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Some of the best players in the NFL have hit the ground running as soon as they were drafted into the league. A recent example of this is Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who in his rookie campaign recorded 1,455 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. This was good enough to set the rookie receiving yard record, beating former LSU teammate Justin Jefferson's record a year earlier.
However, some of the best players in NFL history struggled to adapt early on. They had rough rookie seasons and were likely one bad sophomore campaign from being let go. Through hard work and determination, they found their feet and set the league alight. Here are five such examples.
#1 - Alex Smith
Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith had one of the most dismal rookie seasons in league history. He was selected first overall in the 2005 NFL Draft. Smith only managed to pass for one touchdown against 11 interceptions in his rookie year, starting nine games after dealing with an injury.
Smith recovered from this and played his best football with the Kansas City Chiefs, who he joined in 2013. He would make three Pro Bowls, as well as mentoring Patrick Mahomes.
Smith would suffer a gruesome injury while playing for the Washington Redskins, suffering a spiral and compound fracture to his tibia and fibia. He made a miraculous recovery to the game, winning the NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2020. In his career he threw for 35,650 yards 199 touchdowns and 109 interceptions.
#2 - Terry Bradshaw
Pittsburgh Steelers icon Terry Bradshaw might be a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, but it didn’t always seem like that would be his career trajectory. Bradshaw was the first overall pick in the 1970 NFL Draft, but had a terrible rookie season. The Steelers quarterback passed for six touchdowns, whereas he threw 24 interceptions in just eight starts.
Bradshaw would improve and he would pass for 212 career touchdowns as he won four Super Bowl titles. He was voted into three Pro Bowls and was named into the NFL’s 1970s All-Decade team. He was never afraid to throw the ball and finished his career with an incredible 210 interceptions.
#3 - Brett Favre
Brett Favre is known for his success with the Green Bay Packers. But after being drafted by the Atlanta Falcons, fans wondered if he would make it at all. Favre only attempted four passes during his rookie year in Atlanta, two of which were intercepted. Falcons general manager Jerry Glanville even said it would take a plane crash for him to put Favre in the game.
After being traded to Green Bay, he made 11 Pro Bowls, six All-Pros and three MVP awards. Favre also won a Super Bowl and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016. He threw for 71,838 yards, 508 touchdowns and 336 interceptions in his career.
#4 - Eli Manning
New York Giants legend Eli Manning won two Super Bowls, both against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. But following his rookie year, some fans had serious doubts about his ability. Although Manning played nine games and started seven, he could only pass for six touchdowns against nine interceptions. Manning also only managed to win one out of seven starts, but would improve massively thereafter.
He made four Pro Bowls in his career, as well as setting various quarterback records within the Giants franchise, including passing yards (57,023) and touchdowns (366).
#5 - Steve Young
Hall of Famer Steve Young had a terrible start to his career. Young spent time in the USFL before entering the NFL. He eventually joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and in his rookie season passed for just 935 yards in five games. He recorded just three touchdowns against eight interceptions.
Thankfully for Young, his fortunes would improve when he moved to the San Francisco 49ers. There he would lead the team to one Super Bowl victory and also get another two rings whilst being the backup to Joe Montana. He was also named All-Pro six times and made seven Pro Bowls, as well as leading the NFL in passing touchdowns four times.
In his career he threw for 33,124 yards, 232 touchdowns and 107 interceptions.
