Revisiting Memorable NFL Single-Season Standouts

Every NFL season has its breakout stars. Players who seem destined for long, decorated careers. But just as quickly as some rise, they fade. Whether due to injuries, roster changes, or simply the brutal nature of the league, a handful of players leave us wondering what could’ve been. These are single-season standouts, athletes who put together electrifying seasons before fading from the spotlight.

Sidney Rice – 2009, Minnesota Vikings

Being drafted alongside Adrian Peterson in 2007 meant Sidney Rice was easy to overlook. But the second-round pick out of South Carolina had the size and leaping ability that made scouts drool. Injuries and poor quarterback play hampered his first two seasons—only 537 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2007 and 2008 combined. But everything changed in 2009.

Enter Brett Favre.

The legendary quarterback’s arrival unlocked a new gear in the Vikings’ passing game, and Rice was ready to shine. After a slow start, Rice exploded with a string of monster performances, including a 176-yard outing against the Ravens, and a 201-yard game against the Lions. Vikings finished 12-4 with Rice’s best performance yet to come. In the Divisional Round he put up 141 yards with 3 touchdowns in a playoff rout over the Dallas Cowboys. He finished the season with 83 receptions for 1,312 yards and 8 touchdowns, earning his 1st and only Pro Bowl nod.

Injuries would once again derail his career, and after signing with the Seahawks, Rice was forced to retire at just 27. But in that one season, he showed he was one of the league’s elites.

Terrelle Pryor – 2016, Cleveland Browns

You rarely see a player switch positions five years into their NFL career, but Terrelle Pryor wasn’t a typical player. A former star quarterback at Ohio State, Pryor was the final pick ever made by Raiders owner Al Davis, who valued athleticism and speed over everything. Pryor struggled under center, with a record of 3-7 over his 3 seasons. In 2014 Pryor was traded to Seattle. After bouncing around several teams, he’d reinvent himself as a wide receiver in Cleveland.

In 2016, it all clicked. Pryor’s freakish athleticism—6’5”, 232 pounds with 4.3 speed—was on full display. By Week 3, he had become the first player since 1959 to record 120 receiving yards, 30 passing yards, and 20 rushing yards in a single game. The season was a disaster in Cleveland, with Pryor catching passes from 4 different quarterbacks. Still able to find success, Pryor was a lone bright spot, finishing with 1,007 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns.

He signed a contract in Washington the following offseason, but injuries and inconsistency kept him from ever replicating that success. Still, after living multiple football lives, Pryor proved he belonged.

Mike Furrey – 2006, Detroit Lions

Mike Furrey’s NFL journey defied convention. After starring at Northern Iowa and going undrafted in 2000, he took the long route through the XFL and Arena League before landing with the St. Louis Rams in 2003. Buried on the depth chart behind Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt, Furrey had just 197 receiving yards over his first two NFL seasons.

Then came an abrupt move, in 2005, he switched to safety and notched 4 interceptions for the Rams. A year later, he returned to wide receiver with the Detroit Lions and stunned everyone.

Furrey, now reunited with offensive coordinator Mike Martz (Head Coach on Rams), caught fire. He had a breakout 8-catch, 82-yard, 2-TD performance in a revenge game versus the Rams in Week 4, and never looked back. Furrey finished the 2006 season with an NFC-best 98 receptions for 1,086 yards and 6 touchdowns. The Following offseason the team would draft Calvin Johnson. Although Furrey remained in the league for a few more seasons, he never reached those heights again.

From starting safety to 1,000-yard receiver in less than two years, Furrey’s story is one of the most unique in NFL history. As one of the few true 2-way players he should be recognized more often.

Steve Slaton – 2008, Houston Texans

Steve Slaton burst onto the scene at West Virginia breaking multiple records. Slaton carried that momentum into the NFL. Drafted in the third round in 2008, Slaton was undersized and overlooked. He entered a Texans backfield headlined by former Pro Bowler Ahman Green. But by Week 2, he was the starter—and he made the most of it.

Slaton ran for 116 yards in his first start, and down the stretch, he was electric. In the final seven games, he posted four 100-yard rushing performances and helped the Texans to a 5-2 finish. He ended his rookie year with 1,282 rushing yards (6th in the league), 50 receptions for 377 yards, and 10 total touchdowns. His 1,282 would also set a franchise record. At just 22 years old, Slaton looked like one of the most complete backs in the NFL.

Then, as quickly as he arrived, he faded. A neck injury and fumble issues in 2009 opened the door for Arian Foster, and Slaton never regained his footing. He had a brief stint in Miami afterward and even tried a comeback in the CFL, but his NFL star had burned out just as fast as it lit up.

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