RYAN LEAF'S REDEMPTION STORY
Ryan Leaf's redemption story is powerful. In a conversation with Rob Maaddi, former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf shares his powerful story of overcoming addiction.
Following a prison sentence, Ryan saw his life turned around. His story is inspiring for all audiences. Rob and the cast talk about giving others second chances.
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SOME BACKGROUND ON LEAF'S DRAFT INTO THE NFL
Peyton Manning and Leaf were widely considered the two best players available in the 1998 draft. Scouts and analysts debated who should be selected first.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Tony Dungy recalled that although his team did not need a quarterback, "Manning-Leaf was really split when you talked to people".
Many favored Leaf's stronger arm and greater potential. Others deemed Manning the more mature player and the safer pick. Most observers, however, believed that it would not greatly matter whether Manning or Leaf was drafted first because either would greatly benefit his team.
THE COLTS PICK FIRST
The Indianapolis Colts owned the first draft pick that year. Team scouts favored Leaf, but Colts president Bill Polian and coaching staff preferred Manning. This was true especially after discovering during individual workouts that he could throw harder than Leaf. Manning also impressed the team during his interview, while Leaf missed his.
Leaf's draft prospect profile described the player as "self-confident to the point where some people view him as being arrogant and almost obnoxious".
The San Diego Chargers had the third overall pick. Polian told Chargers general manager Bobby Beathard that he would not trade the Colts' pick. Beathard later said that he would have taken Manning with the first pick because he knew his father Archie Manning.
His team needed a new quarterback after having scored the fewest touchdowns in the league in the previous season. To obtain the second draft pick from the Arizona Cardinals, San Diego traded its third overall pick. This guaranteed the right to draft whichever of the two quarterbacks Indianapolis did not take first.
THE DRAFT ORDER
Manning was drafted first by the Colts and Leaf second by the Chargers, who signed him to a four-year contract worth $31.25 million, including a guaranteed $11.25 million signing bonus, the largest ever paid to a rookie at the time. Leaf said, "I'm looking forward to a 15-year career, a couple of trips to the Super Bowl, and a parade through downtown San Diego."
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