9. Jim McMahon
Jim McMahon’s career was your classic supernova: burn bright, fade fast. He was the perfect combination of big talent and bigger personality, to fit on the legendary 1985 Chicago Bears team. McMahon played the game with his signature rebel style, often changing the plays in the huddle from what was called by head coach Mike Ditka. But most importantly, he brought balance to an offense that previously was 100% dependent on the greatness of Walter Payton.
After the Bears won the Super Bowl in 1985, they looked poised for a repeat in 1986, finishing the regular season with a 14-2 record. But McMahon was the victim of a late-game cheap shot by defensive tackle Charles Martin of the Green Bay Packers. That led to chronic issues with injuries for the remainder of his career; he was never quite the same player. He bounced around six NFL teams over the next decade, before retiring from the NFL.