The 5 Most Criticized NFL Quarterbacks

Who are the most criticized quarterbacks in the NFL? Quarterbacks can't get all the glory all the time. Some walk away without hearing as many harsh words for the majority of their career. Even Peyton Manning, who is one of the golden boys of the NFL, is often criticized for not winning the big game more than once. Manning now has a Super Bowl title to boast-but that doesn't stop the criticism. The quarterback is the focal point of insults from blogs, articles and stories within the web. On the field or off the field--the quarterback is often the first target. Who gets the most negative ink? Maybe some of the criticism is warranted and some is not. Here is my list, right or wrong, of the current top five most criticized NFL quarterbacks.

1) Jay Cutler
Cutler wasn't exactly a storybook character while playing in Denver. His move to Chicago only opened the door for more scrutiny in a major media market. When Cutler sat last year during the NFC title game with an apparent injury, the flood gates opened for criticism. Fans, analysts and even fellow NFL players jumped on the "we can't stand Cutler" bandwagon. This didn't sit well with all Bears fans or former NBA star Charles Barkley. Barkley, who said he thought it was "wrong" to question another players' heart, blasted the critics of Cutler. Was it accurate to say he "wussed out?" I think the jury is still out and Cutler had an incredible regular season for the Bears despite the critics. You have to remember Cutler took a beating the previous season and bounced back up and got in the huddle nearly every down.
He appears to be one of those guys who at least says he doesn't listen to that kind of stuff. Cutler might be strong enough to ignore it-but there's little question that he will be in the path of heavy criticism if he doesn't do well this year at Soldier Field. Even his off the field relationships are now the subject of criticism. He recently broke off a wedding with Kristin Cavallari of reality television fame. Something makes you wonder, fair or not, if those who regularly blast Cutler think that's completely his fault, too.

2) Michael Vick
Despite spending his time in jail, Michael Vick still receives a great deal of criticism on the world wide web. Vick may have engineered some spectacular touchdown drives last season but his engineering of dog fights is always the prominent thought for many who are unwilling to forgive the guy. Vick will probably go down as one the most athletic quarterbacks in NFL history-but his off the field trouble may always draw criticism for years to come. His inability to lead the Eagles to the Super Bowl last season despite a brilliant run also opened the door for more on the field criticism.

3) Tony Romo
When you play for the Dallas Cowboys, you better win the Super Bowl. Fans have been jumping on the "get rid of Romo" bandwagon for the past several years. Romo was also criticized for his love life off the field by his own wide receiver. He gets criticized for being the biggest part of an underachieving Dallas football team. Romo might have been put on a pedestal way too early in Dallas or so says former Dallas super running back Tony Dorsett. Romo proved he is extremely human when he bobbled that snap on the kicking team in the playoffs a few years ago. Still, he has plenty of upside and would certainly be well received in any other organization if the Cowboys decide to pull the trigger on any future trade.

4) Peyton Manning
I know it doesn't seem as if Peyton Manning should be on a list like this. He gets showered with praise constantly. But he also gets his share of criticism. The critics once said he couldn't win the big game. He proved that theory wrong when he helped lead the Colts to a win over the Bears in a Super Bowl. According to a story in Reuters shortly after the huge win, Peyton acknowledged the victory wouldn't put to rest any future criticisms. He was right.

Critics once again pounded when Peyton and Indianapolis lost to New Orleans in a future Super Bowl.
Let's not forget that when Peyton first entered the league he was always criticized for the great number of interceptions he tossed. While he is beyond that point, critics still look at what could have been a Colts dynasty with one or two more Super Bowl titles. The irony about Peyton is that he'll inevitably be remembered as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time-whether he wins any additional Super Bowls or not. It's hard to argue with his efficiency throughout the years.

5) Ben Roethlisberger
Even former Packer Terry Bradshaw thought Ben should have been kicked off the team after the alleged sexual assault incident. Bradshaw in fact said the Steelers should "dump" Big Ben off the roster. That served as some heavy criticism during a tumultous year for Ben off the field.
On the field, Roethlisberger has won the big games but his passing numbers certainly don't compare to some of the other great quarterbacks of his era. For that, Roethlisberger also gets criticized. To some, he's the quarterback who wouldn't be anywhere without the great "Steel Curtain" defenses. Roethlisberger might be beloved in Pittsburgh but he isn't an overwhelming favorite across the nation. Not surprisingly, Roethlisberger came to the aid of Cutler when Jay was the subject of fellow NFL players criticism in the NFC championhip game. Like him or not, Roethlisberger has the hardware to prove he is a winner on the field.