Fansided

25 Heisman Trophy winners with the best NFL careers

By John Buhler

DETROIT - DECEMBER 23: Barry Sanders smiles from the sideline during the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Detroit Lions on December 23, 2007 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo byGregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT - DECEMBER 23: Barry Sanders smiles from the sideline during the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Detroit Lions on December 23, 2007 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo byGregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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21 Dec 1986: Quarterback Jim Plunkett of the Los Angeles Raiders dropping back during game against the Indianapolis Colts at the Los Angeles Memorial Colesium in Los Angeles, California. The Colts won the games 30-24. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Al
21 Dec 1986: Quarterback Jim Plunkett of the Los Angeles Raiders dropping back during game against the Indianapolis Colts at the Los Angeles Memorial Colesium in Los Angeles, California. The Colts won the games 30-24. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Al /
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Jim Plunkett

Quarterback, Stanford Cardinal (1970)

Quarterback Jim Plunkett was considered to be the best pro prospect at the position after he won the 1970 Heisman while with the Stanford Cardinal. He would eventually find success in the NFL, but he went to two bad situations early in his career.

Plunkett was the first overall pick in the 1971 NFL Draft by the awful New England Patriots. They didn’t know what they were doing and rag-dolled him for five seasons. He would play the 1976 and 1977 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers before saving his NFL career with the Oakland Raiders.

Plunkett would win two Super Bowls quarterbacking the Raiders in his final nine NFL seasons. While with the Raiders, Plunkett would become synonymous with winning and nearly put together a hall of fame candidacy despite never being a Pro Bowler.

Overall, Plunkett was 72-72 as a starting quarterback with three teams. He had 25,882 career passing yards for 164 touchdowns and 198 interceptions. One has to wonder what his career would be like if his first seven years weren’t such a complete waste. Plunkett is revered by Raider Nation, as he should be.

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