The ring of honor, and players cast in bronze for public adulation -- this starting roster will have none of those. It's fairly easy to name the best players of all time when a team is still in adolescence, but it's harder to pick out the absolute stinkers. Over the coming weeks we're doing just that, all in an attempt to create the 'all kitty litter' team.
These players represent the zenith of ineptitude, and lack of ability. They should be a shining example for how not to play the game of football. The only requirement is that the player has to have started at least 10 games for the Panthers. Otherwise it's not difficult to name Eric Shelton as the worst RB, or Tony Pike as the quarterback.
Today we humbly submit three players as our cat box signal caller, all of whom have the right to be immortalized in SPAM, and slowly digested by wild raccoons.
Kerry Collins
Career numbers in Carolina: 45 games, 8,306 passing yards, 51.8% completion, 47 TD, 54 INT -- QB rating 66.0
It still stings to see Collins listed as the third-highest passer in team history. Thankfully Cam Newton needs just 400 yards to eclipse him, and put a long nightmare behind us. Everything went wrong with this draft pick, but instead of focusing on his off-field racism shenanigans, lets look at Collins the player.
Of the quarterbacks who made today's list, Collins has the lowest completion percentage. His best season in Carolina saw him finish with a 79.4 QB rating, and he never threw for more than 2,500 yards in a year. The Panthers had some success during his tenure thanks to Bill Polian's 'win now' team building, but that shouldn't help Collins' cause.
Best worst game
12/10/1995 vs. San Francisco 49ers
12/29 (41.38% completion), 127 yards (4.3 YPA), 0 TD, 1 INT -- 40.4 QB rating
Jimmy Clausen
Career numbers in Carolina: 13 games, 1,558 passing yards, 52.5% completion, 3 TD, 9 INT -- QB rating of 58.4
Clausen is a bad quarterback, but is he the worst quarterback? It's hard to tell, largely because the talent around him was so disastrous. Collins got away with a lot because of the defense he had, but no dice for Jimmy.
The statistics are bad, there's no doubting it -- however, the offensive line failed, there was no option other than Steve Smith in the passing game, and Jeff Davidson was still calling the plays. Is there a way the cards could be more stacked against a rookie quarterback?
That's the best defense I can muster. Clausen had no pocket presence, no guts to throw down-field, and looked deathly afraid of turning the ball over. It was an utter disaster from all aspects, and when Jimmy is eventually cut he'll join the annals of 'worst pick ever'.
Best worst game
11/7/2010 vs. New Orleans Saints
9/22 (44.44% completion), 47 yards (2.61 YPA), 0 TD, 1 INT -- QB rating of 28.5
Chris Weinke
Career numbers in Carolina: 27 games, 3,800 passing yards, 54.4% completion, 15 TD, 26 INT -- QB rating of 62.2
An old, highly-touted, former baseball player looking to get a shot in the NFL. If Weinke was available in 2012, the Cleveland Browns would have selected him with a first round pick.
Despite winning the Heisman, it was clear Weinke wasn't ready to be an NFL quarterback. He was a streaky passer, immensely erratic, and ultimately had more bad games that good. Every once in a while there would be a glimmer, like his franchise-leading 423 passing yard game in 2006 -- which lasted until Newton's rookie year.
After his career Weinke is viewed as a hero -- solely because of his role in molding Newton as a passer, but there's no denying that on the field he was one of the worst quarterbacks in team history.
Best worst game
1/6/2002 vs. New England Patriots
15/36 (41.6% completion), 144 yards (4.0 YPA), 0 TD, 3 INT -- QB rating of 18.8
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Now it's on you to decide. Who deserves to QB the 'All Kitty Litter' team?