NFL Draft Bust Vault: LB Brian Bosworth, Seattle Seahawks

Oct 19, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; A Seattle Seahawks helmet sits on the turf prior to a football game against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams won 28-26. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kane-USA TODAY Sports /

He was a renegade to most. A rebel. Of course, for the residents within the state of Oklahoma, he was “misunderstood”. Whichever way you slice it, Brian Bosworth was a household name in the mid-80s. How he was viewed is clearly up to you. From 1984-1986, the man they called “Boz” was the most recognizable figure in college football at the University of Oklahoma. A two-time first team All-American, he endured, embraced, and welcomed all controversy, negative criticism, degrading remarks thrown his way. He earned two Dick Butkus awards, given to the nation’s best collegiate linebacker. Recently, he was even inducted in to the College Football Hall of Fame. Boz had everything set in place for a successful NFL career.

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April, 1987. The NFL Supplemental Draft. Bosworth became eligible for the supplemental draft by graduating a year early, despite being dismissed from the Sooners football team by then-coach Barry Switzer. Prior to the actual draft, Bosworth mailed letters to several NFL teams stating his displeasure to play for that respective team. However, he was selected by the Seattle Seahawks, which was one of the teams he sent a letter to. A somewhat lengthy holdout ended with Seattle giving the linebacker the biggest rookie contract in NFL history at the time: 10 year deal, worth $11 million dollars. With that type of contract, came massive expectations along with it.

The Boz was known more around the NFL as more of a glorified trash talker than an actual dependable linebacker. His rookie season for the most part was ‘ok” but still a little underwhelming. The most striking moment of Bosworth’s NFL career occurred during a home game against Bo Jackson and the Los Angeles Raiders. Prior to the game, Boz made it known that he had intentions to “contain” Jackson. On a red zone run by Jackson, he reached the edge of the line of scrimmage and it came down to Boz vs. Bo to see who can make a play. Let’s just say Bo won and it wasn’t even close as he ran over Bosworth to score a TD. That one particular play summed up Bosworth’s career. All talk with little sizzle.

“Of course, for the residents within the state of Oklahoma, he was “misunderstood””.

After only two full seasons, the former Seahawks linebacker had to retire due to a severe shoulder injury. While some feel that he was still a respectable linebacker with a few bad breaks, some feel that Bosworth got what deserved. How Bosworth ended up as being one of the biggest busts in NFL history has a lot to with what occurred off the field for Bosworth. The controversial autobiography called ‘The Boz’, the “National Communists Against Athletes” acronym used by Bosworth against the NCAA, the alleged steroid use, the trash talk. Bosworth built a reputation brick by brick by brick with just about everything he did while a Sooner.

The majority wanted to see his failure before he even entered the NFL. Rarely do you see supplemental draftees with a ten-year deal as a rookie. The skyward expectations were in place the minute Bosworth put pen to paper. I don’t want to come outright and say that Bosworth didn’t have the ability to succeed, however, I will say that with his label of being a monumental bust, Bosworth may have crafted that label all by himself.

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