Derek Anderson is a Cleveland legend…for one year. NFL one-hit wonders happen more often than you think. Players can have one career year and then do nothing for the rest of their time in the league. This week, I am doing a series on some of the past one-hit wonders, culminating on Friday with a look at the candidates for 2023. To kick it off, we have quarterback Derek Anderson.

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Former Browns QB Derek Anderson (3) – Stefan Zaklin/European Pressphoto Agency

NFL One-Hit Wonders: Derek Anderson

There has not been much to cheer about in Cleveland over the years. The Browns have been the league’s laughingstock for years and have fielded some of the worst teams in NFL history. There have been some bright spots throughout the years and one of those was in 2007 when Derek Anderson had the season of his life.

The Life And Career Of Derek Anderson (Story)

Former Browns QB Derek Anderson (3) – Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

The 2007 Season

Charlie Frye was the starting quarterback in Week 1 but was benched after the first half against the Steelers, and Anderson came in. Anderson ended up starting 15 games for the Browns that season. He led the team to a 10-5 record while throwing for 3,787 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions. This was coupled with two fourth-quarter comebacks with game-winning drives. The atmosphere in Cleveland was electric during that season as the fans finally had something to cheer about. The quarterback had long been a position that the Browns could not figure out, and now it seemed as if they had found their guy. Anderson won AP Comeback Player of the Year and was given a Pro Bowl nod.

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Former Cardinals QB Derek Anderson (3) – Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Everything After That

The next season was a complete dud. He started nine games and went 3-6. He threw for a measly nine touchdowns and eight interceptions. 2009 didn’t go much better when he threw for three touchdowns and ten interceptions. A mere three years removed from the Cinderella season, he was off the team. Anderson then went the Arizona and Carolina but could never recapture the magic of the 2007 season. It is another gut punch for the Browns’ organization. After thinking they had finally gotten off the quarterback carousel, they had to hop back on for more rides.

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Former Browns RS Josh Cribbs – Anthony Gruppuso/USA TODAY Sports

What Happened In 2007?

It was definitely a perfect storm. Anderson wasn’t the only player to have a career year. Wide receiver Braylon Edwards caught 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns. You read that right. 16 touchdowns! For reference, Edwards caught 40 touchdowns in his entire eight-year career. Almost half of his career touchdowns came in one season. Returner Josh Cribbs also had a career year where he led the league in return yards (1,809), yards per return (30.7), and all-purpose yards (2,312). Kellen Winslow II finished with 82 receptions for 1,106 yards and five touchdowns. Basically, every skill position was on the list of NFL one-hit wonders that season.

To make matters worse for the Browns, they did not have another winning season until 2020. However, this doesn’t take away from how fun the 2007 season was for the fan base. While Anderson was not the savior of the franchise, he did provide one of the great seasons in the last three decades, which counts for something.