LAVAR ARRINGTON: THE BLACK BOSWORTH

On his 29th birthday, we'd like to commemorate LaVar Arrington's time in the NFL.

Having been elected to 3 straight Pro Bowls due to fan incompetence, it gets lost in the shuffle just how big a bust LaVar was in the league. This guy came into the NFL hyping himself as the next Lawrence Taylor (his reason for wearing #56 in Washington) only to play essentially 5 seasons (if his retirement wasn't a formality already, it is now).

In fact, LaVar was such a huge flop we decided to compare him with the master of self-promotion, Brian Bosworth, in a battle of the most overhyped linebackers in NFL history.

LaVar

Claim to Fame: The Leap
Butkus Award Winner: 1999
The Next...: Lawrence Taylor
Draft: No. 2 overall (2000)
NFL Seasons: 7 (2000-06)
Highlight: Ending Troy Aikman's career
Lowlight: Getting benched in D.C.
Undoing: Freelancing
Reason for Retirement: Torn achilles compounded with motorcycle crash

The Boz

Claim to Fame: The Hair
Butkus Award Winner: 1985, '86
The Next...: Dick Butkus
Draft: No. 1 overall (1987 supplemental draft)
NFL Seasons: 3 (1987-89)
Highlight: Umm....
Lowlight: Getting trucked by Bo Jackson
Undoing: Steroids
Reason for Retirement: Chronic shoulder problems