For the millionth time, the Patriots’ dynasty is over. Only this time, that sentence might actually be true. New England’s 20-13 loss to Tennessee over the weekend might mean the end of a run that we’ll never see again in NFL circles. Tom Brady – the six-time Super Bowl champ who won’t play in the AFC Championship Game for the first time in nine seasons – is now an unrestricted free agent after having his worst season statistically since the infant stages of his career.
The 42-year-old said in his postgame interview that retirement is unlikely, so he’ll be back for another year in 2020. The question is: will it be with New England? While it’s near impossible to envision Brady in anything besides a Patriots uniform, he’d hardly be the first legendary quarterback to suit up elsewhere, often to mixed or forgettable results. What history is the ageless wonder fighting?
Brett Favre:
Despite a Pro Bowl nod and a 13-3 regular season in 2007, Favre contemplated retirement that offseason, ultimately pulling the trigger in March 2008, with Green Bay handing the reins to Aaron Rodgers. By July, Favre wanted back in, then asked for his release so he could sign elsewhere upon reinstatement, a request the Packers wanted to deny.
After a very long, drama-filled summer, Favre returned to Green Bay and ultimately was traded to the Jets, where he went 9-7 in 2008 and made a Pro Bowl, then told the team he was retiring – again. He didn’t, spending two years in Minnesota, taking the Vikings to overtime of the ’09 NFC title game (remember that devastating interception?) before the wheels fell off in 2010. He threw 11 touchdowns to 19 interceptions, suffered a shoulder injury in December, then a concussion, and hung it up for good.
Peyton Manning:
The most successful of the stories, the Colts’ decision to use the No. 1 pick on Andrew Luck and move on from Manning didn’t spell doom to the legend’s career. Upon signing with Denver, he was a first-team All-Pro in 2012 and 2013 – the latter of which featured his record-setting 55 touchdown passes – and made a Pro Bowl in 2014. Although he was clearly hampered in 2015, starting only 12 games and riding a strong run game and phenomenal defense, he ended his career winning a Super Bowl.
Joe Montana:
After missing most of 1991 and ’92, Montana lost his starting job to Steve Young. Upon returning to full health, a controversy ensued over who should be QB1, ending with Montana requesting a trade. At age 36 he was dealt to Kansas City, where he donned number 19 (not his legendary 16) and spent two productive seasons with the Chiefs.
In 1993 he went to a Pro Bowl as KC won the division, then in 1994 led the Chiefs to a wild card spot in the playoffs before retiring. In other words: it wasn’t a complete disaster, but the Niners did win the Super Bowl in 1994.
Joe Namath:
After four injury-riddled seasons, Namath returned to health in 1974 with the Jets, but the ensuing three years were rough. After a 7-7 campaign in ’74, New York went 3-11 in 1975 (Namath led the league in interceptions) and ’76. Personally, Namath started eight of those games in 1976, going 1-7. Although the World Football League made a play at the Hall of Famer in 1975, he wound up being waived by the Jets and taking his Broadway Joe persona cross-country to the Rams. In four games he went 2-2 with Los Angeles before getting benched and retiring at the end of the season.
Johnny Unitas:
The legend’s final years in Baltimore were spent either splitting time with Earl Morrall or, in 1972, seeing Unitas start the year 1-4 and getting benched – he’d play just three games the rest of the season. In 1973, Baltimore traded the Hall of Famer to the Chargers, and it went just as poorly. Unitas started only four games, going 1-3, completed just 45 percent of his passes, threw three touchdowns to seven picks, and was replaced by a rookie named Dan Fouts. He retired the following preseason.
