The five worst quarterback contracts of all-time
These five contracts for QBs did not exactly work out well for their teams
This offseason has been great for young quarterbacks earning big contracts. Ryan Tannehill of the Miami Dolphins inked a four-year, $77 million deal, and it’s being reported that Carolina’s Cam Newton is closing in on a blockbuster deal himself in excess of $100 million.
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Both players have had some success in their short careers, but they also both have their fair share of detractors, and it’s an open question whether these contracts will work out well for the teams.
With that in mind, let’s take a trip back through NFL history and look at the worst contracts ever given to quarterbacks. These are deals that crippled the teams financially, gave big money to a mediocre player, or (in the worst cases) both.
Before we start, a couple of ground rules. First, this list does not include rookie contracts. Though the San Diego Chargers surely regret ever paying Ryan Leaf a single penny, this isn’t a list of the worst draft picks; that’s a conversation for another article entirely. The list also won’t include contracts that haven’t started yet. We won’t be passing judgment on the Andy Dalton or Tannehill extensions just yet. Those could work out beautifully for the teams; there’s no telling from here (although, yikes).
So without further ado, let’s begin the countdown of the worst quarterback contracts ever…
Next: Donovan McNabb