The 10 Most Controversial Quarterbacks of All Time

It takes a lot of skill to reach the top of the NFL. But somehow, the 10 most controversial quarterbacks of all time created question marks that have continued to mar their legends even after retirement.

Jay Cutler

Cutler had a great arm, and when he was on, he was magic. But between his actions on and off the field and the talent he used to frustrate his fans, it’s tough to think of him as an effective quarterback.

Tom Brady

Some would call Brady the golden boy since, it’s true, he was a great player and the reason for the Patriots dynasty. But thanks to Deflategate, there are always bound to be those who question his greatness.

Brett Favre

At one time, this was Mr. Green Bay, the reason many fans hung around the team. But when he decided to come out of retirement, it was quickly established that the team had moved on from him, and his move to the Jets wasn’t done with much grace.

Johnny Manziel

In college, this guy was amazing because he knew how to manage himself on the field. When he came to the pros, though, he forgot to leave the college frat boy attitude behind. He started missing practices and acting like a kid who’d been given a credit card without a limit.

Ryan Leaf

This story is easy to unpack but still a considerable fall from grace. Considering that he and Peyton Manning were the top college prospects in their draft class, Ryan had the world at his fingertips. The most significant difference is that Petyon went to practice and didn’t freak out at reporters.

Robert Griffin III

This story happens when someone falls in love with their hype and focuses more on their brand than the game. At some point, Griffin’s career folded quicker than his knee did during the 2013 Wild Card game against the Seahawks.

Colin Kaepernick

The infamous kneeling against injustice angle is, in the minds of many, the response that Kaepernick decided to take when he wasn’t being played enough. Amazingly, he didn’t suffer much when getting paid after doubling down and becoming an activist. It’s fair to say, however, that his chances of playing for the NFL are slim and none…and slim appears to have left town.

Todd Marinovich

Todd was the kind of guy who excelled in college but couldn’t handle the pressure of the NFL. Between the expectations placed on his shoulders and the substance abuse issues he suffered through, it was too much to ask of one person.

Eli Manning

One of the biggest criticisms of this Super Bowl QB still goes back to the same issue that John Elway created. He didn’t want to play for the team that selected him and held out until he got his way. That kind of immaturity does make it challenging to claim that he’s one of the best.

Cam Newton

No one talked much about Cam Newton until his team’s Super Bowl run culminated in a 15-1 season in 2015. It was already established that Cam was a mouth with talent, but as soon as he refused to dive for a fumble in the Super Bowl against the Broncos, threw a tantrum on the field, and walked out on an interview post-game, it was clear that he wasn’t a complete and confident QB.