Players whose careers were limited by circumstance

[Gooch1034]

Penn State RBs don't have a great track record in the NFL, sad but true.

Other than Franco and Larry Johnson, their Rbs are some of the biggest busts ever.

 

[Ricky Roma]

John Jefferson.

Before he was traded by San Diego to Green Bay, he was making a case as one of the greatest in the history of football. IIRC, he suffered from Depression after leaving California. While part of Air Coryell however, you can put him in with rare talent like Rice and Moss.

 

[iowajerms]

Jim Kelly - refusing to play in Buffalo
Joe Theisman - got injured by Lawrence Taylor
Joe Namath - played in AFL and not NFL

 

[beardown07]

27 posts to get to Bo Jackson.

 

[RobToxin]

Joe Delaney. Kansas City Chiefs RB.

In his two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, Delaney set four franchise records that would stand for more than twenty years.

At the age of 24, he drowned while trying to save three children from the same fate.

 

[Clayton]

27 posts to get to Bo Jackson.

Almost too obvious. I'm sure everyone figured someone else would bring him up.

Probably should've been as good as the greats but never fully focused on football and obviously got hurt.

 

[beardown07]

Mike Brown, S for the Bears


Kid was a gamer, but couldn't stay healthy after his first few years in the league.

 

[redseat]

He would've been a great QB had he not played for a mickey mouse run organization like the Chargers

so circumstances...

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Bo Jackson

Not only did the hip injury end his football career, but it almost never started in the first place. With TB pulling the stunt to get him ineligible to keep playing college baseball in hopes that he would have to focus only on football and him not signing with them as the #1 pick because he was spurned by them. Then only playing part seasons with Oakland allowing him to only report once baseball was over.

Cannot believe it took 26 posts before Bo Jackson was mentioned... smh

edit: @beardown07 already beat me to it

 

[Rambulance]

How about Andrew Luck? Ryan Grigson has done nothing on the O-Line to help the poor kid. His play has suffered and last year was a disaster with injuries. If that doesn't change soon, we could be looking at a super talented QB that has developed into a gun-shy mess.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

How about Andrew Luck? Ryan Grigson has done nothing on the O-Line to help the poor kid. His play has suffered and last year was a disaster with injuries. If that doesn't change soon, we could be looking at a super talented QB that has developed into a gun-shy mess.

God help him.

 

[Manster7588]

Jim Kelly - refusing to play in Buffalo
Joe Theisman - got injured by Lawrence Taylor
Joe Namath - played in AFL and not NFL

I thought Jim Kelly did play in Buffalo.

 

[SonnyCID]

He would've been a great QB had he not played for a mickey mouse run organization like the Chargers

...And not been a total asshat.

 

[iowajerms]

I thought Jim Kelly did play in Buffalo.

After the USFL went down. When he got drafted, he played in USFL's Houston team for some time because he didn't want to play in cold weather. He dominated the USFL. Watch 30 for 30s "From Elway to Marino" and "Four Falls in Buffalo"

 

[Manster7588]

After the USFL went down. When he got drafted, he played in USFL's Houston team for some time because he didn't want to play in cold weather. He dominated the USFL. Watch 30 for 30s "From Elway to Marino" and "Four Falls in Buffalo"

OK, Forgot about the USFL, and I had no idea he chose that league just to avoid Buffalo.

 

[wazzu31]

...And not been a total asshat.

There is no debating he was immature as hell, but had he gone any organization that was decent would've had some guy to mentor him, not put the entire organization on him and pressure him into eating pain killers to play through when he couldn't throw the ball because of his jacked up wrist.

 

[Rockinkuwait]

Warren Moon is a hate-filled racist himself.

I get that racism was a part of it, but people make it out to be all of it. He wasn't taken also because he wasn't a great passer in college. The year he was passed up in the draft, the #1 QB taken was... black. So yes, there were some who wanted him to change positions a-la Tebow, and sure race probably played some of a part in that, and he proved them all wrong, but to say it was all about racism, I am not sure.

A couple others...

Robert Edwards of the Pats.. Great looking rookie RB, shredded his knee in a beach football game they played as part of the pro-bowl weekend.

Jerome Brown of course. Dominant defensive tackle who played on Phillys great line (with Reggie White and Clyde Simmons). Reminded me a lot of Sapp.

Bob Sanders and Mike Brown. Two safeties that really changed those defenses when healthy, which wasn't often.

Jags LT Tony Boselli. I really think he should be in the HOF. Best tackle I've seen play in a LONG time.

And David Boston. God he was good. Big, fast, strong. Like Boldin but with good speed. Lots of roids, didn't practice, injuries... self caused and other things ruined him, but could have easily been a HOFer.

 

[Iggloo]

I am not familiar with Bernard Williams. Define "good". Second coming of Anthony Munoz or just good or hard to define after one year?

He had a pretty good rookie year and looked like a guy who was going to be a Pro Bowl talent. Then...he found that sticky icky.

 

[NinerSickness]

Tony Boselli and Sean Taylor probably could have gone down as the greatest players to ever play their respective positions. I'd put Taylor next to Lott on my all-time team, and I'd take Boselli pre-injury over any LT I've seen & put him next to Larry Allen. MAN that would be scary.

By the way, that 1995 draft seemed cursed.

1. Kijana Carter: huge injury
2. Tony Boselli: huge injury
3. Steve McNair: we all know what happened there
4. Michael Westbrook: nuts
5. Kerry Colins: boozehound

 

[Stomp]

Marcus Allen, Al Davis impeded his career for 6 or 7 years making him play full back and benching him for big name guys that weren't as good of football players as he was(Bo Jackson, Eric Dickerson, and Roger Craig). Still he managed to put up impressive numbers 17,600 yards(19,500 with playoffs) and 144 TD's(157) only averaging 230 touches per season. Greatest RB maybe player of all time if hew gets a fair shake