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Players in the NFL strive for success wherever they land after being drafted, regardless of the situation they find themselves in. However, there are times where the player and the franchise clash. It could be for contractual disputes, lack of playing time, or mismatch in the player and his team's circumstances.
Some players join new teams for a fresh start. But it doesn’t always work out, examples being Josh Rosen moving from the Arizona Cardinals to the Miami Dolphins. But there are plenty of examples of NFL players moving to new teams and succeeding, and here are five of them.
#5 - Ryan Tannehill
Ryan Tannehill was drafted by the Miami Dolphins with the eighth overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, and spent the first seven years of his career in Miami. Whilst with the team, he passed for 123 touchdowns but was often questioned about his inconstant play, as he threw 75 interceptions in that time.
However, in March 2019, Tannehill was traded to the Tennessee Titans for a sixth-round draft selection. It was a transaction that turned his and the Titans’ fortunes around.
He quickly took over the starting role from Marcus Mariota and led the Titans to a 7-3 record as a starter. They made it all the way to the AFC Championship game with Tannehill at the helm.
He made the 2019 Pro Bowl, and was also named NFL Comeback Player of the Year in the same year. The Titans have made the playoffs in all three of Tannehill’s seasons as starter, and were the first seed in the AFC in 2021.
#4 - Brett Favre
Something that is often forgotten is the fact that Brett Favre began his career with the Atlanta Falcons, before he was traded to the Green Bay Packers a year after being drafted by Atlanta.
Favre moved to Green Bay for a first-round pick and became perhaps the greatest quarterback in the franchise's history until Aaron Rodgers came along. Favre won three NFL MVP awards, as well as leading the Packers to a Super Bowl XXXI victory over the New England Patriots.
He passed for over 70,000 yards, as well as passing for 508 touchdowns, a number only topped by Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Peyton Manning.
#3 - Matt Stafford
A very recent example of a player saving their career after switching teams is Matt Stafford, following his trade to the Los Angeles Rams from the Detroit Lions in 2021.
Stafford was drafted by the Lions first-overall in the 2009 NFL Draft and spent the first 12 years of his career at Ford Field. He was seen as a talented quarterback stuck on a dysfunctional franchise, so the move to Los Angeles was welcomed.
Stafford didn’t disappoint, leading LA to a 12-5 regular-season record, and of course, he helped the team to Super Bowl LVI honors in just his first season. Stafford has already saved his career, and at 34 years of age, has plenty of good football left in him.
#2 - Drew Brees
Drew Brees saved his career when he joined the New Orleans Saints from the San Diego Chargers, after the latter drafted Philip Rivers to be the team's new starter.
Brees went on to become the most important player in Saints franchise history. He helped the team to their first and only Super Bowl victory in 2009, just three years after the city was decimated by Hurricane Katrina.
Brees won the NFL Offensive Player of the Year twice, led the league in passing yards seven times, and was named to 13 Pro Bowls throughout his career. He is a certainty for the Pro Football Hall of Fame as soon as he’s eligible, something that wasn’t envisioned for Brees during his time in San Diego.
#1 - Steve Young
Steve Young had to go through some adversity before eventually changing his fortune when he signed for the San Fransisco 49ers. He was originally drafted into the USFL by the Los Angeles Express before moving to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where Young went 3-16 as a starter.
Young spent time as backup to Joe Montana, but took over as the starter for the Niners in 1991 after an injury to him. Young won the NFL MVP twice, led the league in passing touchdowns four times, and was named to seven consecutive Pro Bowls from 1992 to 1998.
He also helped the Niners win three Super Bowl titles, and passed for a record six touchdowns in Super Bowl XXIX. San Francisco also honored Young by retiring his number 8 jersey. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
