Dana Stubblefield
Most NFL fans don’t realize that one of Washington’s most colossal free-agent failures actually took place before Dan Snyder purchased the team. In 1998, Washington signed Stubblefield, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, to a six-year, $36 million contract. That might pale in comparison to today’s contracts, but at the time, that was serious money for a defensive lineman.
However, Stubblefield was never the same player in Washington. In 1997, his final season with the 49ers, Stubblefield was unstoppable, recording a league-high 15 sacks. In his three seasons in Washington, Stubblefield totaled just 7 sacks. He couldn’t handle the pressure of that big contract. Stubblefield later had his name tarnished thanks to his connection to BALCO and PEDs.