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The worst QB to start at least 5 games for your NFL team? (1 Viewer)

You could make the argument that Rick Mirer was the worst QB to play for every team that he was on.
This was who I was going to post about.

4 years with the Seahawks, 3 of those with more INTs than TDs. 20-31 record. Could NOT throw to his left.

And we used the #2 overall pick on him.
And for some reason the Bears traded the #11 overall pick for him after those 4 years.

 
Walking Boot said:
Zow said:
He's horrible at everything.

He's like a poker player who goes all-in every time he gets ace-jack offsuit. Sure, it beats a few hands that may call you, but you gotta have a horseshoe up your #### and over time it's not the best idea. Asante Samuel catches one of his patented high-pressure INTs and he may not even be the QB on the team right now.

He's the living embodiment of "it's better to be lucky than good."
Lot's of crowing, I don't see any truth though.

Have you watched Giants games and specifically the two Super Bowl Runs? Because anyone who did recognizes that Eli was the single most important player on both teams during both runs. Especially in the first SB run against the 18-1's, without Eli playing not at a good level, but at a great and as clutch as we've have seen level for 4 games in a row.

Sorry, you can say what you want about Eli's inconsistency. He has certainly lost us his share of games.

But there are few QBs in history that could have sustained his level of excellence and leadership, in his own calming "aww, shucks pa" kinda way, for either, not to say both of those Super Bowl runs.

Lucky is a game. Maybe a couple. But again, for both of those stretches, he was not good - but he was not lucky either. He was exceptional.

 
PS - Any QB who makes the Pats his SB #####, is not even eligible for this designation. Aside from the actual truth of how good he was on his way to denying the cheating Pats and their whiny insufferable fans immortality, instead having to settle for the unenviable and always forgettable runner up status.

 
A Niners fan my age might be tempted to go with Shaun Hill, or JT O'Sullivan, perhaps even Trent Dilfer? Colin Kaepernick, if you want to go for the yuk-yuks.

But Scott Bull pretty much laps the field here. Sub 40% completionn percentage, 3 lifetime TD's against 17 INT's. 5.4 yards per attempt. This, his only "win", might be the most depressing thing I've ever seen. Here's a summary from Wikipedia:

Week 15: at San Francisco 49ers[edit] 1 2 3 4 Total Buccaneers 0 3 0 0 3 49ers 0 3 0 3 6

December 10, 1978 at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California

In a meeting between the NFLs two worst offenses, the San Francisco 49ers Ray Wersching kicked a fourth-quarter field goal to win the first game in which the Buccaneer defense held their opposition without a touchdown.[99] The Buccaneers committed ten fumbles, were intercepted five times, allowed eleven sacks, and scored no touchdowns. McKay was so upset that he cancelled his regular press conference the Monday following the game, and indicated that he would not be present at his Friday press conference.[100] The 49ers fumbled six times, were intercepted twice, and allowed five sacks. Mark Cotneys 28-yard interception return set up Tampa Bays only score, a 35-yard Dave Green field goal. The previous weeks injury to Neil O'Donoghue became an issue, as Greens limited range prevented the Buccaneers from attempting potential game-winning or -tying field goals.[101]Bill Kollar started and led the team in tackles for the second week in a row. The boredom of the game was such that one of the coaches spoke of setting himself on fire on the sideline, prompting a Buccaneer publicist to request that the team band be ready to play You Light Up My Life.[102]
Scott Bull is 1a, but Tim Rattay is 1b. Hated Rattay with a passion.

 
Not my team, but the worst quarterbacking I've seen was Ryan Lindley. Not surprisingly, the stats are horrible. In 2012, he went 1-3 with 0 TD and 7 Int. In three of the four starts Arizona had under 200 yards total offense. He got two more starts in 2014 and was slightly better, 2 TD and 4 Int.
Yes Lindley is by far the worst QB that I have seen in recent years. And that 2012 game between the Cards and Jets with Lindley vs. Sanchez was the worst combined QB play I have ever seen in one game.

 
For the Cowboys, I'd say Gary Hogeboom. Steve Pelluer was equally awful though. The only other one with 5 or more starts that is in consideration is Jerry Rhome back in the 60s. Lower the limit to 3 and Ryan Leaf is the obvious pick.

Could be Weeden in the few weeks now :(

 
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Stan Gelbaugh

Dan McGuire could be considered too but since his five starts were over four years, doesn't seem like it meets the criteria in the spirit of the thread.

 
A Niners fan my age might be tempted to go with Shaun Hill
I don't see how Shaun Hill could even be in the conversation. He played pretty well for us.

But Scott Bull pretty much laps the field here. Sub 40% completionn percentage, 3 lifetime TD's against 17 INT's. 5.4 yards per attempt. This, his only "win", might be the most depressing thing I've ever seen. Here's a summary from Wikipedia:

Week 15: at San Francisco 49ers[SIZE=small][edit][/SIZE] 1 2 3 4 Total Buccaneers 0 3 0 0 3 49ers 0 3 0 3 6December 10, 1978 at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California

In a meeting between the NFL’s two worst offenses, the San Francisco 49ersRay Wersching kicked a fourth-quarter field goal to win the first game in which the Buccaneer defense held their opposition without a touchdown.[99] The Buccaneers committed ten fumbles, were intercepted five times, allowed eleven sacks, and scored no touchdowns. McKay was so upset that he cancelled his regular press conference the Monday following the game, and indicated that he would not be present at his Friday press conference.[100] The 49ers fumbled six times, were intercepted twice, and allowed five sacks. Mark Cotney’s 28-yard interception return set up Tampa Bay’s only score, a 35-yard Dave Green field goal. The previous week’s injury to Neil O'Donoghue became an issue, as Green’s limited range prevented the Buccaneers from attempting potential game-winning or -tying field goals.[101]Bill Kollar started and led the team in tackles for the second week in a row. The boredom of the game was such that one of the coaches spoke of setting himself on fire on the sideline, prompting a Buccaneer publicist to request that the team band be ready to play “You Light Up My Life”.[102]
That was the first NFL game I ever attended!!! I was 5 years old and didn't realize the historical ineptitude I was witnessing. I just knew that my dad got Niners tickets for free very easily in those dark years, and I was all for it.

 
A Niners fan my age might be tempted to go with Shaun Hill, or JT O'Sullivan, perhaps even Trent Dilfer? Colin Kaepernick, if you want to go for the yuk-yuks.

But Scott Bull pretty much laps the field here. Sub 40% completionn percentage, 3 lifetime TD's against 17 INT's. 5.4 yards per attempt. This, his only "win", might be the most depressing thing I've ever seen. Here's a summary from Wikipedia:

Week 15: at San Francisco 49ers[edit] 1 2 3 4 Total Buccaneers 0 3 0 0 3 49ers 0 3 0 3 6

December 10, 1978 at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California

In a meeting between the NFLs two worst offenses, the San Francisco 49ers Ray Wersching kicked a fourth-quarter field goal to win the first game in which the Buccaneer defense held their opposition without a touchdown.[99] The Buccaneers committed ten fumbles, were intercepted five times, allowed eleven sacks, and scored no touchdowns. McKay was so upset that he cancelled his regular press conference the Monday following the game, and indicated that he would not be present at his Friday press conference.[100] The 49ers fumbled six times, were intercepted twice, and allowed five sacks. Mark Cotneys 28-yard interception return set up Tampa Bays only score, a 35-yard Dave Green field goal. The previous weeks injury to Neil O'Donoghue became an issue, as Greens limited range prevented the Buccaneers from attempting potential game-winning or -tying field goals.[101]Bill Kollar started and led the team in tackles for the second week in a row. The boredom of the game was such that one of the coaches spoke of setting himself on fire on the sideline, prompting a Buccaneer publicist to request that the team band be ready to play You Light Up My Life.[102]
"The Buccaneers committed ten fumbles, were intercepted five times, allowed eleven sacks"

How is that even possible in a single game??

 
Scott Mitchell, and it's not even close. Detroit is still trying to recover from putting the franchise in his clammy hands.

He had one good year in his career (which ended in an epic playoff collapse and childish sideline tantrum when he was pulled), and never achieved anything ever again. Faked injuries whenever the pressure became too much for him by actually laying down on the field as though he was having a heart attack (happened once in Minnesota and once at Tampa during a playoff game--in Minny he eventually just got up and finished the game, and in Tampa he walked from the ambulance into the hospital under his own power after being carted out of Tampa Stadium). He undermined his own coach, showed up fat and out of shape every year, and eventually left Detroit as one of the most hated athletes in the history of the city. Just a gutless sack of crap from start to finish.

He had more physical talent than many on this list. But when it comes to lack of character and competitive drive, I have never seen another quarterback worse than Scott Mitchell, and I hope I never do (well, unless he's signed by the Vikings to play alongside Adrian Peterson, that is. I'd be ok with that).

 
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Scott Mitchell, and it's not even close. Detroit is still trying to recover from putting the franchise in his clammy hands.

He had one good year in his career (which ended in an epic playoff collapse and childish sideline tantrum when he was pulled), and never achieved anything ever again. Faked injuries whenever the pressure became too much for him by actually laying down on the field as though he was having a heart attack (happened once in Minnesota and once at Tampa during a playoff game--in Minny he eventually just got up and finished the game, and in Tampa he walked from the ambulance into the hospital under his own power after being carted out of Tampa Stadium). He undermined his own coach, showed up fat and out of shape every year, and eventually left Detroit as one of the most hated athletes in the history of the city. Just a gutless sack of crap from start to finish.

He had more physical talent than many on this list. But when it comes to lack of character and competitive drive, I have never seen another quarterback worse than Scott Mitchell, and I hope I never do (well, unless he's signed by the Vikings to play alongside Adrian Peterson, that is. I'd be ok with that).
He also showed up fat and out of shape when he reported to The Biggest Loser.

 
Scott Mitchell, and it's not even close. Detroit is still trying to recover from putting the franchise in his clammy hands.

He had one good year in his career (which ended in an epic playoff collapse and childish sideline tantrum when he was pulled), and never achieved anything ever again. Faked injuries whenever the pressure became too much for him by actually laying down on the field as though he was having a heart attack (happened once in Minnesota and once at Tampa during a playoff game--in Minny he eventually just got up and finished the game, and in Tampa he walked from the ambulance into the hospital under his own power after being carted out of Tampa Stadium). He undermined his own coach, showed up fat and out of shape every year, and eventually left Detroit as one of the most hated athletes in the history of the city. Just a gutless sack of crap from start to finish.

He had more physical talent than many on this list. But when it comes to lack of character and competitive drive, I have never seen another quarterback worse than Scott Mitchell, and I hope I never do (well, unless he's signed by the Vikings to play alongside Adrian Peterson, that is. I'd be ok with that).
He also showed up fat and out of shape when he reported to The Biggest Loser.
Yes. Ironically, he was in relatively the same shape for the show as he was for most of his Lions career. Not ironically at all, he didn't end up winning anything on that show, either.

 
Dating back to the 80's (anything I've personally seen), I'm throwing the bone to Ken Dorsey. JT O'Sullivan with the honorable mention.

 
NE had a horrific stretch in the late 80s to early 90s, from the end of Berry to Rod Rust to **** McPherson ( the dark ages ended by Savior Bill Parcells ).

The QBs during that stretch were among the worst I recall seeing. It's really hard to pick just 1.

110 year old Steve Grogan ( who I loved as a kid - one tough SOB and in no way the worst QB for the Pats )

Marc Wilson

Hugh Millen

Tom Hodson

Scott Zolak

Jeff Carlson*

Scott Secules*

* Carlson only started 2 and Secules only 4, but I wanted to give a taste of how awesome those years were.

From ( admittedly hazy ) memory, I'd have to select Wilson or Millen as the worst of the crew.
Marc Wilson is the answer. Guy pooped himself in that Pats/Raiders playoff game during the first SB run, then the Pats go and sign his washed up ### from LA? Guy had no heart. I knew the 1990 season was over before it started.

Hugh Millen showed false promise in 1991, pulling out some impressive wins and throwing for 3k yards when that meant something. We didn't realize he really sucked until 1992.

 
Here is one version of the "leaderboard", going back to 1969.

Here is another version, if you want to go back to the beginning and pick out the worst passer. Leading the way is the Boston Redskins' Pug Rentner, who threw 26 completions and 24 interceptions from 1934-1936.
Curious if Renter was more a half-back option type of deal. Dude is pretty hard to google. Certainly one of the best NFL names ever.

-QG

 
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Not my team, but the worst quarterbacking I've seen was Ryan Lindley. Not surprisingly, the stats are horrible. In 2012, he went 1-3 with 0 TD and 7 Int. In three of the four starts Arizona had under 200 yards total offense. He got two more starts in 2014 and was slightly better, 2 TD and 4 Int.
Yes Lindley is by far the worst QB that I have seen in recent years. And that 2012 game between the Cards and Jets with Lindley vs. Sanchez was the worst combined QB play I have ever seen in one game.
I have to agree - comically bad. The Cardinals were better off just going with direct snaps to the half back.

-QG

 
Toss up between Derek Andersen or Matt Leinart. For the money we paid him, Leinart wins. The cards have has some terrible starting QB's, mostly due to injury, in the past.

ETA: Leinart stats (four years) with the Cards: 57% completion, 14 TD' s vs 19 Int's - Career QBR 53, 34, 54 & 48. Fitz should be considered for the HOF because he was able to put up numbers despite 4 years in his prime wasted by this flop.
Max Hall was way worse.

 
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David Klingler and Akili Smith - tossup. Too depressed to look at the statistics.
I'd go with Klingler only b/c I knew there was 100% chance he'd fail. With Akili it was only a 98% chance.

-QG
FWIW Pro-Football Reference sez Scott Mitchell was the worst (he started exactly 5 games for us) - the numbers are pretty bad. But we won two of the games. So can't go away from the big 2.

-QG

 
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Here is one version of the "leaderboard", going back to 1969.

Here is another version, if you want to go back to the beginning and pick out the worst passer. Leading the way is the Boston Redskins' Pug Rentner, who threw 26 completions and 24 interceptions from 1934-1936.
Curious if Renter was more a half-back option type of deal. Dude is pretty hard to google. Certainly one of the best NFL names ever.

-QG
I don't understand the single wing offense very well. In those days, teams often had about 4 players who threw the ball at least once per game, and it wasn't unusual for the guy who led the team in passing to also lead the team in rushing.

Rentner's 50 pass attempts in 1935 were the 9th most in the NFL (which was a 9-team league), and second most on the team (with Bill Shepherd throwing 55 times). His 81 rushing attempts that year were 14th most in the NFL, and also second on the team (again behind Shepherd, who had 89). But his listed position on PFR is "blocking back (in the single wing)."

 
2007 was a rough year for the Panthers:

Vinny Testaverde 7 games

Matt Moore 9 games

David Carr 6 games

I don't know the breakdown on starts but it wasn't pretty no matter how you slice it.

Somehow Smiff still put up 87/1002/7 that season, although 15/271/4 came the first 2 weeks with Delhomme starting.

 
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Scott Mitchell, and it's not even close. Detroit is still trying to recover from putting the franchise in his clammy hands.

He had one good year in his career (which ended in an epic playoff collapse and childish sideline tantrum when he was pulled), and never achieved anything ever again. Faked injuries whenever the pressure became too much for him by actually laying down on the field as though he was having a heart attack (happened once in Minnesota and once at Tampa during a playoff game--in Minny he eventually just got up and finished the game, and in Tampa he walked from the ambulance into the hospital under his own power after being carted out of Tampa Stadium). He undermined his own coach, showed up fat and out of shape every year, and eventually left Detroit as one of the most hated athletes in the history of the city. Just a gutless sack of crap from start to finish.

He had more physical talent than many on this list. But when it comes to lack of character and competitive drive, I have never seen another quarterback worse than Scott Mitchell, and I hope I never do (well, unless he's signed by the Vikings to play alongside Adrian Peterson, that is. I'd be ok with that
Right with yu, and I said it when we signed him, (1 good game for Miami in relief and Detroit grabs him)

And yep gotta be the woosiest QB I've ever seen as well,

The guy would go into a fetal position with any kind of pressure an look like he was gunna cry!

 
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The Cardinals had an absolutely horrific 3 years from 2010-2012. Here's the list of every QB starting for them in those three years:

Derek Anderson

John Skelton

Max Hall

Kevin Kolb

Ryan Lindley

Brian Hoyer

It is really hard to root for a team that rolls out that ridiculousness for three straight years.

But none of them were as bad as Tom Tupa back in the early '90's. In his "big" season, he started 11 games and threw 6 TD's and 13 picks. He was actually a decent punter, but an absolutely horrible QB.
Hall and Lindley were absolutely much worse than Tupa. Tupa's numbers were a bit below league average, but not exceptionally so- basically within one standard deviation across the board. He averaged 4.10 adjusted net yards per pass in 1991, for instance.

Max Hall averaged 0.33. On a team with Larry Fitzgerald. He's the worst QB I've seen if you abolish the 5-start minimum. (And Lindley is the worst if you keep the minimum.)

Edit: Kolb, Skelton, Anderson, and Hoyer were bad, but just of the "garden variety bad" type, not the "historically awful" type.
Sporting news agrees Tupan was the worst Cards QB ever. http://mobile.sportingnews.com/article/4654572-nfl-worst-starting-quarterbacks-qbs-all-time-draft-busts/slide/352729

 
A Niners fan my age might be tempted to go with Shaun Hill, or JT O'Sullivan, perhaps even Trent Dilfer? Colin Kaepernick, if you want to go for the yuk-yuks.

But Scott Bull pretty much laps the field here. Sub 40% completionn percentage, 3 lifetime TD's against 17 INT's. 5.4 yards per attempt. This, his only "win", might be the most depressing thing I've ever seen. Here's a summary from Wikipedia:

Week 15: at San Francisco 49ers[edit] 1 2 3 4 Total Buccaneers 0 3 0 0 3 49ers 0 3 0 3 6

December 10, 1978 at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California

In a meeting between the NFLs two worst offenses, the San Francisco 49ers Ray Wersching kicked a fourth-quarter field goal to win the first game in which the Buccaneer defense held their opposition without a touchdown.[99] The Buccaneers committed ten fumbles, were intercepted five times, allowed eleven sacks, and scored no touchdowns. McKay was so upset that he cancelled his regular press conference the Monday following the game, and indicated that he would not be present at his Friday press conference.[100] The 49ers fumbled six times, were intercepted twice, and allowed five sacks. Mark Cotneys 28-yard interception return set up Tampa Bays only score, a 35-yard Dave Green field goal. The previous weeks injury to Neil O'Donoghue became an issue, as Greens limited range prevented the Buccaneers from attempting potential game-winning or -tying field goals.[101]Bill Kollar started and led the team in tackles for the second week in a row. The boredom of the game was such that one of the coaches spoke of setting himself on fire on the sideline, prompting a Buccaneer publicist to request that the team band be ready to play You Light Up My Life.[102]
"The Buccaneers committed ten fumbles, were intercepted five times, allowed eleven sacks"

How is that even possible in a single game??
I saw something like that in a High School game one time and that was really hard to watch. Can't imagine it in a pro game.

 
You could make the argument that Rick Mirer was the worst QB to play for every team that he was on.
I let this go when I first read it, but its been bothering me every time I notice this thread. This is the worst post in the thread. Mirer wasn't good, but he set the NFL rookie record for attempts, completions, and yards. To suggest he was worse than the 1992 trio of losers under center for Seattle is pure ignorance.

 
A Niners fan my age might be tempted to go with Shaun Hill, or JT O'Sullivan, perhaps even Trent Dilfer? Colin Kaepernick, if you want to go for the yuk-yuks.

But Scott Bull pretty much laps the field here. Sub 40% completionn percentage, 3 lifetime TD's against 17 INT's. 5.4 yards per attempt. This, his only "win", might be the most depressing thing I've ever seen. Here's a summary from Wikipedia:

Week 15: at San Francisco 49ers[edit] 1 2 3 4 Total Buccaneers 0 3 0 0 3 49ers 0 3 0 3 6

December 10, 1978 at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California

In a meeting between the NFLs two worst offenses, the San Francisco 49ers Ray Wersching kicked a fourth-quarter field goal to win the first game in which the Buccaneer defense held their opposition without a touchdown.[99] The Buccaneers committed ten fumbles, were intercepted five times, allowed eleven sacks, and scored no touchdowns. McKay was so upset that he cancelled his regular press conference the Monday following the game, and indicated that he would not be present at his Friday press conference.[100] The 49ers fumbled six times, were intercepted twice, and allowed five sacks. Mark Cotneys 28-yard interception return set up Tampa Bays only score, a 35-yard Dave Green field goal. The previous weeks injury to Neil O'Donoghue became an issue, as Greens limited range prevented the Buccaneers from attempting potential game-winning or -tying field goals.[101]Bill Kollar started and led the team in tackles for the second week in a row. The boredom of the game was such that one of the coaches spoke of setting himself on fire on the sideline, prompting a Buccaneer publicist to request that the team band be ready to play You Light Up My Life.[102]
"The Buccaneers committed ten fumbles, were intercepted five times, allowed eleven sacks"

How is that even possible in a single game??
I saw something like that in a High School game one time and that was really hard to watch. Can't imagine it in a pro game.
Here's the box score for that game.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197812100sfo.htm#team_stats

Those numbers attributed to the Bucs were actually the total by both teams COMBINED. Gool 'ol Wikipedia

-QG

 
For the Colts, I'll go with the train wreck that is Art Schlichter. He was drafted fourth overall in the 1982 draft, finished with a career 0-6 record with 3 TD, 11 INT and a 45% completion %.

He has spent more time in prison than in the NFL.

 
David Carr. Everyone always notes that the Texans' lines ruined him but the fans saw him as a sunk cost years before management did. He ended up only winning 22 games in his five years.
I think I may just amend this to Ryan Mallett. As much as Carr was an easy target for how long they drew out the inevitable, his teammates at least liked him.

Mallett burned all of his bridges and still only passed for 195 yards a game started, more Ints than TDs, with zero touch on any pass ever, and amassing a grand total of 2 wins in 6 tries.

 
Haven't seen a (serious) response with the Giants, let me give some thought.

Can't speak from pre-simms, so has to be one of Dave Brown, Kent Graham or Danny Kanell.

Without looking into it more, I'd go Kanell, but those guys were like interchangeable suckitude for like 3 years or so in the '90s.
You probably aren't old enough to remember Scott Brunner. He was really, really terrible.

ETA: Yeah, just noticed the bolded.
Yep ... This

 
Miami has a lot as of late but I'll go with a guy who made it to Super Bowl XVII and that's David Woodly. I feel bad saying that because the dude died but he was pretty bad as the in between guy from Griese to Marino.

Cleo Lemon started 7 games in 2007 as Miami managed to go 1-15 and they weren't even that good. Cam Cameron, get some!

That same season Jon Beck started 4 games so that technically doesn't count.

Dark times that haven't gotten a lot better.

 

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