After spending his entire 20-year NFL career with the New England Patriots, future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady announced on Tuesday morning that his “football journey will take place elsewhere” next season.
It will be strange to see the 42-year-old Brady in another team’s uniform, as he’s led New England to six Super Bowl titles since he was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. But he certainly won’t be the first quarterback to spend the majority of his career with one franchise before retiring with another.
Similarly, Phillip Rivers on Tuesday afternoon signed with the Indianapolis Colts after 16 seasons with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers. So with that said, we’ve decided to take a look at other legendary signal-callers switched uniforms late in their career (presented in alphabetical order).
Drew Bledsoe
Drafted with the first-overall pick in the 1993 NFL Draft, Bledsoe played nine seasons with the Patriots before he was injured and replaced by Brady two games into the 2001 season. He played three seasons with the Buffalo Bills (2002–04) and two with the Dallas Cowboys (2005-06).
Randall Cunningham
Cunningham announced his retirement in 1995 after 11 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, but returned to play for the Minnesota Vikings (1997-99) after one year away from the game. He also played for the Dallas Cowboys (2000) and Baltimore Ravens (2001).
Brett Favre
Although he was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 1991, Favre is best known for his 16 seasons with the Green Bay Packers (1992-2007). He was replaced by Aaron Rodgers and traded to the New York Jets in 2008, then spent 2009-10 with the Minnesota Vikings.
Archie Manning
The second-overall pick in the 1971 NFL Draft, Manning played ten full seasons with the New Orleans Saints. He then had short stints with the Houston Oilers (1982-1983) and Minnesota Vikings (1983-84)
Peyton Manning
The No. 1 overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, Manning played 14 seasons in Indianapolis, leading the Colts to a win in Super Bowl XLI. After undergoing neck surgery that forced him to miss the entire 2011 season, Manning was released and signed with the Denver, where served as the Broncos’ starting quarterback from 2012-15 and won Super Bowl 50.
Donovan McNabb
The second-overall selection in the 1999 NFL Draft, McNabb spent 11 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, leading the team to eight playoff appearances. He was traded to the Washington Redskins ahead of the 2010 season, and also played one year with the Minnesota Vikings (2011).
Steve McNair
A first-round pick out of Division I-AA Alcorn State, McNair played 11 seasons with the Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Titans organization (1995-2005), which included a trip to Super Bowl XXXIV. He was then traded to the Baltimore Ravens, with whom he played two more seasons before retiring.
Joe Montana
Arguably the greatest quarterback of all time, Montana spent 14 seasons (1979-92) in San Francisco, leading the 49ers to four Super Bowl titles and winning three Super Bowl MVPs in the process. He was then traded to the Kansas City Chiefs, with whom he played his final two seasons (1993-94).
Warren Moon
Moon began his professional career with the Canadian Football League’s Edmonton Eskimos, but played 10 seasons with the Houston Oilers. He had brief, multi-year stints with the Minnesota Vikings (1994-1996), Seattle Seahawks (1997-98) and Kansas City Chiefs (1999-2000).
Joe Namath
Namath, who famously guaranteed and delivered on a win in Super Bowl III, spent 12 seasons (1965-76) with the New York Jets. He finished his career by playing one final season with the Los Angeles Rams, however.
Ken Stabler
Stabler, affectionately referred to as the “Snake”, played 10 seasons with the Oakland Raiders (1968-79), leading the team to a victory in Super Bowl XI. He also played for the Houston Oilers (1980-81) and New Orleans Saints (1982-84).
Y.A. Tittle
Though he spent the first three years of his career with the Baltimore Colts, Tittle was a four-time All-Pro in 10 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers (1951-1960). He was traded to the New York Giants in 1961, with whom he spent the next four years. He notably broke the Giants single-season passing touchdown record and was named the league’s most valuable player in 1963.
Johnny Unitas
Though drafted and released by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1955, Unitas won three league MVPs in 17 seasons with the Baltimore Colts (1956-72). He was traded to the San Diego Chargers in 1973 and replaced as the starter just five games into the season.
Michael Vick
The first-overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft, Vick was one of the most dynamic athletes in the league until he career came to a halt in 2007, when he pleaded guilty to being involved in a dog fighting ring. He spent 21 months in a federal prison, but returned to play for the Philadelphia Eagles (2009-13), New York Jets (2014) and Pittsburgh Steeler (2015).
Kurt Warner
Originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1994, Warner eventually rose to stardom while playing with the St. Louis Rams (1998-2003), winning Super Bowl XXXIV. He also played for the New York Giants (2004) and Arizona Cardinals (2005-2009), making it back to Super Bowl XLIII with the latter.
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