NFL Draft: 30 best No. 1 overall picks in league history
NFL Draft: 30 best No. 1 overall picks in league history: number 20, QB Vinny Testaverde
Stats:
- 46,233 passing yards
- 275 touchdowns
- 56.5 completion percentage
Awards:
- 1987 All-Rookie Team
- 2 time Pro Bowler
In the end, the numbers were both impressive and an incredible letdown. Former number one overall pick for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Vinny Testaverde simply had a problem keeping the ball out of the hands of the defense.
In 11 of his 21 years as a professional, Testaverde had more interceptions during the season than he did touchdowns. Those multiple blunders were a major reason why his teams never made deep playoff runs. On four separate occasions, Testaverde led the league in interceptions and currently, he ranks fourth on the all-time list with 267 and seventh in pick sixes with 23.
Testaverde’s inability to take care of the ball forced several teams to throw their hands in the air and give up on the talented QB who simply wasn’t getting it.
Still, even with those constant mistakes, Testaverde ranks 15th all-time in passing yards with 46,233 and 17th in passing touchdowns with 275. For his efforts, Testaverde was a two-time Pro Bowler but as previously mentioned, never came close to appearing in a Super Bowl.
In fact, with him as a starting quarterback, Testaverde would lead his teams to the postseason on only three occasions. The team success was never quite there but the overall individual numbers were impressive.