They're found all over the field, but highly touted quarterback flops lead the pack.
In the NFL, All-Pro money doesn't always go to All-Pro players. More than anyone, these 10 haven't lived up to their billing or contracts over the past three years.
JaMarcus Russell
Oakland Raiders Quarterback
Salary 2007 to 2009: $31.1 million
A classic first-round flop, Russell struggled to a 7-18 three-year record since being picked first overall by the Raiders in 2007, with one of the league's lowest passer ratings. The Raiders cut him loose this summer.
Marc Bulger
St. Louis Rams Quarterback
Salary 2007 to 2009: $31 million
Bulger's 69.9 QB rating ranked 24th in the league last season. Over three years he's thrown for 27 touchdowns against 34 interceptions. With the Rams drafting Sam Bradford this year, Bulger was signed on in Baltimore to back up Joe Flacco.
Reggie Bush
New Orleans Saints Running Back
Salary 2007 to 2009: $27.5 million
The No. 2 pick in 2006 has proved to be a useful situational player, just not the star the Saints paid for. He's started just 27 games over the last three years, never rushing for more than 581 yards in a season. At least the money should dull some of the pain from the NCAA's decision to strip Bush of his 2005 Heisman Trophy, citing improper gifts and money during his Southern Cal days.
Eli Manning
New York Giants Quarterback
Salary 2007 to 2009: $36.9 million
Basically a decent quarterback making premium money thanks to a lucrative extension the Giants offered a year after Manning quarterbacked them to a Super Bowl title in 2007-08. Manning's passer rating has averaged a pedestrian 17th in the NFL over the past three seasons, with one Pro Bowl selection. If not for Giant receiver David Tyree's helmet catch on a desperation heave, Super Bowl XLII would have become just another feather in Tom Brady's cap.
Jay Cutler
Chicago Bears Quarterback
Salary 2007 to 2009: $36.8 million
Similar to Manning, Cutler has collected big money in Denver and Chicago while his passer rating has averaged 16th in the 32-team NFL over the past three years. An up and down quarterback, he's tossed 72 TD passes since 2007, but also 58 interceptions.
Gibril Wilson
Miami Dolphins Safety
Salary 2007 to 2009: $18.3 million
Another recipient of Al Davis largess, Wilson got a six-year, $39 million contract with Oakland in 2008, then was let go after one season. The Dolphins then took a chance on him for five years and $27 million in 2009, but Wilson was again let go after collecting his guaranteed $8 million. He's now with Cincinnati, his fourth team in seven NFL seasons.
Matt Leinart
Arizona Cardinals Quarterback
Salary 2007 to 2009: $17.6 million
Part of a dynamic duo with Bush at USC, Leinart has yet to break through as a pro since Arizona selected him No. 10 overall in 2005. With 11 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions as a career backup, Leinart just signed on with the Houston Texans after Arizona cut him loose at the tail end of the preseason.
Tommy Kelly
Oakland Raiders Defensive Tackle
Salary 2007 to 2009: $22.6 million
Al Davis strikes again--Kelly got $50 million over seven years from the Raiders despite a career that's shown him to be solid on the line, but not a premier pass rusher or Pro Bowler.
Max Starks
Pittsburgh Steelers Offensive Tackle
Salary 2007 to 2009: $20.3 million
Starks has been a durable player since the Steelers drafted him as a third rounder 2004. But he's been in and out of the starting lineup, with no Pro Bowl appearances to his credit.
Deion Branch
Seattle Seahawks Wide Receiver
Salary 2007 to 2009: $18.5 million
A Super Bowl MVP with the Patriots in 2005, Branch held out over salary and forced a trade to the Seahawks in 2006. He's had his moments in Seattle, but injuries and inconsistency have limited him to 500 yards and less than four TDs per season.
The Minnesota Vikings are trying to keep Brett Favre(notes) for one more year by sweetening his paycheck, offering $16 million guaranteed plus incentives potentially worth $4 million more, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Favre was due to make $13 million this season.
Favre started informing people in the league that his ankle isn’t healing as well as he had hoped and he would announce his retirement in a press conference Tuesday, sources told the paper. Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe(notes) said after Tuesday’s practice that Favre had “told a couple of guys on the team that he was going to retire.”
But Vikings coach Brad Childress said he had not heard that from Favre and said the situation remains “fluid.”
Later Tuesday, several reports indicated the Vikings were doing everything they could to convince the future Hall of Fame quarterback to return for a 20th season.
The team’s ownership group was in Mankato, and principal owners Zygi and Mark Wilf spoke with team vice presidents Rick Spielman, Rob Brzezinski and Kevin Warren on the sideline during practice at Minnesota State University, the Star Tribune reports. Discussions between the team and Favre’s camp are expected to continue.
Childress emphasized Tuesday that he is not pressing Favre for a decision and said it could be possible for him to return during the regular season.
Favre had surgery on his ankle in May after posting a 12-4 record and having one of his best seasons in 2009. He turns 41 in October.
For the second time in a year, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (FSY) is being accused of sexual misconduct, with a police investigating him Saturday for an alleged assault at a nightclub in a Georgia college town.
Police in Milledgeville were examining the claim of a 20-year-old student, who told an officer that Roethlisberger sexually assaulted her early Friday. The police department had no plans to comment until at least Monday.
The case comes as Roethlisberger faces a lawsuit filed in July by a woman who says he raped her in 2008 at a Lake Tahoe hotel and casino, an allegation he strongly denies. Roethlisberger, who was not in custody, has not been criminally charged in either case and has claimed counter-damages in the lawsuit.
Still, to hear it on the airwaves in Pittsburgh, this latest situation seems to have shaken fans of the star quarterback, a man who has never hidden the fact he enjoys the nightlife. He has been spotted gambling in Las Vegas and is sometimes seen in public with small groups of friends and bodyguards.
The latest accusation came in downtown Milledgeville, about 85 miles southeast of Atlanta and about 30 miles south of the lake home the player owns. Roethlisberger, who turned 28 on Tuesday, and two or three friends went to Buffington's bar earlier Thursday night to watch the University of Pittsburgh men's college basketball game, said Paul Kurcikevicus, a 24-year-old college student.
He said the group was friendly, at first joking that Roethlisberger was not the NFL player. Kurcikevicus said Roethlisberger bought shots for him and some other people: "O-Bombs," a mixture of energy drink and flavored rum.
The group later went to The Brick restaurant nearby, owner Frank Pendergrast said.
"He was very polite with everybody," Pendergrast said. "He was down here from about 11:30 until about 1:30 having a good time, talking to a lot of people. Looked like he was signing autographs and letting people take pictures. Other than that, it was really uneventful."
Roethlisberger was later seen at Capital City, a popular nightclub for students at Georgia College & State University.
One bar patron, 21-year-old college student Brandon Harris, said he saw Roethlisberger come in with two or three big men who were keeping other club goers away. Harris said the group went into a curtained VIP area in the back of the club, and some women were let inside.
Amber Hanley, a 21-year-old college student, said she and a few friends were also in the VIP area with Roethlisberger. She said she asked the quarterback to take a photo with her friend, whose boyfriend was a fan, but he seemed disappointed that's all she wanted. Hanley said she rolled her eyes, and Roethlisberger called her an expletive and walked away. Later, Roethlisberger was aggressively hitting on another girl, Hanley said.
Deputy Police Chief Richard Malone said Roethlisberger had been with three other people who were mingling with another group that included the alleged victim. Malone said the woman and her party contacted a nearby police officer following the alleged assault.
The nature of the assault was not described, but Malone did say it was being termed a sexual assault.
Roethlisberger and the alleged victim were interviewed and the woman was taken to a hospital, where she was treated and released, Malone said. The woman was not identified by police and The Associated Press does not generally identify possible victims of sexual abuse.
Some fans said the latest allegation made them question Roethlisberger's character.
"At the same time, I can see how someone in his position could be a huge target for somebody looking to make a quick buck or get a settlement out of something," said Chris O'Neill, of Harrison City, Pa. "While I don't think he has the greatest character, I do want to believe in both of these instances that he was wrongfully accused and I hope that's what comes out when the truth is revealed."
Police said Roethlisberger and his attorney were cooperating with investigators.
The player's agent, Ryan Tollner, said in a statement he was skeptical of the motive of the alleged victim in Milledgeville because of the previous Lake Tahoe allegations. Steelers spokesman Dave Lockett said the team was gathering information and had no comment.
As Pittsburgh's first-round draft pick out of Miami of Ohio in 2004, Roethlisberger led the Steelers to Super Bowl victories in 2006 and 2009. He has frequently donated time and money to charities, and his charitable foundation awards a police dog to a department near every Steelers road opponent.
However, with his championships and $102 million contract have come several off-the-field problems. In 2006, he defied his coach's orders and rode his motorcycle without a helmet — and wound up with a concussion, broken jaw and other injuries after a wreck.
And while Roethlisberger has a reputation for patiently signing autographs and posing for pictures while out in public, he also is known for occasionally inelegant behavior in Pittsburgh. Early in his career, he was photographed — obviously after imbibing in alcohol — wearing a T-shirt reading "Drink Like a Champion." Restaurant owners in Pittsburgh have complained he has tried to skip out on bills, arguing he brought business to the establishment.
Fan Julie Muckle of Cranberry Township, Pa., said Roethlisberger was hanging out with the wrong people.
"I'm 24 and if I want to go out to a local bar, I know where I can find him. I feel like he needs to hide himself a little more and be with a better group," Muckle said.
The public largely supported him when he was accused of sexual assault in Nevada. But radio shows in Pittsburgh have been flooded with calls since Friday's allegation — few of them sympathetic, with many wondering if the new case indicates a troubling pattern of behavior.
"As a sports fan, sometimes we compartmentalize how we view players, and my view as Roethlisberger might decline as I learn more about the situation, but I will still respect him and like him as an athlete," said Matthew DiFiore, 20, of Moon Township, Pa. "Off the field, there may be questions coming into my mind about his character."
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry died Thursday morning, a day after falling out of a pickup truck after a domestic disturbance with his fiancee.
He was 26.
Henry, who played five seasons for the Bengals, was a talented but troubled football player whose on-field accomplishments were overshadowed by his off-field problems.
He was once the league's poster boy for bad behavior, with a series of arrests leading to an eight-game suspension at the start of the 2007 season.
But over the last year Henry was said to be turning his personal life around and focusing on his relationship with his fiancee and their three children.
Details are still sketchy about what happened between Henry and his fiancee on Wednesday, but his injuries were described as grave, and he passed away early Thursday
