5 NFL Superstars Who Completely Disappeared After Their Prime

by Jeremy Block - 10/15/2025

NFL superstars who disappeared after their prime Braylon Edwards

The NFL is full of guys who light up the field for a few seasons, making us think they’re about to dominate for years—only to disappear just as quickly as they arrived. Let’s not kid ourselves, we all know the type: players with the stats, the hype, and the swagger, only to fade into oblivion faster than a high-schoolers’ Super Bowl dreams.

From explosive running backs to untouchable wide receivers, here are five NFL superstars who took the league by storm but somehow disappeared before we could even blink.

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Chris Johnson

Kicking things off, who remembers Chris Johnson back in the mid 2000s? The Titans running back was an absolute freak of nature. Sure, the Titans’ offense wasn’t much to get excited about—until they gave the ball to Johnson, and put everyone on a highlight reel.

In his rookie season, he rushed for 1,228 yards, already showing heavy amounts of potential right out of the gate. But it was his second season, 2009, when Johnson turned the NFL into his personal racetrack, posting a ridiculous 2,006-yard season. He became just the sixth running back in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a single season, along with 80 rushing first downs. Let that sink in for a second.

But like all speedsters, time eventually caught up. After his record-setting 2009 season, Johnson’s numbers fell off a cliff. In 2010, he still posted a solid 1,364 yards, but compared to the previous year, that was a massive decline. From there, things only got worse—he never rushed for more than 1,243 yards again.

By 2014, Johnson was a shadow of his former self, struggling with injuries and failing to put up the numbers he once did. After bouncing between the Jets and Cardinals, he called it quits in 2017.

Rashard Mendenhall

Before we dive into other positions, let’s talk about Rashard Mendenhall—because honestly, how could we not? Unlike most young running backs who come into the league, Mendenhall made an immediate impact in Pittsburgh. In just his second and third seasons, he posted back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons, averaging over 7.0 yards per carry. It looked like the Steelers had finally found their centerpiece back. If you were watching, it was easy to think he was about to become one of the league’s top guys.

But, you know how it goes—just when things were looking up, Mendenhall’s career derailed faster than an online date gone wrong.

After tearing his ACL in 2012, the guy who once ripped through defenses became a shell of himself. By 2013, Mendenhall was traded to the Arizona Cardinals, but it was clear his prime was long gone. He managed just 687 rushing yards in 15 games that season—a major drop off from his previous season in Pittsburgh. With no bounce-back in sight, Mendenhall hung it up in 2014 at only 26 years old, leaving fans wondering what could’ve been.

Mark Sanchez

Swinging over to quarterbacks, it seemed like the New York Jets had finally cracked the QB code when they drafted Mark Sanchez. Within his first three seasons, Sanchez led the Jets to back-to-back AFC Championship games (2009, 2010), throwing for over 3,290 yards, 17 touchdowns, and keeping his interceptions under 18. Not bad for a guy in just his second and third season, right?

But as quickly as he climbed, Sanchez fell. By his fourth season, the QB had already reached his peak. In 2012, his numbers were downright ugly—recording just 2,883 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and 34 sacks.

By 2013, after being benched for rookie Geno Smith, Sanchez was relegated to backup duty. He briefly resurfaced in 2014 with the Philadelphia Eagles, but as Nick Foles’ backup, it was clear Sanchez was no longer a starter in the league. His career had quickly fizzled out, and those early playoff runs became a distant memory.

Braylon Edwards

Once upon a time, Braylon Edwards was supposed to be the next big wide receiver in the NFL. The Cleveland Browns made him the third overall pick in the 2005 draft, and after a decent first couple of seasons, there were already whispers about whether he’d ever live up to the hype.

Then came 2007, and Edwards finally broke out. He posted 1,289 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns, and for a minute there, it looked like he was going to be a superstar. The Browns seemed to have their first legit No. 1 receiver in forever, someone who could take over games.

But, like so many other stars in the making, Edwards' rise was followed by a quick fall. Injuries became a constant issue, and his reception rate plummeted faster than the stock market in 2008—hitting as low as 37% the following year. His production tanked, his career faded, and by 2012, he had retired, never quite reaching the heights people expected from him.

Victor Cruz

For a brief moment, it seemed like Victor Cruz was on his way to being one of the NFL’s brightest stars. The undrafted receiver from UMass went from being an unknown to a household name faster than you can say "salsa." In just his second season in 2011, Cruz racked up 1,536 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns, becoming Eli Manning’s go-to guy and helping the Giants secure their second Super Bowl title in four seasons. Everything was adding up for Cruz to be the next big thing.

But with an unfortunate twist, Cruz’s career hit a massive speed bump. After falling short of 1,000 yards in 2013 and suffering a devastating knee injury in 2014, his career started to derail. What followed were a string of underwhelming seasons, and just like that, his future seemed to evaporate. By 2017, after a couple of failed comebacks, Cruz was out of the league for good.

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Start:	October 15, 2025 @ 8:00 PM
Expert:	Tony George
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5 NFL Superstars Who Completely Disappeared After Their Prime

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