Fansided
Fansided

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 /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
18 of 32
Next
Jerome Bettis #36, Running Back for the St. Louis Rams runs the ball during the National Football Conference West game against the New Orleans Saints on 10 September 1995 at the Busch Stadium, St.Louis, Missouri, United States. The Rams won the game 17 – 213. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Allsport/Getty Images)
Jerome Bettis #36, Running Back for the St. Louis Rams runs the ball during the National Football Conference West game against the New Orleans Saints on 10 September 1995 at the Busch Stadium, St.Louis, Missouri, United States. The Rams won the game 17 – 213. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Allsport/Getty Images) /

Los Angeles Rams

player. 51. . RB. Los Angeles Rams. Jerome Bettis . 18

The Los Angeles Rams, who’d moved back to St. Louis in 1995 proceeded to hit rock bottom the next year. Not only were they rough to watch on the field, they began to make staggeringly bad roster decisions. The epitome of this nightmare came when they sent star running back Jerome Bettis and a 3rd round pick to the Pittsburgh Steeler for 2nd and 4th round picks.

The perception was Bettis was a bigger back and wouldn’t play at peak form for as long as other top backs would. That and the fact he struggled a bit in 1995. Once again the team got caught making way too many assumptions and ended up paying a huge price. Bettis became an icon in Pittsburgh, earned the nickname “the Bus” and rushing for 10,571 yards and 78 touchdowns.

He ended his career with a Super Bowl title in 2005. The Rams got lucky. They only had to endure his painful loss for three seasons before swing another trade to get Marshall Faulk. That does not diminish how bad the Bettis move was. They gave up a future Hall of Famer AND a pick for what turned out to be little in return.

Home/NFL Hot Takes