Star Players Who Played For the Worst Teams
By Jason Lisk
I’ll say that this is not a list of the single best performances by an individual for a loser. Such a list may have a lot of cross over with this one, but I’m not measuring who may have played best that season. Besides, because it is a team game, statistics probably won’t help us. We know that bad teams have bad passing offenses and or bad/pass defenses. That doesn’t mean a particular star didn’t play better than the numbers indicated. Also, with many positions, we don’t have measures other than those that rely on reputation anyway.
So, some of these guys may have been past their prime when they were on a bad team; some were just getting started. More than you might realize, though, were in the prime of their careers and individually playing well. So consider this a list of the best all-time players who started for a team since 197o that had a win percentage of 0.125 or worse (the equivalent of 2-14 in a 16 game schedule).
OFFENSE
Quarterback– Most bad teams lack a quarterback, but a fair number of the truly awful have at least had a solid starter who was dragged down by the team. Steve Young is our first team starter for his debut in the NFL with Tampa Bay after success in the USFL. Troy Aikman is the 2nd team choice based on his dreadful rookie year with the 1-15 Cowboys. Honorable mention to guys like Joe Ferguson and Bert Jones.
Running Back– O.J. Simpson was toiling in 1971 behind a line that had not added key members of the Electric Company, and then at the end of his career, a broken down version played for two bad San Francisco teams. Eric Dickerson played for the 1991 Colts. A shadow of Earl Campbell gives us a battering ram, while Steven Jackson and Corey Dillon played for loveable losers in their primes.
Fullback– John L. Williams of the 1992 Seahawks was the prototype running/receiving fullback before the position became strictly blocking. Sam “Bam” Cunningham is still the Patriots’ all-time leading rusher and was still around for the 1981 Patriots. If you want a more current blocker with a reputation among the best at his craft, Lorenzo Neal led for Dillon in Cincinnati in 2002 before he moved on to San Diego.
Wide Receiver- No position has as many stars in the middle of their careers who have been on bad teams. Randy Moss (for his career, and not his dreadful effort in Oakland in 2006) and Andre Johnson are the first team choices. While Charlie Joiner (1972 Oilers) and Andre Reed (1985 Bills). After that, you still have names like Wes Chandler, Steve Smith, Chad Ochocinco, Harold Jackson, Calvin Johnson, Stanley Morgan, Irving Fryar, Keyshawn Johnson, and Muhsin Muhammad.
Tight Ends– Great tight ends have rarely shown up on truly bad teams, but the most accomplished tight end of all-time, Tony Gonzalez for the 2008 Chiefs, insures we are set at the position. Wesley Walls of Carolina is the clear 2nd choice.
Offensive Tackle– a broken down Orlando Pace labored for the 2008 Rams, while Bruce Armstrong wasn’t enough to prevent lean years in the early 90’s for New England. Willie Anderson (Bengals) and Brad Hopkins (1994 Oilers) are my 2nd team choices, just ahead of Keith Fahnhorst, Jordan Gross, and Stan Brock.
Offensive Guard–the Guard position is top heavy, with both Bruce Matthews (1983 Oilers) and John Hannah (1981 Patriots). Matthews’ teammate Mike Munchak is on the 2nd team, along with Nate Newton, ahead of Brian Waters.
Center– Center is one of only two positions not represented by at least one Hall of Famer. Randy Cross is our starter, backed up by the Colts’ Ray Donaldson.
DEFENSE
Defensive End– Bruce Smith played for the 2-14 Bills as a rookie, while Elvin Bethea was on some bad Oilers teams in the early 1970’s. Jason Taylor gets on for his career, and not necessarily for his play in 2007 for the Dolphins, while Al Baker of Detroit is one of a handful of defensive guys to make a pro bowl each of his first three seasons, including in 1979 for the 2-14 Lions. Honorable mention to Jim Jeffcoat, Hugh Douglas and Robert Porcher.
Defensive Tackle/Nose Tackle– The tackle position is loaded. I’ll go with Defensive Player of the Year Cortez Kennedy from the 1992 Seahawks (he would have been one of my choices for enshrinement in each of the last two Hall of Fame selections) along with Warren Sapp appearing late in his career with the Raiders. A young Leroy Selmon for the Yuck-aneers, and Ray Childress of the Oilers are next, though you can’t go wrong with Bryant Young either. And if we needed a true nose tackle for a 3/4 defense, Fred Smerlas would be a strong choice.
Outside Linebacker– Junior Seau couldn’t carry a dreadful offense for the 2000 Chargers, while Andre Tippett was on the Patriots in 1990. Dr. Doom, Robert Brazile, was still around on the 1983 Oilers, and Joey Porter had moved on to Miami in 2007. Mike Stratton was a star for the Bills teams of the 1960’s, while Julian Peterson and Darryl Talley also get honorable mention.
Middle Linebacker– The middle linebacker position isn’t very deep, and is the other without a Hall of Famer (though if we went back just one year to 1969, we pick up Butkus). Ken Norton of the 1989 Cowboys gets the 1st team nod. Even though he’s only 25, I’m going Jon Beason of Carolina last year as the 2nd choice, ahead of Marvin Jones and Gregg Bingham.
Cornerback- Mike Haynes starred for the dreadful 1981 Patriots, and went from the outhouse to the penthouse a few years later with the Raiders. Nnamdi Asomugha will try to do the same in 2011 by leaving Oakland. The second teamers are Everson Walls of the Cowboys and Raymond Clayborn of New England.
Safety– the safety position must be pretty important in preventing a team from completely falling apart and being among the league’s worst, because very few notable ones are here. Hall of Famer Ken Houston played his final year in Houston for the 1-13 Oilers. Eugene Robinson for the 1992 Seahawks made the list (and that offense was dreadful, nullifying a decent defense). Second team spot goes to Rodney Harrison on equally offensively challenged San Diego. There is no good remaining choice, so congratulations to Ray Brown of the 1980 Saints.
SPECIAL TEAMERS
Kicker– John Kasay gets on this team for his persistence and perseverance. He shows up on the 1992 Seahawks, the 2001 Panthers, and again last year with Carolina. Here’s a word advice to teams around the league: don’t have him on your roster in 2019. Jason Hanson likewise gets 2nd team choice for continually toiling in Detroit over the last decade.
Punter– Shane Lechler has been punting often . . . and far. . . for the last decade, and is the easy first choice. Rohn Stark of the Colts led the league in gross punting average 3 times during his career.
[photo via Getty; all team starter and career info via pro-football-reference.com]