Most out-of-nowhere performances... (1 Viewer)

[SSOG]

So PFR tweeted out that today is the birthday of Steve Beuerlein, the league's most bizarre, random, out-of-nowhere passing leader, and it got me thinking about other random, wild, completely unforeseeable performances. I mean, prior to 1999, Beuerlein's best season was 3164 yards with 18 scores and 17 INTs. Then, out of nowhere, he goes off for 4436 yards and 36 TDs, leading the league in passing the same year St. Louis unveiled the GSoT. The next year, his numbers regressed way back (and Beuerlein had the second most sacks in history), and then he disappeared. And unlike, say, Don Majkowski (another random passing leader) who was 25 and still relatively unknown, Beuerlein was 34 and had been in the league 12 years with 5 different teams. Actually, both Beuerlein and Majkowski came from the same 1987 draft, but Majkowski led the league in 1989 and Beuerlein did it in 1999.

Another one that came to mind was Chris Chandler, who in 1998 at age 33 averaged 9.6 yards per attempt, a number that is still the 7th highest total in history. At the time, it was the highest average since 1954, and it still stands second in that regard (behind Kurt Warner's 2000 season). It was the only time in his 18 year career he even topped 8 YPA.

Also, there's Damon Huard, who at age 33 took over at midseason for KC and proceeded to set the record for lowest INT% in history, with 1 pick on 244 attempts (0.4%). The rate is half that of the guy in second place (Tom Brady, with 4 INTs on 492 attempts in 2010). The next season, his int% was 3.9%.

Can anyone else think of any good examples of a historical unknown putting up a historically great season or game and then fading back into obscurity again?

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

Billy Volek to Drew bennett

 

[cstu]

Brandon Lloyd - 1400 yards, 11 TD

A 29 yo receiver who had barely compiled that in his previous 7 seasons.

 

[Sand]

John Daly at Crooked Stick.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Billy Volek to Drew bennett

My first thought. That stretch of games is mind-boggling.

 

[CalBear]

Scott Mitchell, of course; 4338/32/12 at age 27, almost 1000 yards more than any other year.

Mushin Muhammad. 93/1405/16 at age 31; best other season in 14 years was 96/1253/8, five years earlier.

 

[Pots]

Billy Volek to Drew bennett

My first thought. That stretch of games is mind-boggling.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Can anyone else think of any good examples of a historical unknown putting up a historically great season or game and then fading back into obscurity again?

While not quite an unknow, a (considered to be) washed up Mushin Muhammad finishing as the top fantasy WR the year Steve Smith broke his leg comes to mind.ETA: better info on this above

 

[petenice15]

2007 Derrick Anderson

 

[Shutout]

Germane Crowell, Detroit WR.

81-1338-7 in 1999. Y2k bug got him or something..Never heard of again.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Patrick Jeffers put up 63 catches for 1,082 yards with 12 TDs in 1999.

His career stats 98-1,563-14.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Billy Volek to Drew bennett

My first thought. That stretch of games is mind-boggling.

A six game stretch for 783 yards and 9 TDs, from a guy whose next-best season was 738 yards and four TDs.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Michael Clayton's rookie season comes to mind too.

80-1193-7 from someone that never had 40 catches, 500 yards or 2 TDs in a year again.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

There must have been something in the water in 1999:

Marcus Robinson: 84 - 1,400 - 9

Total in other 8 years of his career - 241 - 3,299 - 34

 

[Shutout]

Drew Bennett in 2004. WR, Titans

80-1247-11

Michael Clayton, WR Bucs

80-1193-7

Marcus Robinson, WR Bears (also in 1999)

84-1400-9

Derrick Mayes, WR Seattle (also in 1999)

62-829-10

Olandis Gary?

Steve Slaton?

Man, this is like a "who's who" of guys I had and thought I'd struck the next big thing...LOL

Patrick Jeffers was a good call..Nobody remembers that dude except the guys he helped carry to titles that year.

 

[Concept Coop]

Awesome thread.

 

[tdmills]

Not sure if they fit, but might as well throw out some random performers

Timmy Smith?

Rich Gannon?

Doug Flutie?

 

[cstu]

Patrick Jeffers was a good call..Nobody remembers that dude except the guys he helped carry to titles that year.

Or lost in the playoffs because of him.

 

[CalBear]

Definitely harder to find one-hit-wonder RBs.

Deangelo Willimas 2008 is close: 273/1515/18, all massively career bests. But he was only 25.

Jamal Anderson 1998: 410/1846/14 at age 26, 800 yards and 7 TDs more than his second-best season. But he would have had more if he didn't blow out his knees.

Dorsey Levens 1997: 329/1435/7, at age 27, only had one other season above 1000 yards.

But here's your RB winner: Charles White 1987, 324/1374/11, all league bests, at age 29. Second-best season, 342 yards.

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

Rueben Mayes out of my home province in Saskatchewan, Canada. He grew up in a small town called North Battleford.

In 1986 for the Saints he had a rookie year of 1353 rushing yards with 8 tds, adding 17 receptions for 100 yards. He then just falls off the map.

 

[Doug B]

Running back Charles White, the 1979 Heisman Trophy winner, spent the first five years of his pro career in Clevland battling cocaine addiction. After being cut from the Browns, White's former college coach, John Robinson, signed him to play with the Rams in 1985.

White backed up super-stud Eric Dickerson for two seasons, then got a chance to start when Dickerson was traded to the Colts in 1987. White put up 1,495 yards from scrimmage and 11 TDs. His career numbers: 3,935 yards from scrimmage, 24 TDs.

 

[SSOG]

Scott Mitchell, of course; 4338/32/12 at age 27, almost 1000 yards more than any other year.Mushin Muhammad. 93/1405/16 at age 31; best other season in 14 years was 96/1253/8, five years earlier.

I thought of Muhammad, but didn't mention him. As you mentioned, he had a year with just 150 fewer yards. He actually had two seasons with more receptions. You also forgot to mention that 96/1253/8 year came in one fewer game (pro-rates to 102/1336/9). That TD total was really high, but TDs are volatile. The receptions and yards were hardly without precedent, though. Ironically enough, his other huge season came in Beuerlein's great wtf year (as did Jeffers' only good season). Everything comes full-circle.Mitchell's another good one, though. I'd forgotten just how high his production was that year.

 

[Slapdash]

Jerome Harrison rushing for 286 yards and 3 TDs.

He never really got a chance in Cleveland and had a brain tumor when he finally left.

 

[SSOG]

Running back Charles White, the 1979 Heisman Trophy winner, spent the first five years of his pro career in Clevland battling cocaine addiction. After being cut from the Browns, White's former college coach, John Robinson, signed him to play with the Rams in 1985.White backed up super-stud Eric Dickerson for two seasons, then got a chance to start when Dickerson was traded to the Colts in 1987. White put up 1,495 yards from scrimmage and 11 TDs. His career numbers: 3,935 yards from scrimmage, 24 TDs.

I mentioned White on Twitter, although it needs to be pointed out that 1987 was a strike season and White crossed the picket lines, getting a lot of production against replacement players and appearing in 3 more games than all the other rushing leaders.

 

[The_Man]

Not sure if they fit, but might as well throw out some random performersTimmy Smith?

Timmy Smith's entire regular season career:190 carries, 602 yards, 3 TDs, 3.2 ypcSuper Bowl XXII22 carries, 204 yards, 2 TDs, 9.3 ypc

 

[thriftyrocker]

Lomax

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

Sort of an example....In his 10th year in the league and on his 3rd team Kitn with the Lions had a year of 4,208 yards passing with 21 tds. I remember it really shocking me. He did throw 22 ints that year. And the following year he did have a 4,000 yard year, but then just went away. Prior to that he was a below average qb at best mostly.

 

[SSOG]

Another one I mentioned on Twitter was David Patten's bizarre game in 2001. He had 4/117/2 receiving. And another 1/29/1 rushing. And he threw one pass for 60 yards and a TD.

There's also Derrick Blaylock, the most random member of the 4 TD club. 10 career rushing scores, 4 in one game.

 

[Pots]

There's also Derrick Blaylock, the most random member of the 4 TD club. 10 career rushing scores, 4 in one game.

I remember after that game and for a good portion of the offseason many speculating Blaylock to be beat our Larry Johnson as Priest's replacement.

 

[CalBear]

How about Kyle Boller's fantasy playoff run in 2005? Weeks 15/16, 542 yards, 6 TDs, 1 INT, >70% completions.

 

[SSOG]

Sort of an example....In his 10th year in the league and on his 3rd team Kitn with the Lions had a year of 4,208 yards passing with 21 tds. I remember it really shocking me. He did throw 22 ints that year. And the following year he did have a 4,000 yard year, but then just went away. Prior to that he was a below average qb at best mostly.

Part of that was the liberalization of the passing rules, though. Kitna finished 8th in fantasy points in 1999 with Seattle, 8th in fantasy points in 2003 with Cincy, and 6th in fantasy points in 2006 with Det. Really interesting career overall.

 

[SSOG]

How about Kyle Boller's fantasy playoff run in 2005? Weeks 15/16, 542 yards, 6 TDs, 1 INT, >70% completions.

I remember how overdrafted he was the following year because of that. Gus Frerotte: 7 career 300 yard games and 8 career 3TD games in 93 starts. And, of course, that 462/5 passing game against San Diego.

 

[Black]

2006 Ron Dayne.

He want off in the Fantasy Playoffs in the playoffs, and had 153 yards and 2 TDs in week 16 Super Bowl.

 

[red stripe]

Germane Crowell, Detroit WR. 81-1338-7 in 1999. Y2k bug got him or something..Never heard of again.

I could have sworn this guy had some pretty serious knee problems but it looks like he played another three seasons after that... I can't find any mention of exactly what was wrong with him anywhere

 

[coolnerd]

Mike Furrey (may missed him earlier)

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/07/mike-furrey-to-coach-receivers-at-marshall/

Alfred Morris

 

[gianmarco]

Eddie Royal?

91/980/5 as a rookie. In the last three years, he's had 10 catches for 36 yards more than that combined with same number of TDs.

 

[GunslingerEnder]

Bill Schroeder in '99 count?Favre got him paid I guess.

 

[Raider Nation]

Barry Foster. 1,690 & 11 in '92. Never came anywhere CLOSE to those numbers before or after.

He was awesome to watch that year.

 

[lyon812]

Barry Foster. 1,690 & 11 in '92. Never came anywhere CLOSE to those numbers before or after.He was awesome to watch that year.

Yeah..he was injured, then injured again, then quit at age 25 or 26, which struck me as odd. People don't usually retire that young.

 

[Joe Summer]

How about Elvis Grbac? He had been a mediocre starter for KC for a few years, then suddenly blew up for 4100/28/14........then parlayed that into a big free agent contract with Baltimore.......where he regressed to the norm and then suddenly retired at age 31.

 

[Joe Summer]

1995 featured three breakout performances by WRs -- Robert Brooks (from 648 to 1497 yards, 58 to 102 catches), Brett Perriman (761 to 1488, 56 to 108) and Herman Moore (72 catches to 123 catches; 1686 yards). Scott Mitchell was ridiculous that season.

None of those WRs ever came close to those numbers again.

 

[32 Counter Pass]

Too lazy to look it up but I have a hazy memory of a Giant RB having one big season in the 90s.

 

[domvin]

Jake reed an d brett perriman both went large in 95, then regressed to normalcy in 96.

I remembe testaverde had a breakout year... Maybe 98?

Terry allen had 17 tds off double acl tears in 96 i remember

 

[Tanner9919]

Frank Reich's amazing run in 1992 playoffs..

55/88 att, 643 yards, 7 TD/3INT, 62.8%, 96.9 rate.

Doug Williams ,Superbowl, following 1987 season.

18-29,340 yards, 4 td, 1 int,62.1%, 127.9 Rate, 12.93 AY/A

 

[gandalas]

2007 Derrick Anderson

AND Braylon Edwards the same year.

 

[mr roboto]

Since I've been playing fantasy...

Steve Slaton

Derek Anderson

Brandon Lloyd

DWill to a degree

 

[SacramentoBob]

Irving Fryar kinda sorta. His career runs backwards of what most people do.

 

[cvnpoka]

2007 Derrick Anderson

ya this

 

[Don Quixote]

Clint Longley

ETA: Ickey Woods

 

[mr roboto]

The interesting question is how do we identify a great season as a breakout year, harbinger of things to come, or a fluke?