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Ryan Leaf

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Football Player

The Resume

    (May 15, 1976- )
    Attended Washington State University
    3rd place for the Heisman Trophy (1997)
    Drafted #2 overall in the 1998 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers
    Played for the San Diego Chargers (1998, 2000) and the Dallas Cowboys (2001)
    4-14 with the Chargers

Why he might be annoying:

    He, like many other football players, entered the NFL with only three years of college experience.
    He was a virtual unknown until his last year in college.
    There is a sub-site of Washington State's website dedicated to his Heisman Trophy attempt.
    Stats of his college career prior to 1997 are hard to find.
    In 1997, he threw like Dan Marino but also ran like him, rushing for -54 yards on 72 attempts.
    He rushed for -44 yards on 10 attempts in the only game he lost in his final season (vs Arizona State, November 1, 1997).
    On the day he was drafted into the NFL, he said, 'I'm looking forward to a 15-year career, a couple of trips to the Super Bowl and a parade through downtown San Diego' (1998).
    Peyton Manning was drafted before him and is having a great career.
    In his rookie season with the Chargers (1998), he threw two touchdowns, with 45.3% completion and 15 interceptions.
    He cursed out Chargers officials after failing to complete a weight room session.
    He refused to sleep in his dorm room at training camp,
    He verbally harassed beat writer Jay Posner to the point where teammate Junior Seau was forced to restrain him.
    During the 1999 season, instead of healing his wrist, he was out playing golf.
    His comeback in 2000 with the Chargers was a dismal failure, throwing 11 touchdowns against 18 interceptions.
    The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed him but let him go quickly (2001).
    He played 4 games with The Cowboys who let him go after the 2001 season.
    He was picked up by Seattle Seahawks but didn't show for training camp and instead announced his retirement at 26 (July 26, 2002).
    Two days prior to his retirement, he won a $1,038.20 trifecta at San Diego's Del Mar Racetrack. He couldn't remember his social security number and got into a verbal confrontation with the window clerk.
    Chargers safety Rodney Harrison said 'He took the money and ran. Personally, I could never rest good at night knowing my career ended like that. You could give me all the money in the world-where's the peace of mind?'
    It is rumored, his high school removed all his trophies from their trophy case.
    ESPN selected him as the #1 biggest flop of the last 25 years in sports (2004).
    He was arrested for stealing prescription painkillers following a month long investigation; evidence suggested he had stolen painkillers in the past (March 30, 2012).

Why he might not be annoying:

    In his final season at Washington State University, he was 10-1 with 55.99% completions for 3,637 yards, 33 touchdowns (1997)
    The week after his lone 1997 loss, he led the Cougars to a 77-7 trouncing of Southwest Louisiana (November 1, 1997).
    The San Diego Chargers wanted him so much that they traded two first round picks, a second round pick and three time All Pro safety Eric Metcalf, so they could draft him.
    The Chargers gave him an $11,250,000 signing bonus.
    He was big and physically intimidating for a quarterback, at 6'5' and 235 pounds.
    He always spoke his mind.
    His Seattle teammate Trent Dilfer said of Leaf's retirement, 'Ryan seems at peace with (his decision). This isn't a profession where you should make decisions based on what other people are telling you you should do. I think he found his time, he wasn't feeling well and I think he'd had enough.'
    Because of his poor performance he is one of the most famous quarterbacks in recent history.

Credit: Freedom Rock


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 22 Votes: 68.18% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 11 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 22 Votes: 63.64% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 6 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 25 Votes: 56.00% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 43 Votes: 67.44% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 120 Votes: 77.50% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 35 Votes: 68.57% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 78 Votes: 64.10% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 71 Votes: 66.20% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 113 Votes: 76.11% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 182 Votes: 77.47% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 319 Votes: 76.49% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 296 Votes: 69.93% Annoying
    In 2004, Out of 370 Votes: 70.54% Annoying