Ryan Leaf is known as one of the greatest flops in draft history. What about Tim Couch and Courtney Brown?

Question

Couch and Brown were the #1 overall picks in 2000 and 1999 and never became much. They are both not in the league anymore. Why does Ryan Leaf get so much publicity for an NFL flop?

Answer 1

They are soon to be known by the same label.
Leaf got so much press, because of the huge contract, and was considered to be a franchise player.

Answer 2

Only if you were dumb enough to think that JaMarcus Russell was anywhere close to deserving the #1 overall pick. Just because Al Davis thinks a guy is the best player in the draft doesn't mean he is. People that actually know anything about football knew that he wasn't that great. He was a decent QB at LSU, but he had an incredible bowl game and that shot him up draft boards, and if there's one thing to be wary of in the NFL draft its guys that have one big game on a big stage. I never expected JaMarcus Russell to be much in this league. Ryan Leaf on the other hand was projected by a lot of experts to be better than Peyton Manning, and I just personally never liked Tim Couch as a prospect.

Answer 3

As a Chargers fan, I think I can answer this one for you.

1. Many people aren't aware that the Chargers actually traded multiple picks (including two 1st rd picks) to move up and draft Leaf. At least the Browns only wasted one pick each on Couch and Brown.

2. Couch and Brown may not have lived up to expectations, but at least they didn't kill any chemistry that the rest of the team had. Ryan Leaf made himself the center of attention and constantly had tempor tantrums.

3. The Browns weren't very good before Couch and Brown got there. Leaf was drafted not too long after the Chargers had gone to the Super Bowl. Leaf turned them into the absolute worst team in the league.

4. Say what you will about Couch and Brown, but at least they tried to become good players. That can't be said for Leaf. Perfect example is Leaf getting caught at the golf course when he was supposed to be rehabbing an injury that kept him from playing.

Answer 4

Not even in the same class:

- Courney Brown had productive years with Cleveland and Denver before he suffered an ACL tear.

- Tim Couch played with an expansion team O-line and still had one huge season with an playoff berth. He also suffered a broken leg and multiple shoulder surgeries on his throwing arm. Plus he's married to a former Playmate of the Year (way to go, Tim)

- Ryan Leaf was never an impact player beyond his second game in the NFL. He fought with teammates, coaches, mangement, and the media. He was repeatedly fined, suspended by the team once, and faked an injury to play golf! Yes, he did have a wrist injury later but that was after everyone knew he was a bust.

Answer 5

You could come up with a lot of flops if you just "leaf" through the Browns' draft history.

Answer 6

Ryan Leaf got more attention because he was a Jerk! He was agressive with reporters and his team never liked him. He was also drafted 2nd after Peyton Manning and had similar numbers his senior year in college.

Answer 7

They had the misfortune of being drafted by the Browns lol....Ryan Leaf was just bad all around.

Answer 8

Everyone hates Ryan Leaf because his ego, after every game he would go blame all his teammates for his own mistakes, and if you watched him he played even worse than Couch, it was just painful to watch.

Answer 9

With Ryan Leaf, he did it spectacularly in front of the media. The other two weren't as spectacular and weren't covered by the media as much.

Answer 10

Ryan leaf gets his publicity because not only was he amazingly bad as a quaterback, he was a huge douche bag that thought he was bigger than god, and blamed his teamates for his failures.