Ryan Leaf

At 48 years old, Ryan Leaf has this physical status:

College career

He was sent by Charles M. Russell High School in Great Falls, Montana, to the 1992 Montana state championship, or perhaps a linebacker by the time's head coach, Dennis Erickson, at the University of Miami. Instead, head coach Mike Price, who had worked with long-time New England Patriots starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe, called him on the phone while Leaf was watching the Rose Bowl. Leaf was unaware that Washington State had not been to the Rose Bowl since 1931, but Sports Illustrated later that he knew he wanted a scholarship and play for Price.

He appeared in 32 games for Washington State, beginning with 24 of them. He passed for 330.6 yards per game in his junior year, threw for a then-Pac-10) record 33 touchdowns. He also helped the Cougars win their first Pac-10 championship in school history. Despite his strong start to the 1998 Rose Bowl, Washington State was defeated 21–16 by the eventual Associated Press national champion Michigan Wolverines.

Leaf was a finalist in voting for the Heisman Trophy this year, which is given annually to the "most outstanding" player in American college football, voted in by media names and former players. He came in third, behind the winner, defensive back Charles Woodson of Michigan, and Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning. He was named Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year by The Sporting News and ranked second in the country in passer rating. The Rose Bowl made him a potential first overall pick in the NFL Draft, and Leaf decided not to wait until his senior year at Washington State and enter the 1998 draft.

Professional career

Peyton Manning and Leaf were widely considered to be the best players in the 1998 NFL Draft, and scouts and analysts disagreed on who should be drafted first. Coach Tony Dungy of Tampa Bay recalled that although his team did not need a quarterback, "Manning-Leaf was actually split when you talked to people." Many favored Leaf's stronger arm and greater potential, while others deemed Manning the more mature and safer option. Manning or Leaf, according to the majority of observers, would not really matter since either would greatly assist his team.

The Indianapolis Colts made the first draft pick of the year. The Leaf's were favored by the team, but Colts president Bill Polian and his coaching staff preferred Manning, especially after discovering that he could throw harder than Leaf during individual workouts. During his interview, Manning also impressed the team, although Leaf missed him. According to Leaf's rough prospect profile, the player was "self-confident to the point where some people regard him as arrogant and nearly obnoxious." Leaf gained about 20 pounds between the end of his junior season and the NFL Combine in February, which Jerry Angelo, one of six experts Sports Illustrated consulted on the pick, described as "a [negative] indication" of his self-discipline. Both six said Manning was the right idea, but the publication concluded, "While all Manning and Leaf should develop into at least good NFL starters."

The third overall pick was given by the San Diego Chargers. Polian told Chargers general manager Bobby Beathard that he did not trade the Colts' pick. Beathard later said that he would have chosen Manning with the first pick because he knew his father Archie Manning was "not mean there was anything wrong about him at the time." After scoring the fewest touchdowns in the league in the previous season, his team needed a new quarterback. San Diego's third overall pick, a future first round pick, and three-time Pro Bowler Eric Metcalf allotted the right to draft whichever of the two quarterbacks Indianapolis did not take first. Manning was first drafted by the Colts and Leaf second, and the Chargers rewarded him with a four-year deal worth $31.25 million, the first to a rookie at the time. "I'm looking forward to a 15-year career, a couple of trips to the Super Bowl, and a parade in downtown San Diego," Leaf said. Leaf yawned during his first news conference on the night after the draft; the following day, the Leaf flew to Las Vegas, Nevada, with Chargers owner Alex Spanos' jet, who partied all night.

San Diego's high hopes for Leaf were quickly dashed as his rookie season was marred by bad conduct, beginning with skipping the final day of a compulsory NFL draftees and receiving a $10,000 fine. The Chargers won their first two games in the preseason and the start of the season. Despite Leaf's mistake of fumbling his first snap and throwing two interceptions, the Chargers won the season opener on September 6, 1998, 16–14 over the Buffalo Bills; Buffalo was able to get two interceptions from Leaf; Buffalo penalties voided two should-be interceptions from Leaf; Leaf's two would-be interceptions were voided. In the game, Leaf's 6-yard touchdown pass to Bryan Still, which followed a 67-yard touchdown pass to Still, gave San Diego a ten-0 lead. San Diego, on the other hand, fell behind 14-13 after a Leaf interception. In the second game, a 13-07 victory over the Tennessee Oilers, Leaf completed 16 of 31 passes for 192 yards in the opener and 13 of 24 passes for 179 yards (with 31 rushing yards in 7 carries).

Leaf was hospitalized for a viral infection related to an improperly cleaned artificial-turf burn three days before the Chargers' September 20 game against the Kansas City Chiefs. In a 23-0 loss, he started the game but had only one of 15 passes for four yards, tossed two interceptions, and had four fumbles (three lost). Leaf was caught on camera yelling "knock it off" during a locker-room interview and led away by junior Seau and a team administrator, who described Posner as a "fucking bitch" during his lunchtime interview. He later apologised to Posner for the incident.

After Leaf had four first-half passes chosen by the New York Giants in Week 4 (September 28), head coach Kevin Gilbride dropped him in favour of former sixth-round pick Craig Whelihan. He started the following game, a 17–12 loss to the Indianapolis Colts and top pick Peyton Manning, on October 4 and 10. Both quarterbacks had 12 of 23 passes and threw one interception, with Leaf having 23 more passing yards (160) than Manning, but Manning threw the game's only touchdown and was never fired, though Leaf was downed four times. San Diego's 56-yard touchdown to Charlie Jones set up a one-yard Natrone Means touchdown field, but Leaf's potential tying two-point conversion pass to Webster Slaughter was incomplete within the first two minutes, leaving San Diego down 14–6. Following a 4-of-15, 23-yard appearance against the Denver Broncos on November 8, he lost his starting job permanently to Whelihan. Leaf finished the season with 1,289 passing yards in ten games and a 53 percent completion rate, with only two touchdowns against fifteen interceptions, giving him an abysmal quarterback rating of 39.0.

Leaf sluggishly blamed both the media and his coworkers, who largely blamed for his poor play and a reputation for a bad work ethic, as opposed to playing golf while other quarterbacks were filming. "Guys can be jerks, but I've never seen a guy who was harder on alienating his coworkers," Beathard said. "Bobby, this guy is killing me," junior Seau's Rodney Harrison said to me. "I would probably quit playing if I had to go through another year like this," Harrison described the 1998 season as "a nightmare" due to Leaf's immaturity and Whelihan's inefficiency. Seau's call for a veteran quarterback during the offseason was to bring a veteran quarterback and "get a guy in here not to babysit but to win."

Leaf sustained a 20-minute injury to his throwing shoulder 20 minutes into the Chargers' first training camp workout on July 23, 1999. A fan of Little River Band's "Life Of Our Father" compared him to former NFL quarterback Heath Shuler one month later. Leaf, accompanied by a mentor and security guard, attempted to speak with the fan but was interrupted by two coaches, with another Chargers employee saying, "No, don't do it," Ryan says. "Do it not do it." Later, Leaf explained the incident: "I wanted to say, hey, look, I've grown up, I'm calm about it, so I'm curious why you'd say that about me."

Leaf underwent surgery to repair a labral tear in his shoulder, and he missed the 1999 season. He was on injured reserve but made news in early November when he clashed with Beathard and a coach, resulting in a fine, a suspension without pay, and a warning from Leaf four weeks later. According to team leadership, he was caught on video playing flag football at a San Diego park during his suspension, a infringement of his employment.

Leaf took the Arizona Cardinals by a score of 24-20 in the final game of the 2000 preseason. He appeared on the front page of Sports Illustrated's September 4, 2000 issue with the headline "Back from the Brink." "Ascension from pariah to a potential standout pro passer," the front page referred to his transformation from pariah to a potential standout pro passer. He started the first two games of the 2000 season but saw only half of his pass attempts and threw five interceptions against just one touchdown. The Oakland Raiders' defeat in the season opener on September 3, with 19 of 39 passes for 180 yards and three picks, including one on a 4th-and-inches play that sealed the Raiders' victory. Following a late blow from Raiders defensive tackle Regan Upshaw, he developed swelling in his left hand in addition to a chin gash that needed stitches. The following game, a 28-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints, featured 12 of 24 passes for 134 yards and his first touchdown pass since his rookie season, as well as two interceptions, one of which cost the Chargers at the end of the game.

Moreno was supposed to start back in Week 3, but Leaf was compelled to return after Moreno sustained a shoulder injury. Leaf missed the next five games due to a sprained wrist. In November, he explicitly predicted that the Chargers would cut him off early in the season, but later this month, reports claimed Leaf lied about his wrist injury to get out of practice and play golf instead.

Leaf was swapped mid-game against the Miami Dolphins on Week 11, November 12. Leaf threw an interception in his fourth snap, led to a touchdown drive in the Chargers' next game, and left the game with nearly a minute to go after strained a hamstring on a scramble. This game was the first match since three quarterbacks on the same team – in this case, Leaf, Moreno, and Jim Harbaugh – all scored an interception in a single game. The Chargers lost the game 38–37, with Leaf finishing 13 of 27 passes and setting career single-game highs in quarterback rating (111.8), passing yards (311), and passing touchdowns (3). The Chargers won their first game over the Kansas City Chiefs on November 26, 17-16, after an 0–11 start. After Leaf's two touchdowns to Freddie Jones, the Chargers took the lead early in the second quarter, but the offense was forced to play late in the game, due to two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.

With four more picks against the San Francisco 49ers on December 3, Leaf will play poorly again against the San Francisco 49ers on December 3, and with just 9 of 23 passes completed in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens on December 10. In a December 17 loss to the Carolina Panthers, he recovered with 23 of 43 passes for 259 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Leaf completed a 10-yard pass to Curtis Conway on the Chargers' final drive, but it was over two minutes remaining in the game. On first down, however, a miscommunication between Leaf and running back Jermaine Fazande resulted in a fumble and 8-yard loss, which was followed by a penalty that culminated in a fourth down and a goal 10 yards from the end zone, and Leaf's fourth down pass was incomplete. On the first game of the season, Leaf made a 71-yard touchdown pass to Jeff Graham on the first play from scrimmage, but San Diego defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-21. Leaf completed 15 of 29 passes for 171 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 intercept, as well as a fumble of his last snap in the game. Leaf completed 51% (161 of 322) of his passes for 1,883 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions in the 2000 season.

The Chargers introduced Leaf on February 28, 2001, after finishing the season with a disastrous 1–15 record. He played in three seasons with the Chargers, winning only four of 18 games as a starter and 33 interceptions.

Leaf was claimed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on March 2, 2001, two days after the Chargers had released him, and they were eager to continue to develop him more slowly, giving him time to watch and learn. Leaf's wrist had yet to recover, and doctors advised surgery. Following poor preseason results, he was offered demotion to fourth quarterback status on the team and accept a lower salary. He denied and was released on September 3, five days before the 2001 season began.

He had hoped for a comeback with the Dallas Cowboys, but he failed his first physical and was released on September 5. The Cowboys signed Quincy Carter after a regular starter suffered from an injury, and the Cowboys signed Leaf on October 12. After being in only four games, the Cowboys cut him in May 2002, he was suspended for a total of 494 yards with just one touchdown and three interceptions.

He had a second shot when the Seattle Seahawks signed him to a one-year deal, promising to let him grow slowly (as the Buccaneers did) to allow his injured wrist time to recover. He attended the team's spring minicamps and was enthusiastic about his new team but then abruptly resigned at the age of 26 right before the Seahawks' 2002 training camp, giving no explanation at first. Mike Holmgren, the Seahawks' head coach and general manager, told the media Leaf's wrist was not bothered with either the Cowboys or the Seahawks.

Leaf appeared in 25 games and made 21 starts during his brief career in the NFL. He completed 317 of 655 (48.4%) passes for 3,666 yards, with 14 touchdowns and 36 interceptions and a career quarterback rating of 50.0. Rodney Harrison, one of Leaf's most outspoken critics of the Chargers, said of his retirement, "He took the money and ran." I could never sleep well at night if my career ended like this. You get what you put into it, and he's pretty much got back what you put into it" despite the fact that he invested in it.

Leaf was number one on ESPN's list of the top sports flops from 1979 to 2004. Michael Ventre, a NBC Sports analyst, called him "the biggest bust in the history of professional sports." Since Leaf's retirement, writers, editors, and commentators have characterized subsequent drafted NFL quarterbacks as "the next Ryan Leaf." Leaf became the most popular NFL quarterback of all time in 2010, with Drew Brees as the team's only good, and eventually (after it appeared that Brees himself will be a draft bust) Philip Rivers.

In 2011, Deadspin named Leaf as the country's sixth worst NFL player of all time, meaning "To call Leaf a bust is unfair to the Blair Thomases and David Carrs of the world."

Leaf was a "1 Seed" in Dish Network's 2015 "Greatest NFL Bust Bracket" in which he was a "1 Seed" alongside fellow busts JaMarcus Russell, Tony Mandarich, and David Carr.

Johnny Manziel's drug use was like "looking in the mirror," according to Leaf, who said it was like "looking in the mirror" and that the only difference was that Leaf's substance abuse problems occurred after he retired. Manziel would be able to get the assistance he needs, according to Leaf. Archie Manning told Leaf that the Chargers treated Leaf's father before the 2004 NFL Draft. Leaf said that his father, who told Archie that the team did not help him, was one of the reasons why Peyton's brother Eli Manning compelled the Chargers to trade him to the New York Giants that year, despite accepting responsibility for his poor behavior and play.

NFL career statistics

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