by Being an NFL quarterback is one of the toughest jobs in all of sports.
You have to read defenses, make quick decisions, and lead your team to victory every single week.
Some quarterbacks become legends. They get Hall of Fame rings and their jerseys are retired. But not every QB gets that happy ending.
Some quarterbacks struggle from day one. Others show promise but never live up to the hype. And a few become famous for all the wrong reasons.
Worst QB in NFL History
Today, we’re looking at the Top 50 Worst QB in NFL History. These are the players who just couldn’t get it done at the highest level of football.
What Makes a Quarterback One of the Worst?
Before we dive into the list, let’s talk about what makes a QBs truly bad. It’s not just about losing games. There are a few key things that separate the worst from the rest:
- Poor accuracy – Missing open receivers and throwing the ball into the ground
- Too many interceptions – Giving the ball away to the other team constantly
- Bad decision making – Throwing into coverage or holding the ball too long
- Can’t handle pressure – Panicking when defenders get close
- Attitude problems – Not being a good teammate or leader
Sometimes a QB has all the physical tools but just can’t put it together. Other times, they were never ready for the NFL speed and competition.
Whatever the reason, these 50 quarterbacks struggled big time when they got their chance.
Complete Rankings Table
| Rank | Quarterback | Teams Played | Reason for Struggle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | Charlie Whitehurst | Seahawks, Titans, Chargers | Backup with low accuracy |
| 49 | Scott Mitchell | Lions, Dolphins | Overpaid, underperformed |
| 48 | Tony Banks | Rams, Ravens, Texans | Too many turnovers |
| 47 | Jeff Tuel | Bills | 45% completion percentage |
| 46 | Kellen Clemens | Jets, Rams, Chargers | Only 16 career TDs |
| 45 | John Beck | Dolphins, Redskins | 0-7 as starter |
| 44 | Kyle Orton | Bears, Bills, Broncos | Average for years |
| 43 | Zach Mettenberger | Titans | 0-10 as starter |
| 42 | Matt Barkley | Eagles, Bears | Couldn’t make tight throws |
| 41 | Dan Orlovsky | Lions | Ran out of end zone |
| 40 | Tyler Thigpen | Chiefs | Too inconsistent |
| 39 | Kelly Holcomb | Browns | One good game only |
| 38 | Troy Smith | Ravens, 49ers | Undersized, inaccurate |
| 37 | Steve Stenstrom | Bears, 49ers | Weak arm strength |
| 36 | Curtis Painter | Colts | Part of tank season |
| 35 | Kyle Boller | Ravens | Couldn’t get it done |
| 34 | Bubby Brister | Steelers, Broncos | Too erratic |
| 33 | Jay Schroeder | Raiders, Redskins | Low accuracy |
| 32 | Trent Dilfer | Ravens, Buccaneers | Pedestrian numbers |
| 31 | Brandon Weeden | Browns | Drafted at 28 years old |
| 30 | Mike Glennon | Buccaneers, Bears | Weak pocket presence |
| 29 | Matt Flynn | Packers, Seahawks | One great game only |
| 28 | Randy Fasani | Panthers | Passer rating of 0.0 |
| 27 | Quinn Gray | Jaguars | Cannon but no accuracy |
| 26 | Todd Marinovich | Raiders | Off-field demons |
| 25 | Geno Smith (Jets) | Jets | Led NFL in pick-6s |
| 24 | Mike McMahon | Lions, Eagles | Under 45% completion |
| 23 | Josh Rosen | Cardinals, Dolphins | Flamed out fast |
| 22 | Chris Weinke | Panthers | Lost 17 straight games |
| 21 | Nathan Peterman | Bills | 5 INTs in one half |
| 20 | DeShone Kizer | Browns | 0-15 as rookie |
| 19 | Joey Harrington | Lions | Never delivered |
| 18 | Mark Sanchez | Jets | The butt fumble |
| 17 | David Carr | Texans | Sacked 76 times as rookie |
| 16 | Ken Dorsey | 49ers | Arm not pro ready |
| 15 | John Skelton | Cardinals | Under 65 passer rating |
| 14 | David Klingler | Bengals | Couldn’t process defenses |
| 13 | Christian Ponder | Vikings | Accuracy and reading issues |
| 12 | Matt Leinart | Cardinals | Never adjusted to NFL |
| 11 | Browning Nagle | Jets | 17 INTs in 13 games |
| 10 | Rick Mirer | Seahawks | Collapsed after rookie year |
| 9 | Brooks Bollinger | Jets | Weak arm, bad decisions |
| 8 | Jack Trudeau | Colts | 42 TDs, 69 INTs career |
| 7 | Akili Smith | Bengals | Under 47% completion |
| 6 | Dan McGwire | Seahawks | Complete disaster |
| 5 | Tim Couch | Browns | Injuries and inconsistency |
| 4 | Heath Shuler | Redskins | 4-9 as a starter |
| 3 | Rusty Lisch | Cardinals | 30.6% completion rate |
| 2 | JaMarcus Russell | Raiders | Poor work ethic |
| 1 | Ryan Leaf | Chargers | Ultimate draft bust |
Top 50 Worst Quarterbacks in NFL History
50-41: The Backups Who Never Should Have Started
50. Charlie Whitehurst
- Played for: Seahawks, Titans, Chargers
- Nickname: “Clipboard Jesus” because of his hair and clipboard holding
- Only started 11 games in 9 years
- Known for looking the part but not playing it
49. Scott Mitchell
- Signed huge contract with Lions after solid Miami games
- Gave Detroit years of disappointment
- More interceptions than touchdowns some seasons
- Classic case of getting paid then not producing
48. Tony Banks
- Had stints with Rams, Ravens, and Texans
- Turnover machine with questionable leadership
- Teams kept giving him chances but he never came through
- Eventually bounced out of the league
47. Jeff Tuel
- Went undrafted out of Washington State
- Played briefly for the Bills
- Completed just 45% of his passes
- Showed everyone why he wasn’t drafted
46. Kellen Clemens
- Played for Jets, Rams, and Chargers
- Only 16 career touchdowns in over a decade
- Third-string quality at best
- Hung around but never contributed much
45. John Beck
- Went 0-7 as a starter
- Played for Dolphins and Redskins
- Looked completely lost and scared on the field
- One of the worst winning percentages ever
44. Kyle Orton
- Hung around NFL for years with Bears, Bills, and Broncos
- Never did anything special
- Had a great mustache though
- Definition of average but on this list for a reason
43. Zach Mettenberger
- Big name coming out of LSU
- Played for Titans
- Went 0-10 as a starter
- One of the lowest QBRs of his decade
42. Matt Barkley
- USC product who flamed out fast
- Played for Eagles, Bears, and others
- Couldn’t make tight window throws
- College success didn’t translate
41. Dan Orlovsky
- Best known for running out of the back of the end zone
- Played for the Lions during their worst years
- Well-liked guy, but terrible starter
- That safety defines his career
40-31: The Journeymen Who Disappointed
40. Tyler Thigpen
- Mobile and athletic for the Chiefs
- Had brief moments of excitement
- Too inconsistent to trust
- Never became a reliable option
39. Kelly Holcomb
- Played for the Browns
- Known for one good playoff game against Steelers
- That was basically it for his career
- Journeyman otherwise
38. Troy Smith
- Heisman Trophy winner at Ohio State
- Played for Ravens and 49ers
- Undersized and inaccurate in the pros
- College greatness didn’t transfer
37. Steve Stenstrom
- Lacked arm strength
- Played for Bears and 49ers
- No composure under pressure
- Physical tools weren’t there
36. Curtis Painter
- Filled in for Peyton Manning on the Colts
- The whole season centered around tanking
- Not entirely his fault but still terrible
- “Suck for Luck” season personified
35. Kyle Boller
- Drafted by Ravens to be the future
- Plain and simple couldn’t get it done
- Inaccurate and inconsistent
- Ravens whiffed on this pick
34. Bubby Brister
- Played for Steelers and Broncos
- Too erratic to trust in big moments
- Mediocre at best
- Never rose to the occasion
33. Jay Schroeder
- Played for Raiders and Redskins
- Big arm but very low accuracy
- Inconsistent and careless with football
- All the tools but no results
32. Trent Dilfer
- Won a Super Bowl with Ravens defense
- Career numbers are pedestrian at best
- Shows how good that Ravens team was
- Proof you can win it all with a bad QB
31. Brandon Weeden
- Browns drafted him at 28 years old
- Already old for a rookie
- Looked overwhelmed and struggled with basic reads
- Threw off his back foot constantly
30-21: The High Draft Picks Who Busted
30. Mike Glennon
- Had the size but not the game
- Weak pocket presence and turnover prone
- Somehow earned huge contract with Bears
- Never lived up to expectations
29. Matt Flynn
- Had ONE great game with Packers
- Seahawks paid him big money
- Lost job in training camp to Russell Wilson
- Career backup after that
28. Randy Fasani
- Started one game for Panthers
- Went 5-18 with 3 interceptions
- Passer rating of 0.0
- One of the worst single-game performances ever
27. Quinn Gray
- Thrust into starting for Jaguars
- Had a cannon arm but zero accuracy
- Couldn’t deliver when it mattered
- Physical tools with no mental game
26. Todd Marinovich
- Drafted by Raiders
- His dad engineered him to be a QB from birth
- Off-field demons destroyed his career
- Sad story of wasted potential
25. Geno Smith (Jets Version)
- Became good later with Seahawks
- But on the Jets he was a disaster
- Led NFL in pick-6 interceptions
- Got punched by his own teammate
24. Mike McMahon
- Inaccurate and erratic
- Played for Lions and Eagles
- Career completion percentage under 45%
- Simply couldn’t complete passes
23. Josh Rosen
- Touted as can’t-miss NFL-ready QB
- Cardinals gave him starting job as rookie
- Flamed out incredibly fast
- Bounced around league then disappeared
22. Chris Weinke
- 29-year-old rookie for Panthers
- Lost 17 straight games
- Threw 26 interceptions in 20 games
- Way too old to be learning NFL game
21. Nathan Peterman
- Legendary for all the wrong reasons
- Had 5 interceptions in one half
- First career start for Bills
- Instant meme status
20-11: The Total Disasters
20. DeShone Kizer
- Thrust into starting for Browns
- Went 0-15 as a rookie starter
- Part of historic Browns losing streak
- Never recovered from that season
19. Joey Harrington
- Drafted high by the Lions
- Given keys to the franchise
- Never responded with anything good
- Another Lions QB failure
18. Mark Sanchez
- Had early playoff success with elite defense
- Best remembered for the butt fumble
- That play defines his entire career
- Went from starter to punchline
17. David Carr
- Sacked 76 times as a rookie with Texans
- Held ball too long
- Never became consistent
- Expansion team struggles hurt him badly
16. Ken Dorsey
- College legend at Miami
- His arm was not pro ready at all
- Physical limitations too much
- Great college career meant nothing
15. John Skelton
- Stiff, inaccurate, and rattled under pressure
- Started 17 games for Arizona
- Passer rating under 65
- One of the worst statistical QBs
14. David Klingler
- Sky-high expectations after college
- Could not process defenses in pros
- Speed of NFL game too fast
- Mental game wasn’t there
13. Christian Ponder
- Taken 12th overall by Vikings
- Struggled with accuracy and reading defenses
- Total draft miss
- Vikings regret this pick
12. Matt Leinart
- Heisman winner at USC
- Never adjusted to NFL speed
- More backup than starter
- Cardinals wasted a high pick
11. Browning Nagle
- Replaced Ken O’Brien for Jets
- Never ready for the moment
- Threw 17 interceptions in just 13 starts
- Turnover machine
10-1: The Absolute Worst of the Worst
When we talk about the Top 50 Worst QB in NFL History, these next 10 names come up first. These are the guys who failed spectacularly.
10. Rick Mirer
- Seahawks took him 2nd overall
- Highest pick in franchise history at the time
- Good rookie year then total collapse
- Seahawks fans still shake their heads
9. Brooks Bollinger
- Thrown into action due to injury
- Never looked like an NFL starter
- Weak arm and terrible decision making
- Out of his depth completely
8. Jack Trudeau
- Lasted surprisingly nine seasons
- Did more harm than good
- 42 touchdowns and 69 interceptions career
- More picks than TDs says it all
7. Akili Smith
- Athletic marvel when Bengals drafted him
- Started 17 games
- Completed less than 47% of passes
- Could run but couldn’t throw
6. Dan McGwire
- Seahawks drafted the 6’7″ QB in the first round
- Complete disaster on the field
- At least he was Mark McGwire’s brother
- That’s his only claim to fame
5. Tim Couch
- First overall pick by the Browns in 1999
- Injuries and inconsistencies destroyed him
- Never became franchise QB
- The expansion Browns curse continued
4. Heath Shuler
- Drafted 3rd overall by Redskins
- Supposed to be the savior QB
- Went 4-9 as a starter and lost his job
- Became a politician instead
3. Rusty Lisch
- Completed just 30.6% of career passes
- One of the worst in modern NFL history
- Was benched for a wide receiver once
- Historically terrible accuracy
2. JaMarcus Russell
- First overall pick in 2007
- Had cannon arm but water pistol work ethic
- Flamed out of the league incredibly fast
- Weight and attitude problems killed the career
1. Ryan Leaf
- Drafted right after Peyton Manning
- Became the poster boy for NFL draft busts
- 14 touchdowns and 36 interceptions in career
- Attitude problems and terrible play
- The worst QB in NFL history
Final Thoughts:
Being an NFL quarterback is one of the hardest jobs in sports. The pressure is massive.
The spotlight is blinding. And the margin for error is tiny.
These 50 players may not have reached greatness, but each of them had the dream and courage to play at the highest level.
Even the worst QBs in NFL history left their mark on the game.
Some became cautionary tales. Others taught teams what NOT to look for in a quarterback.
And a few gave fans some unforgettable moments, even if they were for the wrong reasons.
The Top 50 Worst QBs in NFL History reminds us that not everyone can handle the pressure of being an NFL quarterback.
It takes special talent, mental toughness, and a little bit of luck to succeed.
For these 50 players, the NFL dream didn’t work out. But they tried. And that’s more than most people can say.
