Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t, many athletes have learned this idiom is true … too late. That isn’t to say there is anything devilish about Tom Brady’s current relationship with the New England Patriots. More to give the G.O.A.T. something to ponder if he decides to find a new home when free agency strikes.
Joe Namath
Joe Namath is a legend for his play on the field and charisma off it. He led the New York Jets to their lone Super Bowl title (III). Namath finished his career as a Ram, going 2-2 in four games. Namath threw three TD passes and five picks for the Rams.
Joe Montana
Joe Montana spent 13 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, going 100-39 as a starter and winning four Super Bowls. He moved on to Kansas City and started 25 games for the Chiefs, going 17-8.
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith finished his career with the Arizona Cardinals after 13 seasons and 17,162 rushing yards as a Cowboy. Smith played two years with the Cardinals, rushing for 1,193 yards in 25 games.
Brett Favre
Brett Favre retired, unretired, retired, unretired … He was drafted by Atlanta, spent 16 seasons with Green Bay before chaos ensued that landed him with the New York Jets. Favre was 9-7 for Gang Green. He achieved more success in two seasons with the Vikings, winning 17 of 29 starts and making the playoffs.
Ed Reed
Ed Reed had a Hall of Fame career with the Baltimore Ravens. His time ran out with Baltimore and he moved on to Houston and the Jets, splitting 14 games between them in 2013.
Ken Stabler
Ken Stabler was about as perfect a Raiders as they come. He spent 10 seasons with Oakland winning 69 games in 96 starts. Stabler finished his career with the Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints. He threw 44 TD passes for the final two teams against 79 interceptions.
Larry Csonka
Larry Csonka spent the bulk of his career as a Miami Dolphin with a detour to the World Football League. The great running back finished up with the Giants, infamously being involved with quarterback Joe Piscarcik in the fumble that turned into the “Miracle at the Meadowlands” for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Art Monk
Art Monk played 14 seasons with Washington, catching 888 passes. He then spent a year with the New York Jets in 1994 and three games with the Eagles the following season.
Jason Taylor
Jason Taylor spent 13 seasons in his Hall-of-Fame career with Miami. He picked up 131 sacks for the Dolphins. After that, there was a year each with the Jets and Washington, where he added a combined 8.5 more sacks.
Ronnie Lott
Ronnie Lott was a defensive icon with San Francisco during its dynasty. Lott played 10 seasons with the Niners and then spent a pair each with the Raiders and Jets.
Johnny Unitas
Johnny Unitas played 17 seasons with the Baltimore Colts. He finished in 1973 with the San Diego Chargers, going 1-3 as a starter with three TD passes and seven interceptions.
O.J. Simpson
After rewriting the rushing record book as a Buffalo Bill, O.J. Simpson played for the San Francisco 49ers. His success in his final two seasons was medicore, rushing for a total of 1,053 yards and four TDs.
Tony Dorsett
Tony Dorsett dazzled them in Dallas, rushing for 12,036 yards in 11 seasons. He concluded his career as a Bronco, rushing for 703 yards in 1988.
Franco Harris
Franco Harris, of the “Immaculate Reception” and other great years in Pittsburgh wound up with Seattle. In 1974 as a Seahawk, Harris rushed for only 170 of his career 12,120 yards.
Karl Malone
Karl Malone was “The Mailman” in Utah. He scored 36,928 points in his NBA career. However, only 554 came in his 42 games as a Laker.
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon spent 17 seasons with the Rockets and a final one with the Raptors. He averaged 22.5 points per game and 11.1 rebounds in Houston. In Toronto, 7.1 points and 6.0 boards.
Patrick Ewing
Patrick Ewing spent 15 seasons with the Knicks, scoring 23,665 points and more than 10,000 rebounds. The career wound down with time in Seattle and Orlando. Ewing started 79 games for Seattle and four for Orlando.
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan played 13 seasons with Chicago, retiring and sitting out three campaigns before resurfacing with Washington. Jordan averaged 31.5 points per game as a Bull. He averaged 21.2 points per game with the Wizards in a pair of seasons.
Scottie Pippen
Scottie Pippen was the sidekick to Michael Jordan in Chicago during the Bulls’ championship runs. In 12 seasons, he averaged better than 17 points, almost seven rebounds and more than five assists. He then spent four seasons with Portland before a final run as a Houston Rocket in 2003-04.
Bobby Orr
Bobby Orr played the first 10 seasons with the Boston Bruins and the final two with the Chicago Blackhawks after leaving via free agency in 1976. Orr played in 26 games over two seasons, missing the 1977-78 campaign.
Martin Brodeur
Martin Brodeur spent 21 years with the New Jersey Devils before leaving for the St. Louis Blues. His stay and play was short with St. Louis, seven games played.
Hank Aaron
Hank Aaron played 21 seasons for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves. He went on to the Milwaukee Brewers. Aaron appeared in 137 games for the Brewers in 1975 and hit 12 home runs in 465 at-bats. He retired after hitting 10 more homers in 1976.
Harmon Killebrew
Harmon Killebrew played 21 years with the Minnesota Twins before finishing his career as a Kansas City Royal. Killebrew hit 559 home runs with Minnesota and added 14 with Kansas City.
Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra was a star with the New York Yankees. The Hall of Famer played 18 years with the Bronx Bombers. His time with the Mets was short. Berra played in four games in 1965, getting two hits in nine at-bats.
Willie Mays
The legendary Willie Mays was a New York/San Francisco Giant for 21 seasons. He was traded to the Mets in 1972 and was with them in 1972 and ’73. Mays hit 646 home runs as a Giant and 14 more with the Mets. His batting average as a Giant was .304, with the Mets, .238.
