Last year, I looked at the worst passing seasons in NFL history as measured by the amount of Adjusted Net Yards each passer produced relative to league average. The worst season of all time — which is heavily influenced by the number of pass attempts a quarterback has — belonged to Blake Bortles in 2014.
Well, in 2018, a rookie Josh Rosen nearly beat him. Rosen averaged just 3.53 ANY/A last year, relative to a leauge average ANY/A of 6.32. That’s 2.79 ANY/A below average, and over 438 dropbacks, that means Rosen produced 1,221 Adjusted Net Yards fewer than league average. He was worse relative to league average than Bortles was in 2014, but since he had fewer attempts, he now comes in with the second least valuable season.
The full list of the 100 worst passing seasons (without pro-rating for games played) is below.
| Rk | Quarterback | Year | Team | ANY/A | LgAvg | Dropbacks | RANY/A | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blake Bortles | 2014 | jax | 3.81 | 6.14 | 530 | -2.33 | -1234 |
| 2 | Josh Rosen | 2018 | crd | 3.53 | 6.32 | 438 | -2.79 | -1221 |
| 3 | DeShone Kizer | 2017 | cle | 3.69 | 5.91 | 514 | -2.21 | -1138 |
| 4 | David Carr | 2002 | htx | 3.24 | 5.35 | 520 | -2.11 | -1096 |
| 5 | Jake Plummer | 1999 | crd | 2.6 | 5.18 | 408 | -2.59 | -1055 |
| 6 | Archie Manning | 1975 | nor | 1.38 | 4.04 | 387 | -2.66 | -1030 |
| 7 | Brock Osweiler | 2016 | htx | 4.34 | 6.22 | 537 | -1.88 | -1007 |
| 8 | Blaine Gabbert | 2011 | jax | 3.68 | 5.9 | 453 | -2.22 | -1007 |
| 9 | Bobby Hoying | 1998 | phi | 1.43 | 5.31 | 259 | -3.88 | -1004 |
| 10 | JaMarcus Russell | 2009 | rai | 2.31 | 5.65 | 279 | -3.34 | -931 |
| 11 | Jimmy Clausen | 2010 | car | 2.98 | 5.73 | 332 | -2.75 | -913 |
| 12 | Joe Flacco | 2013 | rav | 4.5 | 5.87 | 662 | -1.37 | -910 |
| 13 | Kerry Collins | 1997 | car | 2.94 | 5.16 | 408 | -2.22 | -907 |
| 14 | Ryan Leaf | 1998 | sdg | 1.93 | 5.31 | 267 | -3.38 | -904 |
| 15 | Vinny Testaverde | 1988 | tam | 3.27 | 5.02 | 499 | -1.75 | -872 |
| 16 | Ryan Fitzpatrick | 2008 | cin | 3.58 | 5.7 | 410 | -2.13 | -872 |
| 17 | Jon Kitna | 2001 | cin | 3.76 | 5.19 | 606 | -1.43 | -867 |
| 18 | Joe Kapp | 1970 | nwe | 0.68 | 4.16 | 246 | -3.47 | -854 |
| 19 | Kyle Orton | 2005 | chi | 3.2 | 5.34 | 398 | -2.14 | -852 |
| 20 | Dan Pastorini | 1981 | ram | -0.12 | 5 | 166 | -5.12 | -850 |
| 21 | Jack Trudeau | 1986 | clt | 3.05 | 4.96 | 446 | -1.9 | -849 |
| 22 | Kordell Stewart | 1998 | pit | 3.58 | 5.31 | 491 | -1.73 | -848 |
| 23 | Jack Jacobs | 1948 | gnb | 0.02 | 4.61 | 184 | -4.59 | -844 |
| 24 | Jake Plummer | 2002 | crd | 3.86 | 5.35 | 566 | -1.49 | -844 |
| 25 | Jim Plunkett | 1972 | nwe | 2.15 | 4.28 | 394 | -2.13 | -841 |
| 26 | Andrew Walter | 2006 | rai | 2.78 | 5.38 | 322 | -2.6 | -836 |
| 27 | A.J. Feeley | 2004 | mia | 3.44 | 5.63 | 379 | -2.2 | -833 |
| 28 | Geno Smith | 2013 | nyj | 4.17 | 5.87 | 486 | -1.7 | -828 |
| 29 | Derek Carr | 2014 | rai | 4.82 | 6.14 | 623 | -1.32 | -822 |
| 30 | Alex Smith | 2005 | sfo | 1.11 | 5.34 | 194 | -4.23 | -821 |
| 31 | Chris Weinke | 2001 | car | 3.74 | 5.19 | 566 | -1.45 | -821 |
| 32 | Dave Brown | 1996 | nyg | 3.3 | 5.14 | 447 | -1.83 | -820 |
| 33 | Jeff Komlo | 1979 | det | 2.6 | 4.61 | 408 | -2.01 | -819 |
| 34 | Matthew Stafford | 2009 | det | 3.64 | 5.65 | 401 | -2.01 | -807 |
| 35 | Terry Bradshaw | 1970 | pit | 0.86 | 4.16 | 243 | -3.3 | -802 |
| 36 | Vince Evans | 1981 | chi | 3.27 | 5 | 459 | -1.73 | -793 |
| 37 | Joe Ferguson | 1984 | buf | 2.93 | 5 | 379 | -2.08 | -788 |
| 38 | Trent Dilfer | 1995 | tam | 3.71 | 5.41 | 462 | -1.7 | -787 |
| 39 | Rusty Hilger | 1988 | det | 2.69 | 5.02 | 337 | -2.33 | -785 |
| 40 | Jared Goff | 2016 | ram | 2.82 | 6.22 | 231 | -3.39 | -784 |
| 41 | Eli Manning | 2013 | nyg | 4.55 | 5.87 | 590 | -1.33 | -783 |
| 42 | Craig Whelihan | 1998 | sdg | 2.98 | 5.31 | 335 | -2.33 | -782 |
| 43 | Bob Lee | 1974 | atl | 0.06 | 3.91 | 203 | -3.85 | -781 |
| 44 | Gary Marangi | 1976 | buf | 0.99 | 4.07 | 254 | -3.07 | -781 |
| 45 | David Carr | 2005 | htx | 3.77 | 5.34 | 491 | -1.58 | -774 |
| 46 | Mark Malone | 1987 | pit | 2.85 | 5.04 | 354 | -2.19 | -774 |
| 47 | Trent Dilfer | 2007 | sfo | 2.37 | 5.52 | 246 | -3.14 | -773 |
| 48 | Mark Sanchez | 2012 | nyj | 4.36 | 5.93 | 487 | -1.57 | -766 |
| 49 | Jake Delhomme | 2009 | car | 3.42 | 5.65 | 344 | -2.22 | -765 |
| 50 | Brett Hundley | 2017 | gnb | 3.71 | 5.91 | 345 | -2.2 | -759 |
| 51 | Joey Harrington | 2003 | det | 3.86 | 5.2 | 563 | -1.34 | -754 |
| 52 | Stan Gelbaugh | 1992 | sea | 2.31 | 4.88 | 289 | -2.57 | -744 |
| 53 | Joe Theismann | 1985 | was | 2.66 | 4.86 | 338 | -2.2 | -744 |
| 54 | Matt Cassel | 2009 | kan | 4.26 | 5.65 | 535 | -1.38 | -741 |
| 55 | Ryan Lindley | 2012 | crd | 1.89 | 5.93 | 183 | -4.04 | -740 |
| 56 | Dan Pastorini | 1973 | oti | 1.58 | 3.89 | 320 | -2.31 | -739 |
| 57 | Kyle Boller | 2004 | rav | 4.16 | 5.63 | 499 | -1.47 | -734 |
| 58 | Akili Smith | 2000 | cin | 2.81 | 5.21 | 303 | -2.39 | -726 |
| 59 | Charlie Frye | 2006 | cle | 3.72 | 5.38 | 437 | -1.66 | -724 |
| 60 | Kelly Stouffer | 1992 | sea | 1.54 | 4.88 | 216 | -3.34 | -722 |
| 61 | Carson Wentz | 2016 | phi | 5.09 | 6.22 | 640 | -1.12 | -720 |
| 62 | Jeff George | 1991 | clt | 3.86 | 5.18 | 541 | -1.32 | -716 |
| 63 | Randy Hedberg | 1977 | tam | -3.21 | 3.55 | 105 | -6.76 | -709 |
| 64 | Steve DeBerg | 1978 | sfo | 1.83 | 4.03 | 319 | -2.2 | -701 |
| 65 | Joe Namath | 1976 | nyj | 1.22 | 4.07 | 246 | -2.85 | -700 |
| 66 | Ryan Leaf | 2000 | sdg | 3.22 | 5.21 | 353 | -1.98 | -700 |
| 67 | Mike Phipps | 1973 | cle | 1.86 | 3.89 | 343 | -2.03 | -696 |
| 68 | Joe Flacco | 2017 | rav | 4.71 | 5.91 | 576 | -1.2 | -691 |
| 69 | Drew Bledsoe | 1995 | nwe | 4.37 | 5.41 | 659 | -1.05 | -689 |
| 70 | Dennis Shaw | 1971 | buf | 1.81 | 3.93 | 324 | -2.12 | -686 |
| 71 | Steve Fuller | 1979 | kan | 2.38 | 4.61 | 307 | -2.23 | -685 |
| 72 | Kim McQuilken | 1976 | atl | -0.9 | 4.07 | 138 | -4.96 | -685 |
| 73 | Bubby Brister | 1995 | nyj | 1.74 | 5.41 | 186 | -3.67 | -683 |
| 74 | Josh Allen | 2018 | buf | 4.37 | 6.32 | 348 | -1.95 | -679 |
| 75 | Donovan McNabb | 1999 | phi | 2.41 | 5.18 | 244 | -2.77 | -675 |
| 76 | Rick Mirer | 1995 | sea | 3.85 | 5.41 | 433 | -1.56 | -674 |
| 77 | Troy Aikman | 1989 | dal | 3.09 | 5.24 | 312 | -2.15 | -672 |
| 78 | David Archer | 1985 | atl | 2.97 | 4.86 | 355 | -1.89 | -671 |
| 79 | Greg Landry | 1969 | det | 1.15 | 4.67 | 190 | -3.52 | -668 |
| 80 | Derek Anderson | 2009 | cle | 2.19 | 5.65 | 193 | -3.46 | -667 |
| 81 | Josh McCown | 2014 | tam | 4.3 | 6.14 | 363 | -1.84 | -666 |
| 82 | Josh Freeman | 2011 | tam | 4.76 | 5.9 | 580 | -1.14 | -664 |
| 83 | Mike Phipps | 1975 | cle | 2.09 | 4.04 | 341 | -1.95 | -664 |
| 84 | Bobby Douglass | 1969 | chi | 1.09 | 4.67 | 185 | -3.58 | -662 |
| 85 | Mark Rypien | 1993 | was | 3.16 | 5.11 | 335 | -1.96 | -656 |
| 86 | Rick Mirer | 1993 | sea | 3.89 | 5.11 | 533 | -1.22 | -653 |
| 87 | Cliff Stoudt | 1983 | pit | 3.49 | 5 | 432 | -1.5 | -650 |
| 88 | Blake Bortles | 2016 | jax | 5.23 | 6.22 | 659 | -0.98 | -649 |
| 89 | Boomer Esiason | 1992 | cin | 2.7 | 4.88 | 297 | -2.18 | -648 |
| 90 | Bobby Douglass | 1971 | chi | 1.39 | 3.93 | 255 | -2.54 | -648 |
| 91 | Randall Cunningham | 1986 | phi | 2.66 | 4.96 | 281 | -2.3 | -646 |
| 92 | Tobin Rote | 1959 | det | 0.65 | 4.59 | 162 | -3.93 | -637 |
| 93 | Marc Bulger | 2008 | ram | 4.38 | 5.7 | 478 | -1.33 | -634 |
| 94 | Hugh McCullough | 1940 | crd | -2.9 | 2.55 | 116 | -5.45 | -632 |
| 95 | Vinny Testaverde | 1991 | tam | 3.45 | 5.18 | 361 | -1.74 | -627 |
| 96 | Sam Bradford | 2010 | ram | 4.73 | 5.73 | 624 | -1 | -624 |
| 97 | Rick Norton | 1969 | mia | 0.48 | 4.23 | 166 | -3.76 | -624 |
| 98 | Marc Bulger | 2007 | ram | 4.02 | 5.52 | 415 | -1.5 | -621 |
| 99 | Richard Todd | 1976 | nyj | 0.82 | 4.07 | 191 | -3.24 | -619 |
| 100 | Ronnie Cahill | 1943 | crd | -2.54 | 3.12 | 109 | -5.66 | -617 |