Fansided

15 biggest NFL quarterback busts of all-time

By John Buhler

368299 Todd Marinovich of the Los Angeles Raiders against the Rams in 1991/92 season. On APRIL 25, 2000 - LOS ANGELES, CA - Former gridiron goldenboy Todd Marinovich was arrested on suspicion of rape today by deputies from the sheriff''s Marina del Rey station, authorities said. Mandatory Credit: Mike Powell/Allsport/Online USA
368299 Todd Marinovich of the Los Angeles Raiders against the Rams in 1991/92 season. On APRIL 25, 2000 - LOS ANGELES, CA - Former gridiron goldenboy Todd Marinovich was arrested on suspicion of rape today by deputies from the sheriff''s Marina del Rey station, authorities said. Mandatory Credit: Mike Powell/Allsport/Online USA /
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PITTSBURGH - JANUARY 1: Quarterback Joey Harrington
PITTSBURGH – JANUARY 1: Quarterback Joey Harrington /

Joey Harrington. 12. player. 50. . Quarterback. Oregon Ducks

Portland, Oregon native Joey Harrington may have been born to be a star for the Oregon Ducks, but that good fortune certainly didn’t translate to his NFL career. His grandfather starred for the Ducks and even legendary Oregon football coach Len Casanova jokingly sent Harrington a letter of intent at birth.

Harrington would have phenomenal success quarterbacking the Ducks for then-head coach Mike Bellotti before being the No. 3 overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft by the dysfunctional Detroit Lions. Detroit was still feeling the fall-out from the abrupt retirement of Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders after the 1998 NFL season. The Lions looked to Harrington to lead a new era of Lions football.

Unfortunately, the poorly run football franchise of the early 2000s Lions stunted Harrington’s development as an NFL quarterback. Poor offensive line play and a swift philosophical change to a West Coast Offense under then-head coach Steve Mariucci aided in Harrington leaving the Motor City after the 2005 NFL season.

Harrington would spend the next few seasons as a backup with the Dolphins, Falcons, and Saints before being out of football after the 2008 NFL season. His career numbers include 14,693 passing yards, 79 touchdowns, and 85 interceptions, with a sub-par career passer rating of 69.4.

Harrington is another prime example of a promising young quarterback playing to early and a bad team that was poorly run. Very few can succeed under those set of circumstances and Harrington wasn’t one of them.

Next: 11. Kyle Boller

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