5 NFL QBs who never lived up to the hype 

NFL Rams quarterback Sam Bradford
NFL Rams quarterback Sam Bradford

NFL QBs who never lived up to their high expectations

#3 - Cade McNown

Chicago Bears quarterback Cade McNown
Chicago Bears quarterback Cade McNown

The Chicago Bears have notoriously struggled to find a legitimate franchise quarterback throughout the majority of their long history. The Bears are one of the most legendary teams in NFL history for many reasons, but quarterbacks haven't been one of them.

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The Bears thought they had found themselves an elite prospect when they drafted Cade McNown. He had all of the tools that teams looked for in a franchise quarterback, but for whatever reason he never blossomed. He lasted just two years with the Bears and posted a 3-12 record before being cut. He never started another game in his career.

#4 - Joey Harrington

Detroit Lions quarterback Joey Harrington
Detroit Lions quarterback Joey Harrington

Joey Harrington was a highly-rated quarterback prospect when the Detroit Lions selected him with with their third-overall draft pick. He was mainly their starting quarterback for four consecutive seasons, but failed to show any consistency. He posted a 18-37 record with 60 touchdowns and 62 interceptions.

Harrington was so talented that, despite his failed run with the Lions, two other teams gave him a shot after that as well. He started 21 games split between the Miami Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons, recording a 8-13 record with 19 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. Despite many chances, he never lived up to his potential.

#5 - Sam Bradford

St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford
St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford

Sam Bradford was selected as the first overall pick in the NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams after winning the Heisman Trophy for his outstanding performance in college football. While his overall career as a quarterback wasn't as bad as some of the other names on this list, he failed to meet the huge expectations of being the number one overall pick.

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Most labeled Bradford a "can't miss" prospect coming out of college and almost everyone expected him to find great success. He jumped around and started with four different teams during his career. His overall production was uninspiring. He finished with a 34-48-1 record across eight mediocre seasons while failing to ever reach his true potential, despite receiving every opportunity to do so.

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Edited by Windy Goodloe
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