Vikings rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy received the dubious award.
McCarthy, who missed the season due to a preseason knee injury, is the first rookie since the league’s draft began in 1967 to be selected in the first round and miss his entire rookie season due to the injury.
Other first-round quarterbacks sat on the bench all year, but never because of an injury sustained before the season began:
In 2020, Jordan Love spent the entire season on the sidelines behind Aaron Rodgers.
In 2005, Jason Campbell spent the entire season on the sidelines behind Mark Brunell and Patrick Ramsey.
In 2003, Carson Palmer spent the entire season on the sidelines behind Jon Kitna.
In 1987, Kelly Stover missed the entire season due to a contract dispute.
In 1983, Jim Kelly decided to play in the NFL instead of the NFL.
In 1983, Ken O’Brien spent the entire season on the sidelines behind Richard Todd.
In 1977, Steve Pisarkiewicz spent the entire season on the sidelines behind Jim Hart.
History tells us nothing about the kind of quarterback McCarthy will become. Campbell, Stover and Pisarkiewicz had little success, but Kelly was now in the Hall of Fame, O’Brien and Palmer were professional bowlers and Love’s career was on the rise. So McCarthy could have a bright NFL career ahead of him. But that process won’t begin until 2025.
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