Ryan Leaf will always be remembered for one thing more than anything else. Back in 1998, he was selected second overall by the San Diego (now Los Angeles) Chargers in the NFL Draft. That year, Peyton Manning went first-overall to the Indianapolis Colts.
Manning went on to have a prominent Hall of Fame career. He'll be remembered as one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history – and there's really no argument against it.
Leaf, however, is a different story. Ryan Leaf went 4-17 as a starter. He threw 14 touchdowns compared to 36 interceptions, completing just 48.4 percent of his passes for 3,666 yards. Leaf played his last game in 2001 – just four seasons after his debut.
Then there were the off-field problems. Leaf has had issues with drug addiction and found himself in prison.
Leaf's been attempting to turn his life around though and has now taken a major step forward. ESPN has announced that they've hired Ryan Leaf to be a College Football analyst.
Leaf, a Washington State legend, spent last season working for the Pac-12 Network. Despite his struggles in the NFL, there's no denying he was an extremely talented player in College Football. There's also no denying that Leaf is an incredibly intelligent football mind.
It's great to hear that Leaf continues this incredible turnaround. Through all the issues he's had, Leaf has shown the kind of flaws that make you realize everyone is human. He's also shown the kind of perseverance that makes you want him to figure it all out.
The former quarterback has kept his head down in recent years, and when he's in the news recently, it tends to be for more positive things. That's the Ryan Leaf people want to hear about.
Follow Us
Subscribe