NFC West one-hit wonders

While some players turn outstanding seasons into lengthy and impressive careers, others simply fade into obscurity. Here are the most notable one-hit wonders for each NFC West team.

Arizona Cardinals: David Johnson, running back

In 2016, his second year in the league, Johnson rushed for 1,239 yards and added another 879 receiving for a league-leading 2,118 yards from scrimmage. He also had a league-leading 20 touchdowns.

Johnson, however, would never again come close to matching those numbers. He never rushed for 1,000 yards again and was part of one of the more lopsided trades in recent NFL history in 2022, when the Houston Texans acquired him for star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. 

Los Angeles Rams: Mike Jones, linebacker

This is going back to the Rams days in St. Louis. Jones spent 11 years in the NFL, but almost all of them were completely forgettable. He was never an elite pass-rusher, did not force a lot of turnovers and rarely made a lot of splash plays. 

All of that changed during the 1999 season and especially in one big moment: a game-saving tackle at the 1-yard line of Kevin Dyson in Super Bowl XXXIV against Tennessee. Jones intercepted a career-high four passes that season, returning two of them for touchdowns, and was one of the top players on the defense. 

San Francisco 49ers: Chris Borland, linebacker

The 49ers selected Borland in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He had a monster rookie season, tallying 108 tackles, intercepting two passes, forcing a fumble and recording a sack. He finished fourth in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting and looked to be a foundational piece for the defense alongside fellow linebacker Patrick Willis.

Borland, however, retired following the season. citing concerns over head trauma. He returned more than $400,000 of his $600,000 rookie signing bonus.  "I just honestly want to do what's best for my health," Borland told ESPN's "Outside the Lines" at the time. "From what I've researched and what I've experienced, I don't think [playing] is worth the risk."

Seattle Seahawks: Koren Robinson, wide receiver

After a rather pedestrian rookie season, Robinson — the No. 9 overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft —  had a breakout year in 2002 (78 receptions, 1,240 yards, five TD). But he never approached those numbers again. 

Beginning in 2003, Robinson played second fiddle to Darrell Jackson in the offense. He topped the 500-yard receiving mark just once over the remaining six seasons of his career. Robinson also ran into trouble with the law and the league. In 2005, he pleaded guilty to DUI and the league suspended him for four games in 2004 for violating its substance abuse policy.