Ryan Leafs Nfl Draft Bust

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The video led to a breach-of-contract lawsuit. The Chargers sought to recover $2.95 million of Leaf's signing bonus and shorten the length of his contract. Still, Leaf stayed with the team into the 2000 season.
   
Leaf started the first two games of the campaign, and played just as miserably as before. He re-injured his throwing wrist and missed five games. When the season was over, San Diego cut their losses—and Leaf.
   
From there, Leaf bounced around the N.F.L. like an on-sides kick. He was claimed by Tampa Bay, which released him after he refused to reduce his base salary from $900,000 to $700,000.
   
The Cowboys signed him as a project. He agreed to restructure his contract, accepting a $600,000 bonus and salaries of $900,000 in 2001, $1.5 million in 2002, and a raise of $7 million if he was still with the team in 2003.
   
He wasn't.

Leaf appeared in four games—all losses—and threw for 494 yards with more interceptions (three) than touchdowns (one). The Cowboys axed him in the spring of 2002. Seattle offered him a one-year contract for the N.F.L. minimum salary of $525,000. Leaf participated in the Seahawks' spring mini-camps, but citing his injured wrist, retired before the start of training camp. He was 26.
   
In all, he had appeared in 25 games, making 21 starts. He completed 317 of 655 passes for 3,666 yards, with 14 touchdowns and 36 interceptions. His quarterback rating was a dreadful 50.0.
   
Leaf's career was such a rolling carnival of horrors that someone circulated a mock N.F.L. Films press release trumpeting a seven-minute Ryan Leaf career highlight reel: "Hear the whining, the complaining, and the verbal assaults as if you were right there on the field. Watch interviews with his previous coaches as well as his new shift manager at Wal-Mart." Every DVD supposedly came with an actual intercepted game ball thrown and signed by Leaf.
   
After leaving Seattle, he re-enrolled at Washington State. He graduated with a B.A. in humanities in 2005. His minor was psychology. "It comes in handy in my new job," he says.
   
Leaf joined Don Carthel's West Texas A&M staff in 2006. His success has been nothing short of astonishing: In his first season, the Buffaloes put up 5,139 yards of total offense and ranked second, nationally. Quarterback Dalton Bell completed 386 of 583 passes for 3,998 yards and 32 touchdowns. In 2007, the Buffaloes gained 5,155 passing yards, averaging 396.5 yards passing a game and tossing 51 touchdowns. Their pass yardage and T.D.'s were tops in the country. That same year, Leaf also became the school's golf coach. Once a 2-handicap, he drives his team to tournaments across Texas and New Mexico in a 15-passenger bus.
   
He lives modestly in an 1,800-square-foot home in Amarillo. Leaf says he banked the millions he made in the N.F.L. and, for the last 10 years, has lived off endorsement money from Nike, Pepsi, and a couple of football-card companies.

"I invested in private real estate trusts," he says. "I've never really had to spend a penny of my N.F.L. income."
   
And how does he treat his own quarterbacks?
   
"Hey man," he growls. "Do you know who I am?"
   
So much for turning over a new Leaf.

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