There is nothing more exciting to sports fans than the idea of their team making a big trade that changes their fortunes. The NFL is no exception.
Every franchise, at one point or another in their histories, have made a bold move to exchange either a player or a draft pick or even a coach that has set them on a path to often untold heights. Many times even the men who executed the deal couldn’t have expected the results that would follow. It’s that great unknown, that mystery that leaves people so captivated about the idea. Trades are like a high-stakes poker game or a lottery. Make the right move and all the dreams come true.
This article will go through every single NFL franchise and detail what was the greatest trade it ever pulled off, why it was made and what the ultimate results ended up being. Rest assured the deals are focused on the one that worked out for that team, not just the biggest trade. There is a significant different between the two because the biggest trades aren’t always the most impactful.
Some took place in the draft. Others were straight swaps. All had the same thing in common. Good fortune followed.
Arizona Cardinals: The Carson Palmer trade
When Bruce Arians arrived in 2013, he knew some of the problems that needed fixing right away and it began at quarterback. The Arizona Cardinals had suffered at that position ever since Kurt Warner retired. It was felt the team needed a veteran presence, somebody who could execute the type of offense that Arians wanted to run. So they decided to take a flier on a seemingly declining Carson Palmer who was turning 34 that season.
They flipped a 7th round pick to the Oakland Raiders to make the deal, much to the surprise of many experts who felt the team would try finding their solution in the draft. Turns out Arians, a big believer in second chances, felt that Palmer could thrive under his tutelage given the prior success he’d enjoyed mentoring players like Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Andrew Luck. He was right. Palmer led the team to a 10-6 record his first year and has since reached his first Pro Bowl in nine years, guiding them to the NFC championship.
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Atlanta Falcons: The Michael Vick trade
By 2001, the final hopes created by the 1998 Atlanta Falcons who had reached the Super Bowl were evaporated. The team was old in too many places, especially quarterback and in need of new blood. What the franchise really desired was a jolt to get the organization and the fans hyped for the future. Management saw that solution at their fingertips in the draft with Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick. The problem was they held the #5 pick and there was little chance he’d drop to them.
So they worked out a deal with the San Diego Chargers, who held the #1 pick to swap spots while also giving up a 3rd round pick and productive receiver/return man Tim Dwight. It proved to be a mutually beneficial deal. The Chargers ended up taking LaDainian Tomlinson and the Falcons got one of the most electrifying football players the NFL had ever seen. Vick became a household name, dazzling defenses with his incredible mix of speed and athleticism.
He became the only quarterback to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season, reached three Pro Bowls and got Falcons to the NFC championship in 2004. His reign came to a sad end when he went to jail for dog fighting charges, but there is no doubt that this trade did wonders for Atlanta football during its height.
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Baltimore Ravens: The Joe Flacco trade
Things couldn’t be feeling much lower for the Baltimore Ravens by the start of 2008. They’d seen a 13-3 record in 2006 squandered in a home playoff loss where they managed just six points. A year later they went 5-11 and the quarterback position was a mess. So by that season it was clear a reboot was need on offense if they were to get things going again. GM Ozzie Newsome and his staff had eyes for Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco but there was concern (namely from team ownership) that he wouldn’t be there when the team picked at #26 in the 1st round. So they swung a deal to move up using 3rd and 6th round picks to secure the #18 selection.
Though his numbers weren’t pretty at the start, it was clear Flacco had talents that fit what they wanted to do. He was big, more mobile than advertised and had the big arm to push the ball down the field when required. Baltimore made the playoffs his first five seasons under center and brought it to a climax in 2012 when Flacco threw 17 touchdowns without an interception to help them capture their second Super Bowl title in franchise history.
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Buffalo Bills: The Jim Kelly trade
This trade was almost a complete bust for the Buffalo Bills. After never getting anything out of linebacker Tom Cousineau, who has spurned them to play up in Canada, they’d hoped to salvage a draft pick by trading his rights to the Cleveland Browns. They ended up with a 1st round pick in the 1983 NFL draft, and used it to select Miami (Fl.) quarterback Jim Kelly. However, they felt a terrible case of deja vu when he too expressed zero desire to play in Buffalo and instead chose to join the United States Football League (USFL) instead.
The Bills lived through a series of pitiful seasons in the mid-1980s including back-to-back 2-14 records. Undaunted though, they clung to the rights for Kelly just in case he ever chose to give the NFL a shot. That is exactly what happened in 1986 when the USFL folded. He signed a contract to come to Buffalo. From there everything was different. Kelly helped lift the franchise to untold heights, reaching four-straight Super Bowls between 1990 and 1993. He would retire with every franchise passing record and eventually landed in the Hall of Fame.
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Carolina Panthers: The Greg Olsen trade
Sometimes it’s the simple moves that yield the most benefit. Greg Olsen had been a decent player during his stint with the Chicago Bears from 2007 to 2010. However, changes to their offensive scheme made the tight end less valuable. So they decided to trade the former 1st round pick. The Carolina Panther, in need of more offensive weaponry to help out the rookie quarterback they were planning to bring in that off-season, sent them a 3rd round pick as compensation.
In a system much better suited for his talents, Olsen began to thrive almost immediately. He was instrumental in helping Cam Newton develop into a polished and confident passer and has since become one of the best at his position. These past two seasons he reached the Pro Bowl, topping 1,000 yards each time and being a key locker room presence in helping the Panthers reach Super Bowl 50. Most didn’t think Carolina would get such a return from that move five years ago, but they were wrong.
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Chicago Bears: The Dick Butkus trade
The 1960s were a different period for the NFL due to the growing competition offered by the upstart American Football League (AFL). Drafting players was considerably more difficult and the league had to operate with a somewhat rigged structure to help entice college players to join their ranks. That was a big reason why the Bears were able to secure the #3 pick in the 1965 draft from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for future 2nd and 4th round picks.
That might be viewed as ridiculous nowadays, but back then it was the absolute right decision because it was felt the Bears had the best chance to secure one of the top linebackers in the country in Illinois standout Dick Butkus. A Chicago native, he fit the mold of what they wanted in their defenders and would be able to stay close to home by accepting their deal. The plot worked. Butkus signed and the league would never be the same. For the next 10 seasons he left a wake of utter devastation in his path, becoming one of the most feared players of all-time, not to mention a Hall of Famer who is still viewed by many as the greatest middle linebacker ever.
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Cincinnati Bengals: The James Brooks trade
The San Diego Chargers felt that running back James Brooks, while a tremendous athlete with loads of versatility, couldn’t handle a significant amount of carries in an offensive attack due to his smaller size. Such is the only explanation that makes sense as to why they willingly traded him to the Cincinnati Bengals in 1984 for fullback Pete Johnson. In fairness Johnson was a Pro Bowler in 1981 and scored 14 touchdowns in 1983, but he was also turning 30-years old. Yet that didn’t seem to deter them, much to the delight of the Bengals.
When they began to implement their revolutionary no-huddle attack under head coach Sam Wyche, Brooks’ speed and agility proved to be a lethal component to its success. He would end up going to four Pro Bowls, produced at least 1,200 yards from scrimmage in five seasons, scored 64 touchdowns and helped Cincinnati to reach the Super Bowl in 1988. Johnson played just three games for the Chargers before he ended up with the Miami Dolphins the remainder of that season. He retired shortly after.
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Cleveland Browns: The Ozzie Newsome trade
Hopes were so high when the Cleveland Browns traded receiver Paul Warfield in 1970 for the draft pick necessary to get Purdue quarterback Mike Phipps. His success in college was impossible to ignore, but it was quickly proven that once again it was never a good idea to trade a proven player for one with high potential. Phipps was a disaster in Cleveland throwing twice as many interceptions as touchdowns. Luckily they were able to take advantage of his reputation and the Chicago Bears’ desperation for help at quarterback to get the #23 pick in the 1978 draft in another trade.
This time they’d learned their lesson, grabbing Alabama tight end Ozzie Newsome with the selection. It proved to be a franchise-altering choice. Newsome became one of the premier playmakers at his position. He would reach three Pro Bowls in his career, helped the team make it to three AFC championship games, miss just three games and retire just shy of 8,000 yards with 47 touchdown catches. That would prove enough to get him into the Hall of Fame.
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Dallas Cowboys: The Herschel Walker trade
The most famous trade in the history of the NFL, and maybe all of professional sports. In 1989, the Dallas Cowboys were at rock bottom. Their roster was depleted of almost any reasonable talent, Tom Landry was gone and ownership had changed. A poor start to the season convinced head coach Jimmy Johnson it was time to start thinking about the future. He hoped to collect as many draft picks as possible in order to start building a team he wanted. The only way he could do it though was by sacrificing the best player he had.
That was running back Herschel Walker, who’d gone to two-straight Pro Bowls with a combined 3,600 yards from scrimmage over those seasons. Five games into that year, the Cowboys put him on the block and the Minnesota Vikings came calling. By the time negotiations were over, Dallas had given up Walker, two 3rd round picks, a 5th round pick and 10th round pick in exchange for a bounty of conditional picks and veteran players in return.
This included:
- LB Jesse Solomon
- LB David Howard
- CB Issiac Holt
- RB Darrin Nelson (traded to San Diego after he refused to report to Dallas)
- DE Alex Stewart
- Minnesota’s 1st round pick in 1990 (21) (traded this pick along with pick (81) for pick (17) from Pittsburgh to draft Emmitt Smith)
- Minnesota’s 2nd round pick in 1990 (47) (Alexander Wright)
- Minnesota’s 6th round pick in 1990 (158) (traded to New Orleans, who drafted James Williams)
- Minnesota’s 1st round pick in 1991 (conditional) – (12) (Alvin Harper)
- Minnesota’s 2nd round pick in 1991 (conditional) – (38) (Dixon Edwards)
- Minnesota’s 2nd round pick in 1992 (conditional) – (37) (Darren Woodson)
- Minnesota’s 3rd round pick in 1992 (conditional) – (71) (traded to New England, who drafted Kevin Turner)
- Minnesota’s 1st round pick in 1993 (conditional) – (13) (traded to Philadelphia Eagles, and then to the Houston Oilers, who drafted Brad Hopkins)
Most of the players didn’t stay very long, but the Cowboys ended up using the draft picks to build the foundation of their dynasty team that won three Super Bowls in four years during the 1990s. This trade, more than any other was what began the massive shift of teams towards stockpiling draft picks to build their rosters as many try to do today.
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Denver Broncos: The John Elway trade
Sometimes it pays to be in the right place and the right time. The Denver Broncos took advantage of the situation in 1983 when Stanford quarterback John Elway made it clear that he had no intention to play for the Baltimore Colts, who owned the #1 pick. This didn’t stop the Colts from picking him, but it was clear the team either had the choice of holding his rights while he played baseball for the Yankees or trading them to another team. Eventually it was the Broncos who came calling.
They gave up their 1st round pick, guard Chris Hinton, a future 1st round pick and a backup quarterback in the deal. Denver got a legend. Elway became one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history. He would lead the franchise to five Super Bowl appearances, win two championships, reach nine Pro Bowls and win an MVP award before retiring in 1999. The Colts moved to Indianapolis shortly after the fallout from that deal. If Hinton hadn’t become a perennial Pro Bowler on their offensive line, this trade might be considered the most lopsided ever.
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Detroit Lions: The Roy Williams trade
Removing the fingerprints of Matt Millen was the order of the day for the Detroit Lions by 2009 and it involved getting rid of his biggest draft disappointments. One of them was wide receiver Roy Williams. Though a Pro Bowler at one point, he’d not showed the consistency nor the commitment needed to help the team win. Luckily his prior great performances against the Dallas Cowboys were enough to help convince owner Jerry Jones to swing a deal that swapped the receiver for 1st, 3rd and 6th round picks.
While the move proved disastrous for Dallas, it enabled the Lions to draft tight end Brandon Pettigrew. He became a reliable target for young quarterback Matthew Stafford and helped to give the Lions credibility over the next few years, culminating in a playoff run in 2011, just three years after going 0-16. For all his critics about not becoming a star, Pettigrew has been a steady presence in the passing game.
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Green Bay Packers: The Brett Favre trade
Ron Wolf is in the Hall of Fame as a GM for a reason. The guy understood what good football players look like and showed no fear when it came to acquiring them. By far his boldest move ever came in 1992. Though the Green Bay Packers had Don Majkowski at the time, a proven starter Wolf still felt new blood was need at the quarterback position. In a surprise move, he convinced the Atlanta Falcons to deal second-year man Brett Favre. Wolf had eyes for him ever since the draft, which explained why he willingly gave up the 19th overall pick in the trade. This despite the fact Favre had rarely played and was himself originally a 2nd round pick.
That was how strongly Wolf felt about what he could do for the franchise. Hence why he got paid the big bucks. After an injury to Majkowski that very season, Favre stepped in and would assume the role of starter for the next 15 years without missing a single game. In that span he set every conceivable passing record, won three-straight MVP awards and got the franchise its third Super Bowl title. He also brought some of the fun back into football, something that makes both him and the Packers revered to this day.
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Houston Texans: The Jason Babin trade
Given its the youngest NFL franchise in existence, it’s easy to understand that the Houston Texans might not have the same cache of trades to choose from other hallmark organizations might. That doesn’t mean they haven’t produced a memorable one. In 2004 the Texans were hoping to improve their defensive line, especially the pass rush. So they worked out a deal with the Titans that involved sending their 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th round picks in exchange for the #27 overall choice and a 5th rounder.
It was a considerable expense, but Houston felt that strongly about their target. That was Western Michigan defensive end Jason Babin. For the next three seasons he was one of their more dependable players on the edge, but being trapped in a 3-4 scheme playing outside linebacker limited his effectiveness as a pass rusher. He had 13 sacks total by the end of 2006. Unfortunately they made the mistake of letting him go just as they were switching to a 4-3 attack. After bouncing around the league for a few seasons, Babin ironically landed in Tennessee where he produced 12.5 sacks in 2010. Then he piled up 18 in 2011 for the Eagles. Both years ended in Pro Bowls.
Turns out the Texans were right about Babin the entire time. They just never maintained the patience to see if he might work out in their new scheme in 2007.
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Indianapolis Colts: The Marvin Harrison trade
One trade to make up for another trade. That was what it felt like for the Indianapolis Colts. If felt like they were doing the right thing in 1990 when they traded up to the #1 pick to draft quarterback Jeff George. His talent was undeniable and represented the missing element they needed to finally become a contender. It didn’t work out. George proved too much of a head case and woefully inconsistent. Three years later they decided it was time to move on, and traded him to the Atlanta Falcons for a conditional pick.
The condition was that if George played over 75% of the offensive snaps in 1995, the pick would become a 1st rounder in 1996. Turns out that is exactly what happened. George led the Falcons to the playoffs that season and a year later the Colts got their 1st round pick, #19 overall. This they used to draft a quiet wide receiver from Syracuse named Marvin Harrison. By the time his career was finished 13 years later he had reached eight Pro Bowls, caught 1,167 passes for 15,463 yards and 130 touchdowns, and won a Super Bowl. He is now enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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Jacksonville Jaguars: The Fred Taylor trade
It’s the dream of every front office to pull off the ultimate buy-low-sell-high maneuver. That is to say get a player for pennies on the dollar, have them exceed expectations for a period of time and trade them while their value is peaking for maximum return. That is exactly what the Jacksonville Jaguars pulled off with Rob Johnson. A backup for three years by 1997, he was forced into the starting lineup at the start of the year due to injuries to starter Mark Brunell. He had just four incompletions, 294 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. That performance, combined with his impressive measurables convinced Buffalo Bills management that he was a potential diamond in the rough.
Jacksonville took advantage, and fleeced them for a 1st round pick in the 1998 draft. Johnson started sporadically for the Bills over the next two years and accomplished little. The Jaguars used that pick to draft a young running back out of Florida named Fred Taylor. Though he would reach only one Pro Bowl, he would go on to put up over 14,000 yards from scrimmage and score 74 touchdowns in 11 years. It was one of the most finely crafted trade maneuvers a team has ever pulled off.
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Kansas City Chiefs: The Joe Montana trade
By the early 1990s the Kansas City Chiefs felt they had a strong team that was ready to take a run at the AFC. What they lacked was a legitimate presence at quarterback who could bring it all together. Luckily the San Francisco 49ers threw them an unexpected lifeline in 1993 when the shocked the football world by making four-time Super Bowl champion Joe Montana available for trade. Even though he was 37-years old at the time, the Chiefs felt he might still have some magic left in that right arm. So they gave the 49ers a 1st round pick in exchange for him, David Whitmore and a 3rd round pick.
Montana overcame initial injury struggles to deliver a vintage Pro Bowl season, going 8-3 as a starter and getting Kansas City into the playoffs. There he reminded the world why he was arguably the greatest ever as he led comeback wins against both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Oilers. Sadly things ended on a tragic note in the AFC championship. After putting the team in position for a possible touchdown that was bobbled and intercepted, Montana was knocked out of the game with a concussion. Buffalo ran away with a 30-13 win.
Even so, there is no doubt the Montana trade got the Chiefs teams of that era closer to a championships than they’ve been since the start of the 1970s.
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Los Angeles Rams: The Marshall Faulk trade
By 1999, running back Marshall Faulk had established himself as one of the best in the league. However, a rift had begun to form between him and the coaching staff. Coupled with disagreements over money, the Indianapolis Colts felt it was more favorable for them to move on from him rather than risk a potentially toxic situation. With help from Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson, the St. Louis Rams were tipped off to the fact that Faulk was available and decided to make a deal.
He wasn’t just a hit from the start. He was a superstar. Faulk produced three-straight seasons over 2,000 yards from scrimmage in a season. During that span he won league MVP honors, helped the Rams reach two Super Bowls and won a Lombardi trophy that 1999 season. In total he would produce over 12,000 yards and 93 touchdowns in a Rams uniform. To this day it could be argued he might be the most versatile running back of all-time, and never was that clearer than during his time as the ground element of the Greatest Show on Turf.
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Miami Dolphins: The Larry Little trade
On the surface this trade looked about as boring to the fans as it could possibly be. Mack Lamb was a defensive back who’d spent two unremarkable years in Miami. Larry Little was a guard out of tiny Bethune-Cookman who’d gone undrafted and played two seasons for San Diego. The two teams decided to swap the players based on needs. Lamb never played a down for the Chargers. Little on the other hand became one of the great steal of all-time.
He was an All-Star his first year with the Dolphins and became the anchor of their offensive line when the team began its rise to dominance in the early 1970s. With his help they featured one of the greatest rushing attacks ever and paved the way to three-straight Super Bowl appearances, two titles and an undefeated season in 1972. Little made four more Pro Bowls and also was a five-time All-Pro. By the time he retired, the franchise was considered among the NFL elite. Little would end up in the Hall of Fame not long after that.
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Minnesota Vikings: The Jared Allen trade
To this day it’s mystifying why the Kansas City Chiefs decided to trade defensive end Jared Allen in 2008. He was coming of an All-Pro season where he’d posted 15.5 sacks. It was obvious he was becoming one of the dominant pass rushers in the game, yet they still convinced themselves it was the right decision to deal him to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a 1st round pick. They certainly didn’t get any better when that happened. Meanwhile, the Vikings made out like bandits.
Allen became a force on their defensive front. In a span of five seasons he reached four Pro Bowls and in just six seasons total he amassed an incredible 89.5 sacks. This included a 22-sack season in 2011 that came a half sack shy of the tying the league record. He helped them reach the NFC championship in 2009 as well. There is no doubt that Allen was proof that teams paying the high price to trade for franchise tagged players can work out in amazing ways.
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New England Patriots: The Randy Moss trade
Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots have always had the utmost belief in the system they’ve built over the past 16 years. They feel with the leadership they have in place, it’s okay to take chances on certain players who might be considered locker room problems. This was their logic in 2007 when they contacted the Oakland Raiders about a deal for wide receiver Randy Moss. No longer the superstar he’d been in Minnesota, Moss had become an under-achieving distraction who looked like his best days were long gone.
Using a 4th round pick, the Patriots gambled that under Belichick’s firm direction and with a quarterback like Tom Brady throwing him the football they could keep him happy and hopefully squeeze a few more good years out of him. Moss gave them much more that season. He caught an NFL record 23 touchdown passes and helped the team go undefeated in the regular season. In the Super Bowl he produced what almost was the winning touchdown catch before the history last minute drive by the Giants. Moss would have two more solid seasons topping 1,000 yards in New England before he was traded again in 2010.
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New Orleans Saints: The Jonathan Vilma trade
What happened with linebacker Jonathan Vilma is what happens with so many teams in NFL history. He missed nine games during the 2007 season with a knee injury. The New York Jets grew concerned that this might impact too much on the field. Coupled with solid young players on the depth chart behind him, they felt it was reasonable circumstances to trade the 26-year old former Pro Bowler. It was the New Orleans Saints, in desperate need of defensive talent and leadership that came calling.
They gave up 3rd and 4th round picks in exchange for Vilma, hoping he might breathe some life into their struggling unit. This he did and more, become their captain and regaining the star form he’d shown a few years prior. He made the Pro Bowl in 2009, helping the franchise to win its first Super Bowl championship. A year later he reached his third before injuries began to pile up on him. There is no doubt the trade for Vilma was a game-changer for the Saints in their quest to become a contender for the first time.
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New York Giants: The Eli Manning trade
Much like the Elway trade for Denver, the New York Giants took advantage of a situation created by the quarterback waiting to be drafted. Ole Miss standout Eli Manning was the consensus top overall prospect in the 2004 draft but on advice from his father Archie made it clear he had no desire to play for the team that owned the #1 pick, the San Diego Chargers. It was never fully specified as to the reasoning for that, but most believe there was a concern that the Chargers franchise weren’t stable enough or committed to building a winner. Archie didn’t want the same fate for his son that had happened to him when he was a player in New Orleans.
Regardless, the Chargers selected Manning anyway. Like the Colts 21 years before it was believed they intended to hold onto his rights in hopes they might get another team to trade for him. GM Ernie Accorsi of the Giants knew his team needed a quarterback and had eyes for Eli. When San Diego called to gauge interest in a deal, he expressed interest. In order to make it happen they wanted a quarterback as well and were taken by N.C. State product Philip Rivers. So Accorsi drafted him with the #5 overall pick, then packaged him with a 3rd round pick and future 1st and 5th round picks in exchange for Manning.
New York got their franchise guy. Eli developed into one of the most clutch quarterbacks of the era, leading the Giants to Super Bowl championships in 2007 and 2011. He’s the all-time passing leader in team history with four Pro Bowls under his belt. When the dust has settled there is no doubt this will go down as their most meaningful trade.
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New York Jets: The Joe Namath trade
There’s a reason New York Jets fans cheer whenever the team makes a bold move up in the draft to get a quarterback. It’s because that’s how their franchise’s greatest legend arrived. In 1965, representatives of the old AFL felt the best way for their league to compete with the NFL was by ensuring their New York franchise was a success, given the strength of its media market. So they worked out a deal where the Houston Oilers would receive Texas-native quarterback Jerry Rhome and in exchange the Jets would receive the #1 pick in the draft.
Understanding the need for star power in order to draw ticket sales and notoriety, team owner Sonny Werblin selected a charismatic quarterback from Alabama named Joe Namath. He immediately signed a $427,000 contract, easily the largest in football history at the time. Interest in the Jets and the AFL skyrocketed as a result. Namath’s magnetic personality made football a must-see event, and he helped it along by becoming the first quarterback to ever throw for 4,000 yards and then by delivering the most iconic line in the sports’ lore, guaranteeing the Jets would defeat the powerhouse Baltimore Colts of the NFL in Super Bowl III.
Given how much the NFL had dominated the AFL in the first two Super Bowls, most thought this was crazy blabbering by a loudmouth who didn’t respect the game. That is until the Jets stunned the Colts 16-7. Not long after that victory, the two leagues merged and Namath went into history as one of the most critical figures in the history of the sport.
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Oakland Raiders: The Willie Brown trade
By the late 1960s, the Oakland Raiders were becoming one of the top franchises in the old American Football League (AFL). Their owner, Al Davis had by that point established a blueprint for what he wanted his teams to do from a schematic standpoint. Chief among them was playing tight man coverage on the outside. To do that though they would need the proper cornerbacks with the speed and physicality for it. So Davis and his staff made the bold move to send defensive lineman Rex Mirich and a 3rd round pick to the Denver Broncos in exchange for quarterback Mickey Slaughter and cornerback Willie Brown.
By that point Brown was an established star who’d already made two All-Star games. The Raiders knew exactly how to employ him and soon his uncanny knack for playing bump-and-run press coverage made him one of the most feared in the game. Any time teams tried to throw quick outs against him, he always seemed to intercept and return it for a touchdown. By the time he retired at age 39, Brown had 46 career interceptions. Five of them he returned for scores, including the iconic dagger in Super Bowl XI that clinched the Raiders’ first championship.
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Philadelphia Eagles: The Bill Bergey trade
During the mid-1970s, the Philadelphia Eagles were a down and out franchise considered among the worst in the NFL. The team had no core of talent to build around and coaches they brought in had few answers. When GM Jim Murray took over the team in 1973, he knew the culture had to be changed. It started with finding a blue chip player that could energize both the roster and the fan base. Murray, despite having no 1st round pick in 1974, 1975 or 1976 decided to trade the 1st rounders in 1977 and 1978 to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for middle linebacker Bill Bergey.
It was a bold move in the extreme at the time. Bergey hadn’t been to a Pro Bowl since his rookie year in 1969 and was 29-years old when the trade occurred. Thankfully it was the right call. He became the heart of the Eagles defense for the rest of the decade, reaching four Pro Bowls and being named All-Pro twice. His finale season with the team he helped them reach Super Bowl XV, completing the turnaround that began with his arrival six years before. Bergey remains a beloved figure in Philly to this day.
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Pittsburgh Steelers: The Jerome Bettis trade
Offensive scheme shifts made the situation for running back Jerome Bettis difficult in 1995 with the St. Louis Rams. A more pass-heavy attack, combined with a desire to move him to fullback compelled him to request a trade rather than continue to see the production that made him a two-time Pro Bowler drop. The Pittsburgh Steelers needed a bigger back with power after their own Bam Morris was arrested for marijuana possession. They flipped 2nd and 4th round picks to the Rams in exchange for Bettis.
It was a move that paid dividends right away. Showcasing his remarkable mix of power and agility, Bettis carried the Steelers ground attack for the next six seasons, rushing for at least 1,000 yards every year. His bruising style earned him the affectionate nickname “the Bus” from the Pittsburgh faithful. By 2005 he had reached four Pro Bowls but still had not been able to win a championship. That changed thanks to a miracle run late in the season sparked by some big runs he delivered. The Steelers won three-straight road games to reach Super Bowl XL and defeated the Seattle Seahawks to win their fifth championship in Bettis’ home town of Detroit. He retired shortly afterward and would end up in the Hall of Fame a few years later.
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San Diego Chargers: The Kellen Winslow trade
It was felt that by the late 1970s the San Diego Chargers were building something special on offense under head coach Don Coryell. They already had future Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts and future Hall of Fame receiver Charlie Joiner. It was felt they might be one more piece away from becoming a serious offensive powerhouse. Ever the innovator, Coryell had an idea of what they needed, and so decided to make a bold move in the draft.
They shipped their 20th overall pick and a 2nd round choice to Cleveland in exchange for the 13th pick and selected Missouri tight end Kellen Winslow. Coryell saw the unique ability Winslow had, being so big and yet possessing the speed, athleticism and hands of a wide receiver. Coupled with his offensive scheming and Fouts’ passing prowess, it was a match made in heaven. Winslow redefined the tight end position in the 1980s. Three times he went over 1,000 yards, unheard of for that position in that era. After five Pro Bowl appearances and an unforgettable performance in the 1981 playoffs that cement his legacy, he retired at age 31.
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San Francisco 49ers: The Steve Young trade
Following the 1986 playoffs, the San Francisco 49ers began to realize that Joe Montana was becoming unreliable in terms of his ability to stay on the field. He’d missed eight games that season and was knocked out in the playoffs by the New York Giants. Head coach Bill Walsh felt it would be in the teams’ best interest to not only seek out better depth at the backup position, but also a potential long-term replacement for the two-time Super Bowl MVP. The big surprise came in who that solution ended up being.
Walsh had eyes for a young, energetic southpaw named Steve Young who had trudged through two ugly seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His 3-16 record to that point didn’t inspire confidence, but Walsh saw loads of potential. He gave up 2nd and 4th round picks to get him, and thus the greatest quarterback controversy in NFL history began. Feeling the heat, Montana elevated his game over the next few seasons to win two more Lombardi trophies and cement his Hall of Fame status. Then when he finally succumbed to the health issues, Young stepped in and carried the 49ers’ success into the 1990s. He would claim two MVP awards, a Super Bowl title of his own and a bust in Canton as well.
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Seattle Seahawks: The Steve Largent trade
Almost nobody thought it was a great idea that the Seattle Seahawks flip an 8th round pick to the Houston Oilers in exchange for wide receiver Steve Largent. Most felt he was a slow, undersized kid from Tulsa who had no business being on the field with NFL athletes. Early training camp signs seemed to reinforce that, but everything changed once they got into actual games. There, the true value of who and what Largent was came to light.
In spite of his physical shortcomings two things became apparent with him from the start. He was incredibly adept at finding soft spots in coverage to get himself open, and that he could make the most remarkable catches with nary a drop. Seahawks quarterbacks grew to rely on him over the years and soon he’d helped turn the franchise into a legitimate contender, reaching the AFC championship in 1983. By the time he retired Largent was a seven-time Pro Bowler with 105 career touchdowns and over 13,400 receiving yards. Both were NFL records at the time.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Jon Gruden trade
By 2002 the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were having an identity crisis. Under the guidance of head coach Tony Dungy the franchise had become a defensive powerhouse and one of the top teams in the NFC. Even so, three-straight years of bitter disappointment in the playoffs that exhibited serious offensive ineptitude led to the belief that the team might never be good enough to take advantage of their Super Bowl window. Thus the unthinkable was considered: dismiss Dungy in hopes a replacement can fix their problem.
The solution was an even bigger shocker. Tampa Bay decided to trade for Jon Gruden, who was then head coach of the Oakland Raiders, in exchange for two 1st and two 2nd round draft choices. It was a gamble that was off the charts at the time, but Gruden was known for his ability to motivate players as well as coach offense. Sure enough he got things rolling just in time for the playoffs that year. The Bucs crushed both the 49ers and Eagles to reach their first Super Bowl in franchise history. Waiting there was Gruden’s former team, the Raiders. With his inside knowledge of their schemes, the Buccaneers delivered a decisive 48-21 rout to win the title.
Oakland hasn’t been back to the playoffs since. Gruden retired as the winningest coach in Tampa Bay history.
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Tennessee Titans: The Earl Campbell trade
In 1978, the Tennessee Titans (then the Houston Oilers) felt they needed a marquee player on offense who could help balance the strong roster they were putting together on defense. With quarterback Dan Pastorini in place, the franchise decided to make a bold move in the NFL draft to get that player. Without blinking they shipped their #17 pick along with 2nd, 3rd and 5th rounders in exchange for the #1 overall choice from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
That pick would be used to secure Texas running back and Heisman trophy winner Earl Campbell. Coaches literally celebrated when they heard the news, and with good reason. Campbell proved to be worth every bit of what they gave up and more. In his first two seasons alone he went to the Pro Bowl, led the league in rushing and got the Oilers to two-straight AFC championship games. He was MVP in 1979 and ran for 1,934 yards in 1980. Though he only played nine seasons, he finished with over 10,000 yards from scrimmage and scored 74 touchdowns. It earned him eventual placement in the Hall of Fame.
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Washington Redskins: The Ricky Williams trade
Perhaps the most perplexing trade in the past 20 years was the one the New Orleans Saints hatched when they decided to trade away their entire 1999 draft, along with 1st rounder in 2000 in order to move up high enough and draft star Texas running back Ricky Williams. The Washington Redskins eagerly jump in on that deal, giving up their #3 overall selection. In return they received eight total picks, and proceeded to put them to use.
Over the course of the next year the Redskins would either trade or use those draft picks to secure players they coveted. While some inevitably turned out to be busts, they did end up coming away with three excellent names. Shortly after making the deal with the Saints, they moved back up from #12 to #7 in order to grab George cornerback Champ Bailey. A year later further maneuvering helped them to acquire offensive tackle Chris Samuels and linebacker LaVar Arrington. Together the trio would combine for 13 Pro Bowl appearances in a Redskins uniform.
To top it off, Bailey was later traded for running back Clinton Portis, who became a Pro Bowler for the team as well.