears)
Phil Emery thought Jay Cutler was the future, handing him a massive contract extension that quickly became a financial disaster. His questionable draft choices, including Shea McClellin in the first round, made Bears fans suffer through years of mediocrity.
13. Billy Sullivan (New England Patriots)
Sullivan was the man responsible for letting Bill Belichick slip away, but that wasn’t his only blunder. He also ran the team into financial ruin, ultimately forcing the Patriots to be sold just to stay afloat.
12. Tom Donahoe (Buffalo Bills)
Donahoe made the infamous decision to draft Mike Williams fourth overall in 2002, a pick that flopped spectacularly. His failure to build a competent offensive line doomed the Bills to years of irrelevance.
11. Bob Quinn (Detroit Lions)
Quinn’s tenure in Detroit is best remembered for firing Jim Caldwell after back-to-back winning seasons, only to replace him with Matt Patricia. He also made bizarre draft choices, including taking Jahlani Tavai way too early, leaving Lions fans perpetually frustrated.
10. Doug Whaley (Buffalo Bills)
Whaley thought trading multiple first-round picks for Sammy Watkins was a genius move, but it turned into an all-time blunder. His inability to find a stable quarterback only prolonged Buffalo’s playoff drought.
9. Vinny Cerrato (Washington Commanders)
Cerrato loved signing washed-up veterans to huge contracts, thinking it would lead Washington to glory. Instead, he burned through cap space like it was Monopoly money, leaving the franchise in disarray.
8. Scott Pioli (Kansas City Chiefs)
Pioli arrived in Kansas City with high expectations but quickly proved he wasn’t the mastermind behind New England’s success. His biggest failure was hitching the team’s future to Matt Cassel, a decision that backfired in spectacular fashion.
7. John Idzik (New York Jets)
Idzik’s two-year stint with the Jets was defined by a comically bad 2014 draft class, with 12 picks and almost nothing to show for it. His lack of aggression in free agency and inability to build a competitive roster sent the Jets spiraling.
6. Mike Lynn (Minnesota Vikings)
Lynn orchestrated the Herschel Walker trade, one of the worst in NFL history, giving away a treasure trove of picks that helped build the Cowboys’ dynasty. Vikings fans are still shaking their heads over that catastrophe.
5. Dave Gettleman (New York Giants)
Gettleman promised to fix the Giants but instead buried them in bad contracts and puzzling draft decisions. Trading Odell Beckham Jr. only to immediately sign Golden Tate had fans wondering if he was just making it up as he went.
4. Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals)
Brown ran the Bengals like a family business, refusing to invest in modern scouting or analytics. His refusal to spend in free agency kept Cincinnati stuck in mediocrity for years.
3. Michael Lombardi (Cleveland Browns)
Lombardi’s short but disastrous run with the Browns featured drafting Johnny Manziel after a tip from a homeless guy. That alone cemented his legacy as one of the worst GMs in NFL history.
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2. Bill O’Brien (Houston Texans)
O’Brien’s stint as both head coach and GM turned into an unmitigated disaster, with his most infamous move being the trade that sent DeAndre Hopkins away for peanuts. Texans fans are still recovering from the damage he did.
Read More: 10 Reasons Jerry Jones Should Step Down as Dallas Cowboys General Manager
1. Matt Millen (Detroit Lions)
Millen’s reign of terror in Detroit saw him draft wide receiver after wide receiver, seemingly forgetting that teams also need offensive lines and defenses. His 31-84 record remains one of the worst in NFL history. Drafting three straight wide receivers in the first round while ignoring every other position is the kind of incompetence that earns you the top spot.
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