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The NFL is a quarterback-driven league. Without consistent performers in the position, a team has very little chance of succeeding. However, when a team has a talented signal caller, ensuring he is surrounded by the right pieces is just as important.
Sometimes a bad front office makes bad decisions or owners are unwilling to put more money into the on-field product.
For the league's best quarterbacks, sometimes it is about landing in the right place at the right time. While talent, maturity and work ethic are essential, luck is equally important.
Here are five NFL quarterbacks whose careers suffered due to poor ownership or front-office decisions:
#5 Aaron Rodgers
No one is going to look at the career of Aaron Rodgers and say that he didn't accomplish anything. If his career ends today, he is a first-ballot NFL Hall of Fame quarterback.
But when you look a little closer at his years with the Green Bay Packers, questions arise. Did the franchise do all they could to surround Rodgers with the very best talent? The 10-time Pro Bowler and four-time MVP only has one Super Bowl ring to his name.
For 13 years, Rodgers was coached by Mike McCarthy, whose decision-making was questionable at best. Bringing in Matt LaFluer was a smart decision. But during his tenure with the team, the front office failed to bring in a receiver or offensive weapon to maximize Rodgers' talent.
If Rodgers retires with only one Super Bowl victory to his name, these questions will linger.
#4 Dan Marino
Dan Marino is a legendary quarterback who will be remembered as the most prolific passer of his generation. Although Marino threw for over 61,000 yards and 420 touchdowns, he will always be known for not winning a Super Bowl. He made it to the championship game in his rookie year. In that game, the Miami Dolphins lost 38–16 to Joe Montana's San Francisco 49ers.
Marino's receiving corps were above average, but he never truly played with a game-changer. The Dolphins could never put together a true NFL defense that backed up their Hall of Fame quarterback. As a result, Marino never made it back to the Super Bowl.
#3 Robert Griffin III
In 2012, it looked like Robert Griffin III was going to become the face of the NFL. He won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award and was a mainstay on the weekend highlight reel. However, injuries and poor decision-making on Washington's part ensured he never reached that level again.
The front office and coaching staff made the decision to play an injured Griffin in their 2012 playoff game. A Wild Card round in which they lost 24-14 to the Seattle Seahawks. It caused further damage to his knee, ruining his career just as it was taking off.
#2 David Carr
Has there ever been a worse situation for a quarterback being drafted into the NFL? Drafted first overall in 2002 to be the face of the Houston Texans franchise, Carr's talent and ability was unquestionable. But he could not overcome the terrible decision-making by the Texans front office.
Stuck with a defensive-minded coach in Dom Capers, Carr was under constant pressure. In 2004, Carr was sacked a league-leading 49 times. While he played 11 seasons in the NFL, he could never psychologically and physically recover from his early years.
#1 Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie was never going to be a Hall of Fame NFL quarterback. But he is often remembered as the most talented quarterback to never get a real shot at being the starter.
The Boston College legend's best chance at proving he was capable of being a starter came with the Buffalo Bills in 1998 and 1999. After coming off the bench in 1998 and leading the Bills to the playoffs, Flutie made the Pro Bowl. He looked to have entrenched himself as the starter of the team.
After leading the team to a 10-5 record the following year, Flutie was pulled from his starting position. Right before the playoffs, Bills owner Ralph Wilson dropped him in favor of Rob Johnson. The Bills went on to lose in the famous Music City Miracle game and Flutie's best chance at success was taken away from him.
