10 Worst 40-Yard Dash Times in Recent NFL History

A player runs the dash.
The 40-yard dash has become the ultimate test of speed | Joe Robbins/Getty Images

The annual 40-yard dash testing at the Combine has turned into one of the biggest news stories of the NFL offseason. Players have literally made — and lost — millions of dollars based on how well they run their 40 at the Combine. The 40-yard dash has become so mainstream that even Rich Eisen of the NFL Network runs a 40 in his suit at the event on a yearly basis. Here is a look at Eisen’s 40-yard dash at the 2014 NFL Combine:


Every year there are a handful of players who blow everyone away with a blazing fast 40 time. These players receive a lot of media attention, and they are the guys that fan bases get excited about. On the other hand, there are always guys who run jaw-droppingly slow 40-yard dashes at the NFL Combine. Those players rarely get any attention — that is, until now. Here’s a look at the 10 slowest 40-yard dash times at the NFL Combine over the last decade.

10. Ben Jones, 2012 NFL Combine

Ben Jones practices during the offseason.
Ben Jones’ performance was less than ideal | Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Official Combine 40 time: 5.82 seconds

Even after running a slow 40-yard dash time at the 2012 NFL Combine, Jones was considered to be one of the best available centers in the 2012 NFL Draft. His slow 40 didn’t deter the Houston Texans from selecting him in the fourth round of the draft. Jones is still currently on the Texans’ active roster.

9. Richard Henry, 2011 NFL Combine

Official Combine 40 time: 5.68 seconds

Henry attended the 2011 NFL Combine as an offensive guard prospect out of Nebraska. Needless to say, the Combine didn’t go well for Henry. He ended up going undrafted but signed with the Chicago Bears shortly after the 2011 NFL Draft and has been bouncing around practice squads ever since.

8. Nick Steitz, 2005 NFL Combine

New Orleans Saints guard Nick Steitz sets to block during a preseason game.
New Orleans Saints guard Nick Steitz sets to block during a preseason game | Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Official Combine 40 time: 5.7 seconds

Steitz attended the 2005 NFL Combine as an offensive guard prospect out of Oregon. After performing poorly in nearly every physical test, Steitz’s draft stock plummeted, which led to him going undrafted. He spent time with the New England Patriots, Washington Redskins, and San Francisco 49ers but never played in a regular season game.

7. Terrence Cody, 2010 NFL Combine

Terrence Cody sits on the bench and watches the action.
Terrence Cody was a little disappointed with his performance | Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Official Combine 40 time: 5.71 seconds

Cody was considered to be one of the top defensive line prospects in the 2010 NFL Draft, even after running a 5.71 40-yard dash at the 2010 NFL Combine. At the Combine, Cody weighed in at 354 pounds, which was actually down from his college playing weight of 370. Despite his slow 40 time, Cody went on to be selected in the second round of the draft by the Baltimore Ravens and was a key contributor to the team’s Super Bowl XLVII title. He is currently a free agent.

6. Stefon Wheeler, 2006 NFL Combine

Stefon Wheeler of the New Orleans Saints was not happy about his dash time.
Stefon Wheeler of the New Orleans Saints was not happy about his dash time | Getty Images

Official Combine 40 time: 5.73 seconds

Wheeler attended the 2006 NFL Combine as a massive offensive tackle prospect out of Michigan State. Unfortunately, he did nothing to ease teams’ concerns about his slow feet and below-average athleticism. He went undrafted in the 2006 NFL Draft and spent time with both the Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints but never played in a regular-season game.

5. Johnnie Troutman, 2012 NFL Combine

Wide receiver Keenan Allen and guard Johnnie Troutman of the San Diego Chargers celebrate after Allen's score.
Wide receiver Keenan Allen (L) and guard Johnnie Troutman of the San Diego Chargers celebrate after Allen’s score | Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Official Combine 40 time: 5.76 seconds

Despite running a slow 40-yard dash, Troutman, an offensive guard, did well enough in the other testing at the Combine and had a good enough college career that the San Diego Chargers drafted him in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. After a year on San Diego’s Injured Reserve list and another season as a backup, he has now worked his way up to being the starting left guard for the Chargers.

4. Dace Richardson, 2010 NFL Combine

Dace Richardson greets fans after a game.
Dace Richardson greets fans after a game | Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Official Combine 40 time: 5.79 seconds

Richardson had an all-around bad 2010 NFL Combine from a physical testing standpoint. His 40-yard dash time was slower than any other player who attended and played a big role in him going undrafted. He was invited to try out for the New York Giants but was never offered a contract. He last played for the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League.

3. Josh Oglesby, 2012 NFL Combine

Wisconsin's Josh Oglesby rips the helmut off San Jose State's Vince Buhagiar.
Wisconsin’s Josh Oglesby rips the helmut off San Jose State’s Vince Buhagiar | Source: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Official Combine 40 time: 5.8 seconds

Oglesby was once a blue-chip offensive tackle prospect. After six knee surgeries while playing for Wisconsin, his health finally got the best of him. He ran an incredibly slow 40-yard dash at the 2012 NFL Combine, which led to him going undrafted in the 2012 NFL Draft. He signed with the only team that would clear him medically, the Washington Redskins, but lasted only a few weeks.

2. Palauni Ma Sun, 2007 NFL Combine

Offensive guard Palauni Ma Sun of the Oregon Ducks looks on against the Washington State Cougars in 2006.
Offensive guard Palauni Ma Sun of the Oregon Ducks looks on against the Washington State Cougars in 2006 | Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

Official Combine 40 time: 5.86 seconds

Ma Sun was a massive offensive line prospect coming out of Oregon in 2007. While he may have been physically imposing, he did nothing to prove to scouts that he was physically gifted during his time at the Combine. He tested poorly in practically every category, and to the surprise of no one, he went undrafted in the 2007 NFL Draft. He spent time with the Washington Redskins but never made an active roster.

1.  Isaiah Thompson, 2011 NFL Combine

Isaiah Thompson warms up before a Combine event.
Isaiah Thompson warms up before a Combine event | Source: NFL.com

Official Combine 40 time: 6 seconds

The unenviable distinction of being the player who ran the slowest 40-yard dash at the Combine over the last decade belongs to Thompson. The 300-pound Thompson was an offensive guard prospect out of Houston and was the only player in the last 10 years that failed to break the six-second mark when running his 40 at the Combine. It should come as no surprise that Thompson went undrafted in the 2011 NFL Draft and is now out of the league.

Statistics courtesy of ESPN.