The 25 Worst NFL Contracts of All Time

From Aaron Rodgers becoming the highest-paid player in the league at $110 million over five years to Matt Ryan's head-scratcher of an extension to Joe Flacco turning his Super Bowl XLVII victory into big bucks (like 120 million of 'em), we saw one lucrative deal after another this offseason. While these moves are a sign of the ever-deepening pockets of owners around the NFL, it's just further proof that the folks in the front office will never learn from the mistakes of the past. For every promising player who breaks the franchise's bank and makes the team look like geniuses, there's plenty of guys, like JaMarcus Russell and Albert Haynesworth, who were never able to live up to the hype or expectations.

We take a look at the guys who disappointed beyond belief and probably leave loyal fans cringing at the mere mention of their name. Actually, let's give it a try. Hey Chargers fans...Ryan Leaf! Yup, there it is. With plenty of appearances by the Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders—blame your owners, past and present, not us!—here are The 25 Worst NFL Contracts of All Time.

RELATED: The 25 Worst Contracts in Sports History
RELATED: What Happened to Ryan Leaf

25. Donovan McNabb

Year: 2010
Contract: 5 years, $78 million ($40 million guaranteed)
Team: Washington Redskins

When the Washington Redskins gave a contract extension to Donovan McNabb worth $78 million and nearly $40 million guaranteed in the middle of the 2010 regular season, he was having his worst year ever. While he was on pace to eclipse the 4,000-yard mark for the first time in his career, his touchdown-interception ratio and practically every other statistical category was abysmal. At nearly 34 years old, it was probably time for the 'Skins to go in another direction and think toward the future, but instead, they handed McNabb a lucrative deal that he was not going to live up to.

One month later, head coach Mike Shanahan demoted Donovan to third string while making Rex Grossman the team's starting quarterback because that makes a whole lot of sense. But Shanahan and the rest of the front office making completely idiotic decisions aren't anything new, just look how they handled the whole RGIII injury situation.

24. Peerless Price

Year: 2003
Contract: 7 years, $37.5 million ($10 million guaranteed)
Team: Atlanta Falcons

At 5'11" and 190 pounds, Peerless Price wasn't going to be the dynamic receiver that the Atlanta Falcons needed at the time. Everybody knew it. But that didn't stop the Falcons from attempting to make a splash and landing Price with an offer he couldn't refuse. In his first season with Atlanta, Peerless did put up some decent numbers (64 receptions, 838 yards, 3 TDs), but it wasn't worth the money invested by the Falcons or comparable to his numbers the previous year with the Bills (94 catches, 1,252 yards, 9 TDs). The following year, Price got worse and was released by the Falcons the ensuing offseason. Let this be a lesson to all the NFL GMs out there, beware of the contract year.

23. Tommy Kelly

Year: 2008
Contract: 7 years, $50.5 million ($18.125 million guaranteed)
Team: Oakland Raiders

Look, we know Tommy Kelly had one good season in 2010 with the black and silver, but that just isn't fair enough compensation for someone who was given the largest contract for a defensive tackle at the time. Still, it's not entirely the Raiders' fault for believing in Kelly. Prior to the 2006 season, Oakland's defensive tackle Ed Jasper admitted that Kelly could be great if he fully realized his talents. So, basically, the Raiders were duped into believing the hype. Well, what's new, right?

22. Scott Mitchell

Year: 1997
Contract: 4 years, $21 million ($8 million guaranteed)
Team: Detroit Lions

Remember when a couple of franchises got tricked into thinking Matt Flynn was a hot commodity after one great game as Aaron Rodgers' replacement with the Packers in 2011? Well, that should be called "pulling a Scott Mitchell." Back in 1993, Mitchell replaced an injured Dan Marino for seven games and played reasonably well. So well, in fact, that the Detroit Lions rewarded him with a nice $11 million deal over three years. The year before his deal came to an end, Mitchell posted mediocre numbers (3,484 yards, 17 touchdowns, 17 interceptions) but was still given an even bigger contract that offseason.

In 1998, Mitchell was replaced after only two games where he struggled mightily. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that his running back from the previous couple years announced his retirement. You may know his name, it's Barry Sanders.

21. Alvin Harper

Year: 1995
Contract: 4 years, $10.66 million
Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

What could've possibly been worse than those dreadful orange and creme-colored Tampa Bay Buccaneers jerseys? How about Alvin Harper's tenure as a member of the Buccaneers? In an attempt to make a splash on the free agent market, Tampa Bay opened up their checkbooks for Harper and his return was absolutely pitiful. In two seasons, the wide receiver started 20 games and scored three touchdowns. Three. After his career-high numbers with the Cowboys in 1994, Harper's numbers dipped every season thereafter and the Bucs were the lucky recipients.

20. Derrick Dockery

Year: 2007
Contract: 7 years, $49 million ($18 million guaranteed)
Team: Buffalo Bills

When Derrick Dockery signed with the Buffalo Bills in the 2007 offseason, he was considered a promising offensive lineman for years to come. Maybe this deal wouldn't have made the list if it weren't for the fact that the Bills gave him the third-highest contract at the position. We're not a GM, but giving an O-lineman so many years never sounds like a good idea to us. It's a gritty position where only a select few actually have long productive years while most of them just flame out sooner rather than later.

19. Larry Brown

Year: 1996
Contract: 5 years, $12.5 million ($3.5 million guaranteed)
Team: Oakland Raiders

Even though the lyrics have a political connotation to them, Public Enemy said it best: "Don't believe the hype." That's exactly what the Oakland Raiders should've done instead of throwing a five-year, $12.5 million deal at Larry Brown after he had the best season of his career.

In 1995, Brown had six interceptions and two touchdowns, but what really had Raiders owner Al Davis foaming at the mouth was when the cornerback received Super Bowl XXX MVP after picking off the Steelers' Neil O'Donnell twice. After inking the new contract, Brown went AWOL. Like, a "put his face on a milk carton"-type of disappearance. In two seasons with Oakland, Brown started one game and had one interception.

18. Daryl Gardener

Year: 2003
Contract: 7 years, $34.8 million ($5 million guaranteed)
Team: Denver Broncos

At the time, the Denver Broncos needed a presence in the middle of their defensive line. Daryl Gardener was the answer. Or so they thought. After inking a huge deal, Gardener was all smiles at the press conference, which you can see in the image above, but after that moment, he made the organization's life a living hell. Gardener was suspended twice for "conduct detrimental to the team." The Broncos waived him in 2003, but that didn't mean they heard the last of him. Denver eventually needed to reach an undisclosed agreement with Gardener after he tried to recoup a portion of his $5 million signing bonus.

17. Dana Stubblefield

Year: 1998
Contract: 6 years, $36 million ($8 million guaranteed)
Team: Washington Redskins

From 1997-2000, Stubblefield played with the Redskins and recorded a measly seven sacks in three seasons. And you know what was probably the greatest highlight of that three-year span? When Stubblefield made his acting debut in the film Reindeer Games and accidentally knocked out Ben Affleck.

Sidebar: Affleck is playing Batman and can't take a punch. FOH with that casting! Yeah, we're still mad about it.

16. Jerry Porter

Year: 2008
Contract: 6 years, $30 million ($10 million guaranteed)
Team: Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars should've known something was up when the Raiders decided to pass on resigning Jerry Porter. Instead, they went with the whole "one man's trash is another man's treasure" philosophy and ended up with a wide receiver who was straight-up garbage. In 10 games, Porter caught six passes and scored one touchdown. Porter was released by the Jags one year into his six-year deal. In case you're wondering, Oakland didn't end up making a better decision by going with someone other than Porter that offseason, as you'll find out soon enough.

15. Brandon Lloyd

Year: 2006
Contract: 6 years, $30 million ($10 million guaranteed)
Team: Washington Redskins

What may piss off Redskins fans more than spending so much money on Brandon Lloyd is that dude turned into a legit receiver after leaving D.C. In his two seasons with the 'Skins, Lloyd caught 25 passes and scored zero touchdowns. Oh wait, did he score one? Nope, not even one trip to the endzone. Might we add that since 2010, Lloyd has scored 20 TDs. You hear that? It's every Redskins fan saying, "Are you fucking kidding me?!" Well...yeah...we kid you not.

14. David Boston

Year: 2003
Contract: 7 years, $47 million ($12 million guaranteed)
Team: San Diego Chargers

David Boston had the potential to be a great receiver. However, off-the-field matters can kill a player's career. After an impressive 2001 campaign with the Arizona Cardinals in which he caught 98 passes for 1,598 yards and eight touchdowns, it looked like Boston was coming into his own and letting his play do the talking. With that mindset, the San Diego Chargers rewarded him with a huge seven-year, $47 million deal.

Soon, the Chargers realized that his attitude issues never left. Boston became a problem with coaches and teammates, so the Bolts traded him away after only one season to the Miami Dolphins. Prior to the 2004 season, Boston was caught using PEDs and suspended for four games, but torn ligaments in his knee kept him out for the entire season. Boston was never able to reach his potential again.

13. Deion Sanders

Year: 2000
Contract: 7 years, $53 million ($8.5 million guaranteed)
Team: Washington Redskins

Looking back at Deion Sanders' time with the Redskins, there's one good thing that came out of it: this suit. Other than that, nothing else really comes to mind. Sure, he had four interceptions and two fumble recoveries, but at 34, the Redskins were out of their mind if they thought Deion was worthy of a seven-year, $53 million contract. But, as 'Skins fans know all too well, bad financial decisions are what this organization is all about. Luckily, Sanders did the franchise a favor and retired after one season instead of letting the torture last for six more years.

12. Shaun Alexander

Year: 2006
Contract: 8 years, $62 million ($15 million guaranteed)
Team: Seattle Seahawks

After an incredible 2005 season where he ran for 1,880 yards, scored 27 touchdowns, and was named NFL MVP, Shaun Alexander deserved a lucrative deal. In the ensuing offseason, Alexander received a huge contract, in the form of $62 million over eight years with $15 million guaranteed. Now, whether it was that the Seahawks let their highly effectively left guard Steve Hutchinson go to the Vikings or a case of the Madden curse, Alexander's production fell off dramatically to the point that he never eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark again. In the first year of his new contract, injuries played a role and Alexander was sidelined with a broken foot in Week 3. It was the beginning of the end for what seemed like a very promising career.

11. Sam Bradford

Year: 2011
Contract: 6 years, $78 million ($50 million guaranteed)
Team: St. Louis Rams

You may be thinking, why the hell is Sam Bradford on this list? And our response to that is, numbers don't lie. Even though Bradford is only 25 and has plenty of football left in his career, so far, things haven't looked good. His overall record as the Rams' starting quarterback is 15-26-1, he's proven so far to be average at best and nowhere near deserving of the last lucrative guaranteed money deal for a rookie before the new CBA rules kicked in.

Aaron Rodgers' new $110 million contract is $15 million less than what Bradford received and A-Rod (the clean one!) is the best QB in the game. Luckily, the Rams can finally consider whether or not to keep Bradford as their cap hit would be $10.2 million, which is a bargain because it would've cost the franchise $23.3 million if they released him after last season.

10. Adam Archuleta

Year: 2006
Contract: 7 years, $30 million ($10 million guaranteed)
Team: Washington Redskins

Adam Archuleta was living the life in the 2006-07 season with the Redskins. In his only year as a member of the 'Skins, Archuleta was the highest-paid safety in the league, earning $5.6 million and did damn near nothing to earn it. With only 49 tackles and one sack, Archuleta probably made Washington a real attractive place for players in the NFL. These dudes could phone it in and make bank. Life isn't fair.

9. Jevon Kearse

Year: 2004
Contract: 8 years, $66 million ($16 million guaranteed)
Team: Philadelphia Eagles

In 2004, the Philadelphia Eagles rewarded Jevon Kearse with a freakish amount of money, making him—at the time—the highest-paid defensive end in the NFL. In the first two years of the deal, Kearse had decent numbers which were slightly under his usual stat line, recording 7.5 sacks in 2004 and 2005, respectively. The Eagles also competed in a Super Bowl XXXIX during that span, where they lost in a heart-breaker to the Patriots, 24-21.

After that '05 season, The Freak's career suffered a radical decline which started with an injury that doctors initially believed to be career-ending. He had surgery to fix a lateral meniscus tear and a fractured fibia. The doctors were right, Kearse was never the same.

8. Ryan Leaf

Year: 1998
Contract: 4 years, $31.25 million ($11.25 million guaranteed)
Team: San Diego Chargers

This list would not be complete without Ryan Leaf. Sure, the deal wasn't lucrative but even if the Chargers gave Leaf a pack of gum for his "services" that still would've been too much. The guy was awful on the field and a mess off it. As for the money given to him, a lot of it probably went to his many post-NFL career lawyer fees which included defending him for burglary, theft and drug charges, burglary and theft again as well as two counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and "behavior that violated conditions of his drug treatment placement." Just to name a few.

7. LeCharles Bentley

Year: 2006
Contract: 6 years, $35 million ($12.5 million guaranteed)
Team: Cleveland Browns

OK, some would say it's a little unfair to put LeCharles Bentley on this list since his career was ended early because of a slew of injuries, but the team did pay a whole lot of money to a guy that didn't play a single game. On the first play of training camp with the Cleveland Browns, Bentley ruptured a patellar tendon, leading to numerous staph infections and, at one point, doctors even considered amputating his leg. After 682 days off the field, Bentley finally returned but never hit the field as a member of his hometown team. While you can't help but feel bad for Bentley, there's nothing like $16 million to wipe the tears away, huh?

On July 22, 2010, Bentley was seeking at least $25,000 in a lawsuit against the Browns for letting him rehab in a facility where other members of the team had staph infections. Two years later, the case nearly went to U.S. Supreme Court, but LeCharles and the organization reached a confidential settlement.

6. Javon Walker

Year: 2008
Contract: 6 years, $55 million ($16 million guaranteed)
Team: Oakland Raiders

Remember when we told you that the Raiders went with someone else other than resigning Jerry Porter in 2008? This was the guy. And not only did they choose to go with Javon Walker, but they handed him an absolute absurd amount of money. For a player who only hit the 1,000 receiving yard mark twice in his previous six years, it didn't make much sense to pay him like a No. 1. And surprise, surprise, Walker didn't pan out. He played in only eight games and caught one touchdown pass. The following season, Walker competed, er, appeared, um, was alive in three games and posted no statistics whatsoever. For all his troubles, Javon received $21 million. All the blue collar workers out there gotta be pissed right now. Sorry.

5. Daunte Culpepper

Year: 2003
Contract: 10 years, $102 million ($16 million guaranteed)
Team: Minnesota Vikings

Following a remarkable 2004 season where he threw for 4,717 yards with 39 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions, Daunte Culpepper was rewarded by the Minnesota Vikings with an incredibly expensive contract. With a $102 million dollar contract to his name, Culpepper started playing on the field as if he didn't have a care in the world. In his first two games under the new deal, Culpepper threw eight picks and not a single TD. Culpepper seemed to be turning it around a bit in subsequent games but then in Week 7, he tore his ACL, PCL and MCL, and was placed on the injured reserve.

Backup Brad Johnson filled in quite nicely in Daunte's absence, putting his starting job in jeopardy. After only one season with the Vikes, Culpepper requested a trade or release. He was dealt to the Dolphins for a second-rounder. And much like the elderly folks that start a life in the Sunshine State, Culpepper was practically all but forgotten.

4. JaMarcus Russell

Year: 2007
Contract: 6 years, $68 million ($31.5 million guaranteed)
Team: Oakland Raiders

In a draft which consisted of future big-name talents, like Calvin Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Darrelle Revis, and Patrick Willis, it was JaMarcus Russell that went No. 1. Is it the Raiders' fault for taking a quarterback with a tremendous arm and size. Not really. *ducks*

In his brief tenure with the Raiders, Russell was never able to find success on a consistent basis. In his 25 starts with the Raiders, Russell went 7-18. It was a brutal run for the Raiders who couldn't shake themselves of Russell's terrorizing contract. In fact, JaMarcus received a cool $3 million just to avoid a trip to the courts two months ago. The nightmare just never ends. However, as bad as Russell's contract is, it isn't the worst in Raiders history. That dubious honor belongs to...

3. DeAngelo Hall

Year: 2008
Contract: 7 years, $70 million ($24.5 million guaranteed)
Team: Oakland Raiders

If you're going to give a cornerback a lucrative contract, like $70 million over seven years, you would think that player would know how to adapt to the team's man-to-man style of defense, or at the very least, not get regularly beaten by opposing receivers. You know, the expectations of your everyday NFL corner. After eight games with the Raiders, DeAngelo Hall was cut by the team for those aforementioned reasons. Oakland ended up paying Hall $1 million for each game he played in ($8 million total). DeAngelo made off with a cool milli once a week while you're underpaid at your job, so...

2. Albert Haynesworth

Year: 2009
Contract: 7 years, $100 million ($41 million guaranteed)
Team: Washington Redskins

In a long list of terrible contracts by the Washington Redskins, this is the worst of them all. Following an impressive 2008-09 season with the Tennessee Titans where Albert Haynesworth had 75 tackles and 8.5 sacks, teams were aggressive in trying to land the hot defensive commodity. In fact, according to ESPN's John Clayton, "at least" six teams offered Haynesworth as much as $30 million in guaranteed money. In a matter of hours, the defensive tackle went with the Redskins. The 'Skins won the Haynesworth sweepstakes, or at least, that's what they thought.

The following season, Haynesworth became an incredible nuisance for the organization. He refused to participate in offseason workouts, failed a fitness test, repeatedly feuded with the coaching staff and even called out defensive coordinator Greg Blache after being sent home by head coach Jim Zorn for disciplinary reasons. In his two seasons with Washington, Haynesworth had only 6.5 sacks, a far cry from what the team was hoping for when they signed him to the lucrative deal. On July 28, 2011, Haynesworth was sent packing to the New England Patriots for a fifth-round pick.

1. Michael Vick

Year: 2004; 2011
Contract: 10 years, $130 million ($37 million guaranteed); 6 years, $100 million ($36 million guaranteed)
Team: Atlanta Falcons; Philadelphia Eagles

Does it get much worse than forking over a $100+ million contract and having it blow up in the franchise's face? Yes, yes it does. How about having a player receive two different $100+ million contracts from two different teams? At the end of the 2004 season, Michael Vick was rewarded with a new contract worth $130 million over 10 years and owner Arthur Blank said he wanted the dual-threat quarterback to be "a Falcon for life." Three years later, Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison for his involvement in a dog fighting ring and subsequently suspended indefinitely by the NFL. While the Falcons did try to recover some of the money they lost through a breach of contract claim, they still had to pay up $35 million.

After he was released from prison, Vick signed a one-year deal with the Eagles worth $1.6 million on August 13, 2009. Two years later, at 31 years old, Vick agreed to yet another nine-figure contract. This time around, Vick inked a six-year, $100 million deal. Since the new agreement, Vick led the team to an under .500 record (10-13) before he went down with a concussion in a Week 10 match-up against the Cowboys. On February 13, 2013, Vick agreed to a newly restructured deal which could pay him "up to" $10 million a year through a variety of incentives, but it also could make him a free agent after the 2013 season.