These Are 10 Of The Biggest "What-Ifs" In NFL History
The NFL has seen so much talent over the years, but unfortunately, there's bound to be a number of players who have their careers cut short due to injuries, suspensions, and many other reasons. When these things happen to a player, they get labeled as "what-ifs" because if everything went correctly, they could've been among the best players of all time. These are 10 of the biggest "what-ifs" in NFL history.
10: Tony Boselli, T
1995-2001 | JAX
Tony Boselli is in the Hall of Fame despite playing just six full seasons in the NFL before retiring due to injuries, mainly a shoulder injury. Boselli made the most of his six seasons as he earned three straight All-Pro nods from 1997-1999. He anchored the Jaguars' offensive line and helped them make the AFC Championship in 1999. If Boselli had stayed healthy and continued to play into his thirties, he could've been in the same conversations as linemen like Anthony Munoz, Joe Thomas, and Jonathan Ogden.
Accolades: HOF, 5x Pro Bowl, 3x All-Pro, 1990's All-Decade Team
9: Todd Gurley, RB
2015-2020 | LAR, ATL
It's hard to believe that Todd Gurley is still just 30 years old, but he hasn't played a snap of regular season football since 2020. In a two year stretch from 2017 to 2018, Gurley put up over 3,900 yards from scrimmage and 40 total touchdowns. Gurley was one of the main reasons the Rams got to the Super Bowl in the 2018 season. He won Offensive Player of the Year in 2017 and was the MVP runner-up to Tom Brady. Gurley ultimately developed arthritis in his knee which was from an ACL tear he suffered in college.
Career Stats: 88 G, 1,460 Att, 6,082 Rush Yds, 67 TD, 243 Rec, 2,254 Rec Yds, 12 TD
Best Year (2017): 15 G, 279 Att, 1,305 Rush Yds, 13 TD, 64 Rec, 788 Yds, 6 TD
Accolades: 1x OPOY, 3x Pro Bowl, 2x All-Pro, 2x TD Leader
8: Bob Sanders, S
2004-2011 | IND, SDG
Despite standing at just 5-foot-8, Bob Sanders was one of the hardest-hitting defensive backs of all time. Sanders played eight seasons in the NFL but only played two full seasons in which he made the All-Pro Team both times. He was also named Defensive Player of the Year in 2007. Sanders helped the Colts win the Super Bowl in 2007 against the Bears as he tallied three tackles, an interception, and a forced fumble in the game. The amount of injuries he had to deal with was unbelievable, and it's unfortunate he only got two full seasons.
Career Stats: 50 G, 307 Tackles, 6 INT, 16 PD, 10 TFL
Best Year (2007): 15 G, 97 Tackles, 2 INT, 6 PD, 3.5 Sacks, 6 TFL
Accolades: 1x DPOY, 2x Pro Bowl, 2x All-Pro, 1x SB Champ
7: Terrell Davis, RB
1995-2001 | DEN
Terrell Davis' three-year peak from 1996-1998 was as good as any peak an NFL running back ever had. This stretch included a 2,000 yard rushing season in 1998 which earned him MVP honors as the Broncos won their second consecutive Super Bowl that same year. Davis was unbelievable in the playoffs those two years as he averaged 145.3 yards per game in 1997 and 156.0 yards per game in 1998. Unfortunately in 1999, Davis suffered a torn ACL just a year after his MVP season. This would start a three-year span of injuries which saw Davis play just 17 games in his final three years before retiring in 2001.
Career Stats: 78 G, 1,655 Att, 7,607 Rush Yds, 60 TD, 169 Rec, 1,280 Rec Yds, 5 TD
Best Year (1998): 16 G, 392 Att, 2,008 Rush Yds, 21 TD, 217 Rec Yds, 2 TD
Accolades: HOF, 1x MVP, 2x OPOY, 3x Pro Bowl, 3x All-Pro, 1x Rushing Title, 2x TD Leader, 2x SB Champ, 1x SB MVP, 1990s All-Decade Team
6: Sean Taylor, S
2004-2007 | WAS
Sean Taylor's name is synonymous with tragedy as he passed away from a gunshot wound after his house was broken into in 2007. Taylor was just 24 at the time of his passing and he was already a two-time Pro Bowler and a member of the All-Pro 2nd Team. Taylor hit as hard as anyone in the league and had good coverage skills. He was a nightmare for opposing offenses to go against and he was set to be the heart and soul of Washington's defense for years to come.
Career Stats: 55 G, 305 Tackles, 12 INT, 43 PD, 8 FF, 6 TFL
Best Year (2006): 16 G, 114 Tackles, 1 INT, 7 PD, 3 FF, 1 TFL
Accolades: 2x Pro Bowl
5: Ricky Williams, RB
1999-2011 | NO, MIA, BAL
From 1999-2003, Ricky Williams averaged over 1,600 yards from scrimmage and 9 total touchdowns. In 2004, Williams retired from football before returning in 2005 and after that he served several suspensions due to marijuana use. From ages 27 to 30, he only appeared in 13 games. In 2002, Williams established himself as one of the best running backs in the NFL, leading the league in rushing with the 9-7 Miami Dolphins. If Williams would've just stayed clean, he could've put together many more elite seasons.
Career Stats: 147 G, 2,431 Att, 10,009 Rush Yds, 66 TD, 342 Rec, 2,606 Rec Yds, 8 TD
Best Year (2002): 16 G, 383 Att, 1,853 Rush Yds, 16 TD, 47 Rec, 363 Rec Yds, 1 TD
Accolades: 1x Pro Bowl, 1x All-Pro, 1x Rushing Title
4: Andrew Luck, QB
2012-2018 | IND
Andrew Luck shocked the NFL world when he suddenly retired before the 2019 NFL season. He was coming off arguably the best season of his career. The Colts were a playoff team and had high hopes going into 2019, but looking back on Luck's career, few people blame him for retiring early. Luck dealt with several injuries that required surgeries and the grind finally caught up with him. There's a good chance that he would still be playing if he stayed healthy.
Career Stats: 86 G, 60.8% Cmp, 23,671 Pass Yds, 171 TD, 83 INT, 89.5 Passer Rating
Best Year (2018): 16 G, 67.3% Cmp, 4,593 Pass Yds, 39 TD, 15 INT, 98.7 Passer Rating
Accolades: 1x CPOY, 4x Pro Bowl, 1x Passing TD Leader
3: Josh Gordon, WR
2012-2022 | CLE, NE, SEA, KC, TEN
Josh Gordon exploded onto the scene in 2013 with the Cleveland Browns, leading the league in receiving, despite catching passes from Jason Campbell, Brandon Weeden, and Brian Hoyer. Gordon was suspended for marijuana use several times, including missing the entirety of both 2015 and 2016 after playing just 5 games in 2014. His 2013 season is known as his one great season as the suspensions derailed his career. Gordon bounced around after 2016 before his NFL career ended in 2022. He had a chance to be one of the best receivers in the NFL for many years if he had stayed clean.
Career Stats: 77 G, 252 Rec, 4,284 Rec Yds, 21 TD
Best Year (2013): 14 G, 87 Rec, 1,646 Rec Yds, 9 TD
Accolades: 1x Pro Bowl, 1x All-Pro, 1x SB Champ
2: Bo Jackson, RB
1987-1990 | LAR
Bo Jackson is one of the greatest athletes to ever live. He was an elite football and baseball player. He was a member of the Los Angeles Raiders from the 1987 season to the 1990 season and he put together some inhuman highlights. Unfortunately in January of 1991, Jackson suffered a devastating hip injury which effectively ended his football career. He was an unbelievable mix of size and speed that fans had never seen before and it's heartbreaking he never got to play out a full career. On the bright side, Jackson was able to play multiple more years of MLB baseball until 1994.
Career Stats: 38 G, 515 Att, 2,782 Rush Yds, 16 TD, 40 Rec, 352 Rec Yds, 2 TD
Best Year (1989): 11 G, 173 Att, 950 Rush Yds, 4 TD
Accolades: 1x Pro Bowl
1: Sterling Sharpe, WR
1988-1994 | GB
Anybody who hasn't watched Sterling Sharpe needs to fire up YouTube immediately. The fact that Sharpe isn't in the Hall of Fame is a tragedy and his brother Shannon Sharpe thinks the same. He used his Hall of Fame speech to talk about how good of a player Sterling was. Sharpe's football career came to an end in 1994 when he had to retire due to a neck injury. It was clear he had a ton left in the tank as he scored 18 touchdowns in his final season and helped the Packers make the playoffs. Many fans believe Sharpe is the biggest "what-if" in NFL history and it's for good reason, he was a generational receiver who got robbed of multiple seasons.
Career Stats: 112 G, 595 Rec, 8,134 Rec Yds, 65 TD
Best Year (1992): 16 G, 108 Rec, 1,461 Rec Yds, 13 TD
Accolades: 5x Pro Bowl, 3x All-Pro, 3x Receptions Leader, 1x Receiving Title, 2x TD Leader