10 worst players in NFL history according to ChatGPT

The best players in NFL history get a lot of attention, and rightfully so, as they changed the game of football as we know it. Fans also enjoy talking about the worst players ever, too. Defining what makes a bad player isn’t easy, though. Arguably, a bad player is someone who makes a lot of mistakes on the football field, and their NFL journey becomes short-lived because of it.

However, we asked ChatGPT to rank the worst players in NFL history, and artificial intelligence instead gave us a lot of players who most would describe as draft busts instead. These players certainly weren’t good, though, and because expectations were so high for them, they severely hurt the teams they played for.

So, check out the gallery to see ChatGPT’s list. The AI provided a summary of why the rankings came out the way they did, but we also provided some additional analysis of our own.

1. Ryan Leaf, QB

ChatGPT summary: The second overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, Ryan Leaf was expected to be a franchise quarterback. However, his career was a disaster. His poor decision-making, lack of leadership, and inability to grasp the NFL’s complexity led to one of the biggest draft busts in history. Leaf’s career stats — 14 touchdowns and 36 interceptions — speak for themselves, and his infamous meltdowns with the media didn’t help his reputation.

ClutchPoints’ analysis: At one point, Ryan Leaf or Peyton Manning was a legitimate debate. Manning, who was drafted first overall in 1998, went on to become one of the best NFL players ever. Leaf, who was the second pick that year, ended up becoming a massive draft bust, and it was largely self inflicted.

Leaf cared more about partying than he did improving as a football player, and he even had run-ins with the law. That included time in prison after his football career was over. That career only lasted four seasons, though, one of which he missed in its entirety because of injury.

Overall, Leaf had a career 14-36 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and two of his three seasons where he saw time as a starter saw him throw fewer than three touchdown passes. Leaf was a poor decision maker (on and off the field), and he was horribly inaccurate, as evident by his 45.3 completion percentage his rookie season. It doesn’t help that he seemed to blame everyone else for his shortcomings, either.

2. JaMarcus Russell, QB

ChatGPT summary: Russell was drafted first overall in the 2007 NFL Draft and was supposed to lead the Raiders out of their decades-long slump. However, he struggled with work ethic, conditioning, and poor mechanics. His lack of success was epitomized by his infamous “3rd-and-8” throw to no one, as well as his inability to stay in shape. Russell threw for only 18 touchdowns and 23 interceptions during his career, a far cry from what was expected of him.

ClutchPoints’ analysis: JaMarcus Russell received our vote for the biggest NFL Draft bust in history, so his placement amongst the worst players in NFL history is justifiable. Despite having all of the physical traits, a selfish personality and a poor work ethic led to Russell failing at the NFL level for the Oakland Raiders.

Russell infamously was given blank tapes for watching film as a test by his coaches, and he failed that test when he returned them and tried to play it off like he watched film. He also bloomed to nearly 300 pounds at one point in his career, which just isn’t acceptable for a quarterback.

In three years as the Raiders starter, Russell only had 4,083 yards and 18 touchdowns. To make matters worse, he was also signed to a mega deal worth $61 million over six years, as the rookie wage scale wasn’t put in place until the following year after he held out and demanded a massive contract.

3. David Carr, QB

ChatGPT summary: The first overall pick in the 2002 draft, David Carr was supposed to be the face of the expansion Houston Texans. However, he struggled behind a porous offensive line, which led to him being sacked an NFL-record 76 times in his rookie season. Although he had a decent arm and good athleticism, Carr never developed into a quality starter. His lack of mobility and tendency to panic in the pocket resulted in an unimpressive career.

ClutchPoints’ analysis: David Carr, the brother of Derek Carr, was the first pick in Houston Texans franchise history. Unfortunately, lofty expectations were placed on his shoulders, and he didn’t have a lot of help around him. With a poor offensive line in front of him, Carr struggled.

Carr was sacked 76 times because of this, but he didn’t help his case, either. The Texans wanted to make Carr work out, as they kept him in place as the starter for five seasons, but he just didn’t have what it took to be a franchise signal-caller. Carr’s career high in passing touchdowns was 16, and he twice threw for fewer than double digit touchdowns. He was limited to a backup role after leaving Houston.

Although Carr had a bad offensive line in front of him, the Texans did eventually draft Andre Johnson: arguably the best player in franchise history and one of the best receivers ever. Still, not even Johnson could save Carr from going down as one of the worst NFL players ever.

4. Gino Torretta, QB

ChatGPT summary: Torretta won the 1992 Heisman Trophy at the University of Miami but was an abysmal pro quarterback. His lack of arm strength, poor decision-making, and inability to adjust to the NFL made his transition a complete failure. Torretta’s best year came as a backup with Miami, but he failed to make any lasting impact and finished his career with just 7 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

ClutchPoints’ analysis: Gino Torretta won the Heisman Trophy in 1992, as well as two national championships. However, NFL scouts found it obvious that he was a college quarterback whose skillset wasn’t translatable to the professional game. That is why he wasn’t drafted until the seventh-round in 1993.

Because of this, you can’t really consider him a draft bust. You can certainly consider him one of the worst NFL players in history, though. Torretta was what everybody thought he was, and that was a backup quarterback. He never started a game, and he only subbed in twice. ChatGPT was wrong in saying he had seven touchdowns, as he only had one touchdown pass in his career.

5. Ki-Jana Carter, RB

ChatGPT summary: Taken as the first overall pick in the 1995 NFL Draft, Ki-Jana Carter was expected to be a franchise running back for the Bengals. However, injuries derailed his career, and he never lived up to the hype. Despite having incredible athletic potential, Carter was plagued by knee injuries, and his career total of 1,144 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns is far from what was expected of him.

ClutchPoints’ analysis: Ki-Jana Carter was a classic case of a failed NFL career due to injuries. From 1996 to 2004 (with two fully missed seasons in between), Carter only started 14 total games. His career amounted to 1,144 total yards on the ground. The injury that set Carter back occurred in his first preseason game, so he is truly one of the biggest what-ifs in NFL history.

Carter actually was somewhat productive as a scorer during his playing days. He racked up 20 rushing touchdowns in limited time.

6. Charles Rogers, WR

ChatGPT summary: Rogers was drafted second overall in the 2003 NFL Draft and was expected to be a star wide receiver for the Detroit Lions. He showed flashes of brilliance in his first season but struggled with injuries and off-field issues. Rogers was also suspended twice for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. He finished his career with just 36 catches and 4 touchdowns in three seasons, a massive disappointment for a top pick.

ClutchPoints’ analysis: The Detroit Lions once took a receiver in the first round of the NFL Draft in three straight seasons and in four out of five years. The reason they were forced into doing this is because of how bad Charles Rogers – the first receiver taken in that stretch – was.

Receiver was a clear need for the Lions, but Andre Johnson was selected one pick after Rogers was taken. The Michigan State product only collected 36 catches for 440 yards in three seasons before a substance abuse suspension, poor play, and clavicle injuries forced him out of the league.

7. Tavon Austin, WR

ChatGPT summary: Tavon Austin was drafted 8th overall in the 2013 NFL Draft with the expectation that his blazing speed and playmaking ability would make him a dynamic weapon. However, Austin never found a consistent role in the NFL. While he had some success as a return man and occasional deep threat, he never became a reliable starting receiver and ended his career with modest statistics (1,241 yards and 11 touchdowns).

ClutchPoints’ analysis: The most famous highlight reel ever is Tavon Austin’s from his time at West Virginia. Austin was dynamic as a receiver, making big play after big play when catching the football. In the NFL, though, he was more of a gadget player and return man.

Even so, ranking Austin among the worst NFL players ever seems a little unfair. After all, he was still explosive with the ball in his hands, and he wasn’t terrible as a receiver either. Austin caught 181 balls in his first four NFL seasons, and he stuck around in the league for nine total years.

8. Akili Smith, QB

ChatGPT summary: Akili Smith was drafted 3rd overall in the 1999 NFL Draft and was expected to be the Bengals’ franchise quarterback. However, he struggled with accuracy, decision-making, and reading defenses. Smith played only 22 games over his career, throwing just 5 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. His failure to adjust to the pro game led to an early exit from the league.

ClutchPoints’ analysis: The 1999 NFL Draft was one of the best draft classes ever, but that was despite the third overall pick and not because of him. That pick was Akili Smith, a quarterback out of Oregon who was taken by the Cincinnati Bengals. Despite the urgency the Bengals had in making him work, he only was able to throw five touchdown passes.

There were five quarterbacks taken in 1999, but the Bengals certainly got the wrong one. Smith was a risky pick from the get-go, considering he only had one good collegiate season. He was a raw project, and he never developed into much of anything as an NFL player.

9. Justin Blackmon, WR

ChatGPT summary: Blackmon was drafted 5th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft with hopes of becoming a top-flight wide receiver. He showed promise in his first two seasons with Jacksonville, accumulating over 1,000 yards and 6 touchdowns. However, off-field issues, including multiple suspensions for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, led to his early exit from the league. Blackmon’s career was cut short, and he never came close to fulfilling his potential.

ClutchPoints’ analysis: Fifth overall picks are supposed to last a long time in the NFL and play at a high level. Justin Blackmon had the talent to accomplish the latter, but he was out of the league after only 20 games. Blackmon looked like a future star during his rookie season. That year, he caught 236 yards in a single game  (third most ever for a rookie) en route to 64 receptions for 864 yards overall.

Then, off-the-field issues derailed his career. Blackmon was suspended for the first four games of his sophomore campaign because of a DUI before he was suspended indefinitely for again violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. Blackmon never pursued reinstatement.

10. Morris Claiborne, CB

ChatGPT summary: Claiborne was selected 6th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft, and the Cowboys expected him to be a shutdown cornerback. While he had some solid seasons, he was often inconsistent and struggled with injuries. Despite his athleticism and potential, Claiborne’s career never lived up to the hype, and his struggles with both on-field performance and health have cemented him as one of the biggest cornerback busts of the past decade.

ClutchPoints’ analysis: Morris Claiborne is somewhat of a surprise entry on this list. While he didn’t live up to the expectations of a number six overall draft pick, he actually had some decent seasons and was a solid cover corner. Not to mention, his name recognition as a “bad player” isn’t as prominent as a lot of the other players on this list.

Claiborne lasted eight years in the NFL, including four years with the Dallas Cowboys team that drafted him. While he was far from perfect there, he wasn’t usually considered a bad player. Regardless, Claiborne only once had more than one interception in a season, and he regularly dealt with injuries throughout his career. Claiborne did end up as a Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs, though, although he didn’t play in Super Bowl LIV.