The four biggest turkeys in Minnesota Vikings history

3. Christian Ponder

Once Brett Favre officially retired for good after the 2010 season, the Vikings knew they had to find someone new to be their starting quarterback in 2011.

Minnesota ended up trading for veteran Donovan McNabb and using their first-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft on Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder.

McNabb only lasted six games before he was benched in favor of Ponder. In 11 appearances, the rookie certainly didn’t blow anyone away with his abilities. But he was given the benefit of the doubt since it was only his first year in the league.

RELATED PRODUCT

Minnesota Vikings Floral Shorts

Buy Now!

Buy Now!

Over the next three seasons, things didn’t really get much better for Ponder. During his second and third years with the Vikings, the young quarterback threw a total of 25 touchdowns, 21 interceptions, and he averaged just 183.3 passing yards per game in 25 starts.

After Minnesota eventually realized that Ponder was not ever going to turn into a legitimate starting quarterback, the team went out and selected Louisville signal-caller Teddy Bridgewater in the 2014 NFL Draft. That was the beginning of the end for Ponder.

Just about everyone who knows a thing or two about football felt the Vikings reached when they took Ponder with the No. 12 pick in 2011. Turns out those people were right as the quarterback hasn’t taken a snap in the league since the 2014 season.