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The Worst Trade For Every NFL Team In History

By Erik Lambert

31 Dec 1995: Quarterback Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers avoid pressure during a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers won the game 37-20. Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn /Allsport
31 Dec 1995: Quarterback Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers avoid pressure during a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers won the game 37-20. Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn /Allsport /
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Detroit Lions

11. player. 50. . QB. Detroit Lions. Bobby Layne

Anytime a trade happens where it creates an entire mythos around a franchise being cursed, that has to go down as one of the worst ever. The Detroit Lions were riding high in the 1950s as one of the best teams in football. Their quarterback Bobby Layne was a brash gunslinger from Texas who brought that swagger to the organization they’d never had before.

With his help, they won two NFL championships. Things started great in 1957 but he broke his leg midseason. His backup Tobin Rote kept the team on course and they won a third title that year. The Lions became convinced at that point they didn’t actually need Layne anymore. So they traded him to the Pittsburgh Steelers for quarterback Earl Morrall, a 2nd round pick, and a 4th round pick.

On his way out of town, Layne thought Detroit was making a huge mistake and declared they wouldn’t win anything without him for 50 years. The Lions have not won a title or even reached a championship game since that trade went down. It remains fixed in pro football lore as the Bobby Layne Curse.

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