The NFL is full of extremely talented athletes. Even if you're a bench player, you're among the top one percent of athletes in the world. But even in a room among the best athletes on Earth, some standout out above the rest. But unfortunately, some of those players who look like future stars never quite pan out.
Today we're going to be talking about the biggest '"what ifs" in NFL history. Whether their career was derailed by injuries or off the field issues, here are the top 10 players I wish were able to finish out their careers and show their true potential.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick scrambles in the first quarter away from Dallas Cowboys Al Singleton at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, Saturday, December 16, 2006. Ron Jenkins/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT ATLANTA GA USA EDITORIAL USE ONLY Copyright: xx 1038498 RONxJENKINSx krtphotoslive237040
During his time with the Atlanta Falcons , Michael Vickwas the most dynamic player in the NFL. He was a solid passer, but he changed the way the quarterback position is played with his legs. In 2006, he set the NFL record for most rushing yards in a season by a quarterback with 1,039, but after that, he was arrested for sponsoring a dog fighting ring. He served two years in prison before returning to the NFL in 2009. He revived his career in Philadelphia, but everyone will always wonder what kind of records he could've set if he played throughout the entirety of his prime.
Everyone remembers Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharp, but his brother, Sterling Sharp, was probably the better of the two. When Shannon was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he echoed the same statement, saying he's probably the only person in the Hall of Fame who isn't even the best football player in his own family.
If that doesn't tell you enough about Sterling, let his stats do the talking. He played seven years in the NFL from 1988 to 1994 and put up 8,134 yards and 65 touchdowns. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro, and after a long wait, he finally got inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2025.
Is it a little crazy to call a Hall of Famer a what if? Probably, but Sterling Sharp could've gone down as one of the best receivers to ever play the game if it weren't for a freak neck injury that ended his career prematurely.
Sharp was only 29 years old when he was forced to hang it up. He easily could've played high-level football for 5+ more years and added another 7,000+ yards to his total, which would've put him around 15,000 yards. And that's on the conservative side. Sharp likely would've finished his career top-10 in yards and touchdowns if it weren't for his neck injury. That's why he's on this list despite being a Hall of Famer.
Justin Blackmonlooked like one of the most can't-miss prospects in NFL history. In his final two years in college, Blackmon recorded 232 receptions for 3,304 yards and 38 touchdowns. The Jacksonville Jaguars selected him fifth overall, and he had a solid rookie season, catching 64 passes for 865 yards and five scores, but it all went downhill from there.
Blackmon violated the NFL's substance abuse policy multiple times and was arrested four times from 2010 to 2015. He received a four-game suspension at the start of the 2013 season, and played just four games that year for the Jags before he was indefinitely suspended by the NFL in November of 2013. He hasn't played a single snap in the league since then. Just imagine what he could've become if he stayed out of trouble off the field.
Carolina Panthers against the Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III 10 warms-up prior to the game against the Carolina Panthers at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland on Sunday, November 4, 2012. The Panthers won the game 21 – 13..Credit: Ron Sachs / CNP EDITORIAL USE ONLY Copyright: xx x cnpphotos041417
You can't talk about biggest "what ifs" without mentioning Robert Griffin III. The former Heisman Trophy winner was the second pick in the 2012 draft, and he had a stellar rookie year, throwing for 3,200 yards and 20 touchdowns with five interceptions while adding 815 yards and seven scores with his legs. He even led the Washington Redskins to the playoffs as a rookie, but he suffered a gruesome knee injury in the closing minutes of their Wild Card matchup, which changed the course of his career.
RGIII tore his ACL, LCL (which was already sprained) and meniscus. He was able to rehab in time for the start of the 2013 season, but he was never the same. Over his next two years with Washington, RGIII threw for 4,897 yards, 2o touchdowns and 18 interceptions while rushing for 665 yards and a score. He was eventually benched and released before signing with the Browns.
After an incredible rookie season, everyone was excited to see RGIII bring the Redskins back to relevance, but his career was cut short because they refused to sit him with a sprained LCL.
Todd Gurleywas a special talent. He came into the league in 2015 and immediately totaled nearly 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns, and it was only up from there. He played six years in the NFL, totaling 8,336 yards and 79 touchdowns, and that's counting 2019 and 2020 where he was really battling through injuries.
At his peak, he was a two-time First-Team All-Pro and a three-time Pro Bowler, but like so many players, his career was cut short due to injuries. He battled through chronic arthritis in his left knee, which stemmed from an ACL tear in college, and was forced to retire at 26 years old.
Let's say he played at a high level until age 30, which is the number everyone says running backs fall off at. If you take his career averages (which are already heavily deflated by his final two seasons), he would've ended his career with 10,136 rushing yards, 3,756 receiving yards and 132 total touchdowns.
He could've been an all-time great, but his knee just couldn't hold on.
Terrell Davis'peak was as good as pretty much anyone's. He played four full seasons in his career, in which he totaled 6,413 rushing yards (1,603 per season) and 56 touchdowns (14 per season). That included a 2,008-yard season in 1998, where he also won Super Bowl MVP.
Unfortunately for Davis, he suffered a torn ACL and MCL early in the 1999 season, and he was never the same. After that injury, he played just two more years in the NFL, where he rushed for 983 yards and two touchdowns before retiring. He's another guy that's in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but he absolutely deserves to be on this list. If he stayed healthy, he could've been in the discussion for the greatest running back off all-time.
Bo Jacksonis probably the most gifted athlete in NFL history. This guy could do everything on the football field, but he hardly even played. In four seasons from 1987-1990, Jackson played a total of 38 games, where he rushed for 2,782 yards and 16 touchdowns. His career ended in a 1991 playoff game, when he suffered a major hip injury, which led to avascular necrosis and caused him to get a hip replacement. It's hard to believe, but Jim Harbaugh– yes, the Chargers coach – retired with more rushing yards than Bo Jackson.
Most of you reading this never got to see Jackson play (myself included), but just watch his highlights on YouTube. I don't now if there's ever been a better athlete to play in the NFL. NFL Throwback's YouTube channel has a 12-minute video of his career highlights, and that's just from four seasons. It's a shame we didn't get to see more than four seasons out of him.
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Sean Taylorwas an absolute animal. He only played four seasons, but he built a reputation as the most feared defender in the league, racking up 302 tackles, 12 interceptions and eight forced fumbles. But the stats don't tell the whole story. The film does.
He was on pace to be a first ballot Hall of Famer one day, but he was tragically shot and killed in front of his home at the age of 24. We'll never know what would've come of his career, but we all know it would've been a treat to watch.
Andrew Luckhas to be the biggest "what if" at the quarterback position we've ever seen. He came into the league and dominated from the jump, throwing for 4,000+ yards and in four of his five healthy seasons. In seven years, Luck played 86 games and threw for a total of 23,671 yards and 171 touchdowns. He was on pace to become one of the greatest quarterbacks of his generation, but at age 29, he surprised the world by announcing his retirement just weeks before the start of the 2018 season.
Luck's body just couldn't take it. He was sacked 174 times in his career, and hit a whole lot more than that. He was constantly injured, missing 26 games in his short career, and it caused him to fall out of love with the game of football. He did what few other athletes have done: prioritized his health over the game of football.
Andrew Luck was destined to be an all-time great, but once again, injuries stood in the way.
This may be controversial, but Josh Gordonis my biggest "what if." He was so incredibly talented, but he just couldn't get out of his own way. As a rookie, Gordon caught 50 passes for 805 yards and five scores, but he really exploded onto the scene as a sophomore with a league-leading 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns with Jason Campbell, Brandon Weedenand Brian Hoyerthrowing him the football.
But as I said before, he couldn't get out of his own way. From 2014 to 2017, Gordon played just 10 games for the Browns due to multiple suspensions for substance abuse. After his tenure in Cleveland came to an end, Gordon bounced around the league for a few years, but was never able to replicate the same success. Gordon was suspended a total of six times and missed over 50 games in his career.
Gordon was 6-foot-3 and could absolutely fly. He was a physical specimen, and he showed the entire league what he was capable of in 2013. But underneath, he was really struggling, and instead of trying to help him, the league kept kicking him while he was down.
