A look at the players who left legendary marks on teams those who replaced them in Week 1 of the season follwing their official exit. No easy feat as whoever takes over in New England for Tom Brady will discover.
Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman took over in 1989 fresh out of UCLA. He was the starter for 11 games in 2000. The Week 1 starter for the Cowboys in 2001 was Quincy Carter. He was 9-of-19 for 34 yards with two picks in a 10-6 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Terry Bradshaw
This is tricky as the Terry Bradshaw era in Pittsburgh came to a screeching halt. The four-time Super Bowl champ started all nine games in the strike-shorted 1982 season. After undergoing off-season elbow surgery, Bradshaw was idle for the first 14 games of the 1983 NFL season. Then on Dec. 10, 1983, against the New York Jets, he felt a pop in his elbow while throwing his final pass, a 10-yard touchdown to Calvin Sweeney in the second quarter of the Steelers’ 34–7 win. Bradshaw later left the game and never played again. Cliff Stoudt was the starter in 1983 as Bradshaw recuperated. In 1984’s opener, both David Woodley and Mark Malone played. Woodley made seven starts that season with Malone making the other nine.
Jim Brown
Jim Brown retired after the 1965 season. Leroy Kelly had 16 carries for 54 yards and a TD in the ’66 opener, a 38-14 victory over Washington. Fullback Ernie Green chipped in with 11 carries for 88 yards and a score.
Dick Butkus
Dick Butkus played middle linebacker for the Bears from 1965-73. He made nine starts in his final season with the Monsters of the Midway. Waymond Bryant was a No. 1 pick by Chicago out of Tennessee State in 1974 and he made eight starts that season at linebacker.
Len Dawson
Len Dawson’s starts started to dwindle in 1973. He made six that year, eight the next and five in his final season of 1975. The starter for Kansas City in the first week of 1976 was Mike Livingston, who went 20-of-34 for 236 yards with two TD passes and three picks in a 30-16 loss to the Chargers.
Tony Dorsett
Tony Dorsett didn’t retire with the Cowboys. He went to Denver for a year. However, his exit was hastened by the arrival and presence of one Herschel Walker in Dallas.
John Elway
John Elway exited the Broncos after the 1998 season. The starter for the 1999 opener, which resulted in a 38-21 loss to the Dolphins, was Brian Griese. He was 24-of-40 for 270 yards and three touchdowns in the game.
Brett Favre
Brett Favre famously — infamously? — bid farewell to Green Bay before the 2008 season. That opened the door finally for Aaron Rodgers, who was 18-of-22 for 178 yards and a TD in a win over the Vikings.
Dan Fouts
Dan Fouts was the pilot for Air Coryell. He ruled from 1973-87. When the 1988 season came around, the Bolts’ starting quarterback was Babe Laufenberg. He went 13-of-29 for 171 yards in a 24-13 loss to the Raiders.
Jim Kelly
Jim Kelly came to the Buffalo Bills after some time with the USFL Houston Gamblers. He ran the show through 1996. The next season, the Bills turned to Todd Collins, who was 25-of-39 for 299 yards with a TD and two picks in a 34-13 loss to the Vikings.
Dan Marino
Dan Marino retired after the 1999 season and 240 starts. The quarterback from Pittsburgh was followed by Jay Fiedler, who went 15-of-24 for 134 yards and a touchdown in a 23-0 win over the Seahawks.
Joe Montana
Joe Montana left the Niners for Kansas City in 1993. He had already been displaced as the starter in San Francisco by Steve Young.
Joe Namath
Joe Namath left the Big Apple for Hollywood in 1977. Another Alabama QB, Richard Todd, started the 1978 season. He was 10-of-25 for 115 yards and no TDs in a 20-0 loss to the Houston Oilers.
Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders ran strong and long for the Detroit Lions from 1989-98. When the great running back left, the Lions turned to Ron Rivers, who had 16 carries for 96 yards and four receptions for another 39 to open 1999 with a 28-20 win over the Seahawks.
Bart Starr
Bart Starr only made three starts in 1971 for the Packers. When 1972 came around, the team turned its quarterback position over to Scott Hunter, who was 7-of-17 for 150 yards with a pair of TDs in a 26-10 win over the Cleveland Browns at Municipal Stadium.
Roger Staubach
Roger Staubach won the QB battle with Craig Morton and was Dallas’ signal-caller through 1979. When the 1980 season started, the Cowboys’ starting quarterback was Danny White. The former Arizona State star went 10-of-18 for 107 yards with two picks in a 17-3 win over Washington.
Johnny Unitas
Johnny Unitas ran the show for the Baltimore Colts from 1956-72. His starts dwindled in the last two seasons with Baltimore. When Unitas started the 1973 season with the Chargers, the starting quarterback in Baltimore was Bert Jones. The former LSU star went 6-of-22 for 56 yards with a TD and interception in a 24-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns.
Steve Young
Steve Young took over from Joe Montana in San Francisco. He made three starts in 1999. However, when Young was gone and 2000 came around the Niners’ quarterback was Jeff Garcia, who went 23-of-36 for 253 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in a 36-28 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
