The 2022 football season is right around the corner, and the preseason is already underway. The position of quarterback is one of the most difficult jobs in the game, maybe even all sports.
They quarterback is expected to lead the team, franchise, and the city the team represents to victory week after week. Granted, the rewards came be amazing, fame, fortune, and reverence.
However, there is also a downside to being quarterback. If they mess up during a game, fans can be quick to turn against their idol. Along with that comes hate, boos and heckling. That being said, Sportsdrop ranked the worst 25 quarterbacks in history.
Giovanni Carmazzi
Carmazzi played football while he attended Hofstra University and threw for over 9,000 yards. In 2000, the 49ers chose Carmazzi in the third round of the NFL Draft. It just happened to be the same draft that Tom Brady was drafted three rounds later. Even though Carmazzi was on the roster, he never saw the field.
He was drafted ahead of Tom Brady, but never put any professional games under his belt. Currently, Carmazzi is a California goat farmer.
Jimmy Clausen
Clausen is considered the “most over-recruited player in NCAA history.” It seems that he didn’t live up to the hype that surrounded him. Playing for Notre Dame, Clausen was picked in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers.
All roar and no pounce, Clausen didn’t do well in his inaugural year. He only threw three touchdowns and nine interceptions in 10 games as a starter. He was a major part of the Panther’s 2-14 record that year. Carolina decided to replace Clausen with Cam Newton just a year after drafting him.
Akili Smith
The number three overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft was quite possibly the only successful part of Smith’s career. His overall athleticism made it seem as if signing him was a no-brainer. He played minor league baseball and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1993.
Smith ended up attending college and playing football for the University of Oregon. He threw 32 touchdown passes in only 11 starts while playing for Oregon. However, Smith missed training camp, which is a necessary developmental tool for a rookie quarterback. He also allowed his personal life to crimp his football career. He said in an interview that his decision to fly back and forth between Cincinnati and San Diego to party was what made him “a complete embarrassment off the field.”
Smith played 22 NFL games and threw a career passer rating of 52.8. For comparison, Smith threw 30 touchdown passes in a single year, but only threw five in his four seasons with the NFL. Cincinnati passed up on Mike Ditka’s “Godfather” offer to sign Smith. Ditka wanted to land University of Texas running back Ricky Williams, so, he offered Cincinnati their entire slate of 1999 draft picks to move up to that third slot where Smith sat. Cincinnati turned the offer down and signed Smith.
Watch out for the next issue of The Madill Record to see who else was named as one of the worst quarterbacks in history.