15 biggest NFL quarterback busts of all-time
By John Buhler
Long before he was a three-time member of the United States House of Representatives, representing North Carolina’s 11th District from 2007 to 2013, Heath Shuler was an outstanding college quarterback for the Tennessee Volunteers and one of the NFL’s biggest quarterback busts for the Washington Redskins.
Shuler was the best quarterback in Tennessee football history before Peyton Manning came along in 1994. That spring, Shuler was the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft by the Redskins and had a bright future in the NFL after finishing runner-up to Florida State’s Charlie Ward for the 1993 Heisman Trophy.
Washington and Shuler’s agent butted heads over his rookie contract, holding out until he received a seven-year deal worth $19.25 million. It didn’t help that Washington also used their seventh-round selection on a quarterback in Tulsa’s Gus Frerotte.
Poor play from Shuler early on combined with a strong game from Frerotte led to Shuler being benched and Frerotte going to the 1996 Pro Bowl. Shuler would be traded to the Saints in 1997, where he suffered a brutal foot injury that essentially ended his NFL career. He would be out of the league by the end of the 1998 NFL season.
Shuler’s career numbers included 3,691 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, 33 interceptions, and a terrible quarterback rating of 54.3. To say that Shuler massively underperformed as an NFL quarterback would be a gross understatement. His tenure in Congress was a year longer than his disappointing five-year stint in the NFL.
Next: 6. Todd Marinovich