Not every quarterback gets the fairytale ending. Some had the talent, the charisma, and the highlight-reel moments but were cut short by injuries, bad coaching, or just plain bad luck.
These are the quarterbacks we wish had gotten one more shot. Whether they fizzled too fast or were never given a real chance, these guys deserved a better encore.
20. Vince Young
He had the swagger, the athleticism, and one of the greatest college football résumés ever. But his NFL story ended way too early and never got the revival it deserved.
19. Jake Plummer
The guy was fun, gutsy, and gave Denver some great moments. Then he retired early and basically vanished—he definitely had more gas in the tank.
18. Josh Freeman
At one point, it looked like he was the next big thing in Tampa Bay. One coaching change later, and he was out of the league before anyone could blink.
17. Tarvaris Jackson
He flashed potential with Minnesota and then was always stuck as a backup. If anyone deserved one full season to prove himself, it was him.
16. Kyle Orton
Orton was sneaky solid and kept teams competitive. He walked away quietly, but part of you always wondered if he could’ve led one more scrappy playoff run.
15. Daunte Culpepper
Before the knee injury, he was lighting it up with Randy Moss and looked unstoppable. He bounced around afterward, but never got a real second act.
14. Kordell Stewart
“Slash” did everything and brought energy to the position. His time ended without much fanfare, but his versatility could’ve made for a cool late-career role.
13. Shaun King
King helped lead the Bucs to the NFC title game as a young QB but never got the same shot again. He was steady and smart and easily could’ve thrived elsewhere.
12. Matt Moore
The ultimate fill-in QB who always held his own when called upon. He deserved more than just being the “in case of emergency” guy.
11. Jeff Garcia
Even when he got second chances, they always felt too short. He was fiery, mobile, and probably could’ve started for a few more years.
10. Charlie Batch
Stuck in backup purgatory behind Big Ben for years, he was always reliable when needed. The guy was good enough to start for someone, somewhere.
9. David Garrard
He was solid with the Jaguars and made the playoffs, but injuries kept robbing him of a proper comeback. He had the arm and poise to stick around longer.
8. Kelly Holcomb
He made the most of limited chances and nearly beat the Steelers in the playoffs. You just wish a team had handed him the reins for a full season.
7. Jason Campbell
Smooth, smart, and always calm under pressure, Campbell got bounced around bad situations. He was better than his résumé suggests.
6. Marc Bulger
He was throwing dimes in St. Louis before injuries and team dysfunction did him in. His arm was too good for his career to fade the way it did.
5. Jake Locker
The tools were all there—toughness, speed, and a big arm. But injuries and early retirement left fans wondering what could’ve been.
4. Tim Tebow
Say what you want, the guy won games and brought chaos in the best way. He should’ve at least gotten one more season just for entertainment value alone.
3. Josh Rosen
From top-10 pick to forgotten man in record time. The league gave up on him fast, and you can’t help but wonder what he might’ve done with stability.
2. Andrew Luck
This one still stings—he walked away while still in his prime. We’re all still holding out hope that he surprises us with a comeback someday, though we know it’s not going to happen.
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1. Colin Kaepernick
He led a team to the Super Bowl and had more than enough talent to stick around. Politics aside, from a football standpoint, he absolutely deserved a second shot.
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