While some all-time great NFL quarterbacks had excellent “second acts” with their new teams, other once-elite QBs saw their careers unravel when they left the club, which made them a star in the first place.
For this list, we’re looking at established all-time great QBs whom folks thought were done for before proving they had plenty left in the tank with their new clubs— guys whose careers went down the drain upon switching teams.
With that, let’s dive into five great NFL quarterbacks who enjoyed a career renaissance on a new team and five who fell apart.
Which QBs played well with their new NFL teams, and which ones faltered?
Saved Their Career: Peyton Manning
Before the 2011 season, Manning signed a five-year contract extension with the Indianapolis Colts worth $90 million. At 35 years of age, the deal was sure to make the four-time MVP a Colt for life…or so we thought.
Manning wound up having to miss the entire 2011 season recovering from neck surgery. Further complicating matters? The Colts finished with football’s worst record at 2-and-14, and getting the first overall pick meant drafting generational QB prospect Andrew Luck at No. 1 overall.
Not knowing if Manning would ever be fully healthy again ahead of his age-36 season, the Colts released the greatest player in franchise history and, indeed, selected Luck one month later.
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Manning immediately became the most sought-after free agent QB in NFL history but surprised everyone by signing with the Denver Broncos of all teams on a five-year contract worth $96 million.
Manning looked rusty early on, with the Broncos losing three of their first five games to start the 2012 campaign. But “The Sheriff” rallied them to 11 straight victories to secure the AFC’s top seed and won Comeback Player of the Year honors after completing 68.6 percent of pass attempts for 4,659 yards and 37 touchdowns.
A year later, Manning won his fifth MVP after tossing 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns — both single-season records. The record-setting Broncos offense propelled the club to a Super Bowl 48 appearance, but they were crushed by the Seattle Seahawks.
Manning redeemed himself in his swan song season, however, by helping the Broncos to a Super Bowl 50 championship two years later. Manning retired a month after finally hoisting his second Lombardi Trophy.
In four seasons with the Broncos, Manning went 45-12 with four division titles, two AFC title banners, and a Super Bowl. Not that it was Luck’s fault, but the Colts never went as far as the AFC title game in his injury-ravaged career.
So, it all worked out for Manning in the end. And to think Jim Irsay and the Colts kinda thought Manning was done when they released him…
Destroyed Their Career: Brett Favre
2005 was supposedly Brett Favre’s final NFL season. Then 2006. Then 2007. Then 2008. Then 2009. ON AND ON it went…
So here’s what really happened: The Green Bay Packers legend and three-time MVP winner retired after the 2007 season. Favre later decided he wanted to keep playing, but the Packers were ready to move forward with Aaron Rodgers.
This led to an ugly public feud between the Packers and Favre, with the team refusing to outright release him from his contract. Finally, Favre was traded to the New York Jets for a conditional fourth-round pick.
Favre indicated to the Jets that he would retire after a disappointing season. So he was released from his contract…only to decide that he wanted to keep playing. And so, the most indecisive man in history signed with the Packers’ longtime rival, the Minnesota Vikings, less than a month before the 2009 season kicked off.
Favre had an MVP-caliber season and led the Vikings to a 12-4 record and an NFC title game appearance against the New Orleans Saints. However, his reputation as a choker further grew when he tossed a careless interception to Tracy Porter in the waning seconds of regulation — with Minny already in field goal range.
The Saints went on to win in overtime, denying Favre of the chance to win a second Super Bowl. He decided to return for another season in 2010, but it was clear that father time had conquered Favre once and for all.
He lost eight of 13 starts and had 11 touchdowns against 19 interceptions in a season marred by injuries. Favre finally retired — for good — although fans had to wait for the 2011 season to pass before they could believe it.
So, instead of retiring with grace, the famed QB flopped with the Jets, choked a big game away with the Vikings, and then unraveled in his final NFL season. Other than that, Favre’s post-Packers playing days weren’t so bad…
Saved Their Career: Drew Brees
Brees was a second-round pick of the San Diego Chargers in 2001 and became the full-time starter one year later. However, lackluster performances in 2002 and 2003 prompted the Chargers to seek a new QB for the 2004 NFL Draft, and they used the top pick on Eli Manning.
Of course, Manning would later be flipped to the New York Giants with fourth-overall pick and fellow QB Philip Rivers going to the Bolts. The arrival of Rivers seemed to light a fire in Brees’ belly, as he enjoyed excellent seasons in 2004 and ‘05 to set up a QB controversy in San Diego.
Brees decided to test free agency in 2006, allowing Rivers to step in as the Chargers’ new starting QB. The Purdue product wound up signing with the New Orleans Saints in free agency, joining forces with first-year head coach Sean Payton.
Proving that surgery on his right throwing shoulder was no cause for concern, Brees took his game to new heights and turned the Saints into an NFC powerhouse. He spent 15 seasons in NOLA, leading them to three NFC Championship Games and their first Super Bowl championship in the 2009 season.
Brees took the Saints to the playoffs nine times and retired as the all-time passing yards and passing touchdowns leader, though Tom Brady later broke those records.
Man, and to think the Miami Dolphins were scared of Brees’ shoulder and chose Daunte Culpepper instead…
Destroyed Their Career: Joe Namath
“Broadway Joe” is a living legend in New York Jets lore. Because quite frankly, this organization would be historically irrelevant without him.
Namath had his best years when the Jets were still part of the AFL, but he cemented his legacy as a New York sports icon when he led Gang Green to a stunning Super Bowl 3 victory over the heavily favored Baltimore Colts.
Namath memorably guaranteed a Jets victory, even though they were 18-point underdogs. And he backed it up, alright.
However, the Hall of Famer’s last two seasons with the Jets were nothing short of disastrous. He went 4-and-17 as the starter with 19 touchdowns against an alarming 44 interceptions, prompting the Jets to cut ties by waiving him in 1977.
Namath tried reviving his career with the Los Angeles Rams, but he made just four starts and had three touchdowns against five picks. Pat Haden replaced Namath as the startering QB, and Broadway Joe finally retired after the 1977 season—albeit way after his best-before date.
Saved Their Career: Bobby Layne
A four-time Pro Bowler in the Motor City, QB Layne helped the Detroit Lions to NFL championships in 1952, 53, and 1957. The two-time passing yards champion initially looked poised to finish his career in Detroit, but newcomer Tobin Rote had other ideas.
The Lions used both Layne and Rote in their 1957 championship season, but the latter outplayed the future Hall of Famer and started Detroit’s two playoff wins.
With Layne on the wrong side of 30 and recovering from an ankle injury, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the midst of the 1958 season. And the so-called “Curse of Bobby Layne” was born.
Layne gave the Steelers four-and-a-half seasons of quality play, going 27-19-2 with two Pro Bowl nods and a pair of second-team all-pro selections. The Lions, by the way, have not been to an NFL championship game, including the Super Bowl, since trading Layne.
Destroyed Their Career: John Hadl
Hadl spent his first 11 seasons of pro football with the San Diego Chargers, leading them to the AFL Championship in 1963. The four-time AFL All-Star was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in 1973, and he continued his success there with a playoff appearance and 1973 Pro Bowl selection.
The Green Bay Packers were desperate for a starting QB, and Hadl lost his starting job to James Harris. So, in the midst of the 1974 NFL season, Hadl was traded to the Packers for five draft picks — two firsts, two seconds, and a third-rounder.
But the Hadl trade proved to be a disaster for Green Bay. Hadl lost 12 of 19 starts over two seasons and had just nine touchdown passes against 29 interceptions, forcing the Packers to pull the plug after the 1975 season.
Hadl tried reviving his career with the Houston Oilers but to no avail. After strong runs with the Bolts and Rams, he unraveled in Green Bay and Houston and was out of the NFL after the 1977 season.
Saved Their Career: Y.A. Tittle
The Hall of Famer spent the majority of his career with the San Francisco 49ers, spanning from 1951 to 1960. The 49ers only mustered one NFL playoff appearance during his tenure, but Tittle was a top-tier QB in his decade-long run on the West Coast, with four Pro Bowl selections and a First-team All-Pro nod.
However, Tittle began to show his age during his final years, and San Fran and the rise of John Brodie behind center made the fan favorite expendable. In 1961, Tittle was traded to the Giants for guard Lou Cordileone.
Incredibly, Tittle proved that he was anything but washed up in New York. In fact, he took his play to an even higher level with the Giants — proving age really is just a number.
Tittle began his New York tenure by leading the Giants to three straight NFL Championship games, though they lost each one. He won 1963 NFL MVP honors in his penultimate season after throwing for 3,145 yards and 36 touchdowns — off-the-charts numbers in those days.
Tittle went 32-13-3 over four seasons with the Giants. Three more Pro Bowl selections, a trio of First-team All-Pro selections, 10,439 passing yards and 96 touchdowns. That, ladies and gentlemen, put his stamp on the Hall of Fame case.
Destroyed Their Career: Russell Wilson
After a few years of a rift with the Seattle Seahawks coaching staff and front office, Wilson finally got his wish for a fresh start granted in 2022.
That offseason, the Seahawks traded their nine-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl-winning QB to the Denver Broncos in a blockbuster deal that included a package of two NFL first-round picks.
Before playing a snap in Denver, Wilson then inked a five-year contract extension worth $245 million. And boy, did it blow up in the faces of everyone…except Wilson’s bank account, we suppose.
Held back by a woeful coaching staff and horrible offensive line, Wilson lost 11 of 15 starts to begin his Denver career and had 16 touchdowns against 11 interceptions.
He actually had a solid bounce-back year under new head coach Sean Payton in 2023, but it wasn’t enough to please him. Wilson was released in the offseason and signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where his career further went down the toilet.
Seeing how mediocre Seattle has been since trading Wilson, can we all agree this was a bad trade for everyone?
Saved Their Career: Kurt Warner
In his first three seasons as the St. Louis Rams’ full-time starting quarterback, Warner led the team to two total Super Bowl appearances – including a victory in Super Bowl 34 — and won two MVP awards.
Unfortunately, injuries and the emergence of backup Marc Bulger limited Warner to seven starts with the Rams over the 2002 and ‘03 seasons. A disappointing one-year stint with the Giants in 2004 further indicated that Warner was washed up, but the Arizona Cardinals took a chance on him with a one-year deal in 2005 free agency.
The Redbirds saw enough from Warner to give him a three-year extension in 2006. Two years later, the famed QB earned his first Pro Bowl nod in seven years and led the Cardinals to their first-ever Super Bowl appearance, where they fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers in perhaps the greatest NFL Game ever.
Warner led Arizona to a second straight division crown in 2009, then outdueled Aaron Rodgers in an all-time thriller Wild Card Round. The Cardinals lost to the Saints in the Divisional Round, and Warner decided to retire whilst still in his prime.
Not before one last career revival with Arizona, though.
Destroyed Their Career: Deshaun Watson
Just how good was prime Deshaun Watson with the Houston Texans? Put it this way, his 104.5 passer rating in four seasons with the Texans is better than Aaron Rodgers’ career passer rating, which is the highest in NFL history.
The 269.2 passing yards per game he averaged in Houston? Higher than the career averages posted by Tom Brady, Kurt Warner, Philip Rivers, Dan Marino, Brett Favre, and Josh Allen, just to name a few.
Everyone knows how this story ends, though. Watson demanded a trade from the Texans after a miserable 4-12 finish. The embattled QB then sat out the 2021 NFL season after being accused of misconduct by more than two dozen women.
The Cleveland Browns took on the PR backlash anyway and acquired Watson from the Texans in a 2022 trade that included three first-round picks. Watson then got $230 million in guaranteed money.
Three years later, the Browns got nine wins and 10 losses out of 19 starts from Watson, whose play sunk to historically bad levels in Cleveland. And to think he was once on a Hall of Fame trajectory in Houston…
