Greatest 1-Season Wonders in NFL History

We all have our favorite NFL stars who produce year in and year out and become the face of their franchise, but not all players can be so lucky.

The NFL is unpredictable, and every now and then a player breaks out for one huge season before slipping right back into mediocrity. Here are some of the NFL’s greatest one-season wonders who just couldn’t find a way to sustain their success.

Robert Griffin

Heisman-winning quarterback Robert Griffin was drafted second overall by the Washington Redskins in 2012, and throughout his rookie season he was the most electrifying player in the NFL.

In 15 games Griffin racked up twenty passing touchdowns against only five interceptions, also adding over 800 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.

Unfortunately, knee injuries beginning late in his first season severely limited him from there, and though he remains in the league as Lamar Jackson’s backup in Baltimore, it’s unlikely that we’ll ever see another season like his first.

Peyton Hillis

After a 2009 season with the Broncos where he totaled only 73 yards, Peyton Hillis was traded to the Browns in 2010 and became their starting running back, using his fullback frame to bowl over defenders on his way to over 1,600 total yards and 13 touchdowns.

His performance led fans to vote him as the cover athlete for “Madden NFL 12,” but he became one of the biggest victims of the Madden Curse, leaving Cleveland after a disappointing 2011 season and never catching on anywhere else as a starter.

Brandon Lloyd

Wide receiver Brandon Lloyd was the definition of a journeyman for his first seven seasons in the NFL, playing for four different teams and never amassing more than 750 yards.

That all seemed to change with the Broncos in 2010, when he developed a connection with quarterback Kyle Orton and finished with 11 touchdowns and 1,448 receiving yards, good for first in the league.

Things fell apart, though, in the 2011 season, which saw Tim Tebow take over for Orton and Lloyd traded to the Rams, returning him to journeyman status until his 2014 retirement.

Tim Tebow

Speaking of Tebow, the former Florida Gators quarterback was another one-season wonder himself. Skeptics questioned whether Tebow’s unorthodox throwing mechanics and play style in college would translate to the NFL, but Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels took a chance, drafting him in the first round in 2010.

He got his opportunity to start in 2011, and for a short time he silenced his haters by taking Denver from a 1-4 start to an 8-8 finish and a Wild Card Playoff berth, where he orchestrated a blockbuster win against the Steelers.

Peyton Manning arrived in 2012, though, and Tebow couldn’t make it work in stints with the Jets, Patriots, and Eagles.