Seven NFL Players Who Were Misused Their Entire Careers

by Jeremy Block - 6/27/2025

NFL players that were misused Darren Sproles

There’s nothing quite as frustrating as watching a player with all the tools to dominate spend their entire career stuck in roles that don’t make sense. The NFL is full of talent, but sometimes the coaches, schemes, or stubborn organizational mindsets waste that talent.

Misuse happens at every position. Quarterbacks with speed but limited to throwing plays, running backs with hands that never run routes, or even receivers who never get the green light to stretch the field. Let’s break down seven NFL players who were seriously misused from start to finish.

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Michael Vick

When you watched Michael Vick on the field, it was impossible not to notice how much of his game was built on speed and agility. Instead of fully embracing that and trying him out as a running back, the Falcons’ coaching staff stuck him at quarterback and forced him to be a passer first, runner second. Keep in mind, Vick ran a 4.33 40-yard dash.

Vick racked up 6,109 rushing yards in his career, which was unheard of for a QB at the time, averaging 7.0 yards per carry at his peak. Imagine what he could’ve done if he’d started as a running back, taking direct handoffs and burning defenses with his speed and agility. It only makes you wonder—if Vick notched 6,000+ rushing yards as a quarterback, what might he have done if he’d been a running back?

Jeremy Shockey

With a 4.6 40-yard dash, being built like a brick house, Jeremy Shockey had all the ingredients to be an unstoppable fullback. However, the Giants kept him at the tight end position, mostly catching short passes and blocking. While he collected over 6,000 receiving yards and 37 touchdowns, his usage was mostly traditional and didn’t even come close to exploiting what he could have been.

Shockey could’ve been a weapon that combined blocking, running, and catching—dismantling defensive players one by one. Imagine it’s 3rd and 1, the Giants need a first down, and they roll out a fullback set with all of 6’5”, 251-pound Shockey carrying the ball. You think they’ll get the first down? No question. But his talents were wasted in a part-time receiver role or just blocking. What a missed opportunity for both the Giants and Saints.

Troy Polamalu

Before Troy Polamalu became the Steelers’ legendary safety, he was also a standout cornerback in college. But his explosive athleticism and playmaking ability could have been put to use on offense, too. With his quickness and field vision, Polamalu might’ve made an impact as a return specialist or even a gadget offensive weapon, catching passes out of the backfield or lining up in unconventional spots.

Instead, NFL coaches locked him strictly into the defensive backfield. Sure, they got a defensive menace who snagged 32 interceptions and deflected 107 passes, but that narrow use kept a versatile athlete from becoming a lethal weapon on both sides of the ball.

LaDainian Tomlinson

While LaDainian Tomlinson had an outstanding career in the backfield, people tend to forget how good his hands were. The beginning of his career was heavily focused on runs between the tackles, where he averaged 1,472 rushing yards per season for his first five years. Meanwhile, his receiving ability was barely used. He finished with 624 career receptions, but most of that came later, once coaches finally realized he could do more than just run.

Had Tomlinson been deployed from the start as a hybrid offensive player—catching screen passes, lining up in the slot, running routes—he could’ve shattered even more records. Instead, the Chargers were content with using him as just a running back, leaving another part of his game on the shelf.

Devin Hester

The NFL knew Devin Hester was dangerous the second he touched the ball, but they spent years molding him into just a punt returner. Instead of leaning into what he did better than anyone—blow past defenders, teams stuck him in a special teams role and expected touchdowns on demand. That’s like drafting a quarterback and asking him to kick field goals.

Hester should’ve been converted to running back from the jump. Give him a few carries a game, some tosses in space, and the results would’ve done all the talking. Keep in mind, he averaged 11.7 yards per punt return and still holds the NFL record with 14 punt return touchdowns. And nobody thought to put him behind the quarterback? The league completely missed out on what could’ve been one of the most electrifying backfield weapons of the era.

Rod Woodsen

When you think about defensive players with receiver-level hands and quickness, Rod Woodson is a name that should come to mind. His ability to snatch passes out of the air and turn on a dime to break plays up was more than just a defensive skill—it was wide receiver quality.

With 71 career interceptions to his name, ranking third all-time, Woodson had a knack for tracking down the ball and its catch radius that would have made him a nightmare matchup on offense. Imagine lining him up where his hands and quickness could rack up yards and touchdowns instead of picks.

Darren Sproles

Some players’ skills fit better in unexpected places, and that definitely applies to Darren Sproles. At just 5’6” with quickness and sure hands, he had everything it took to be a lethal slot receiver slicing through defenses over the middle. But the NFL mostly stuck him at running back, limiting how often he could run routes.

Had teams actually lined him up in the slot, defenses wouldn’t have known what hit them. Over his career, Sproles racked up more than 4,800 receiving yards and 32 touchdowns—proof he was way more than just a running back. Using him as a slot receiver could’ve made him unstoppable during his era.

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Start:	June 27, 2025 @ 10:10 PM
Expert:	Vernon Croy
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Seven NFL Players Who Were Misused Their Entire Careers

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