Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

In the NBA, Shaquille O’Neil spent several of his prime seasons on the Los Angeles Lakers. He also spent his final season washed up on their rival the Boston Celtics.

What would be the NFL equivalents of that? A player spends his prime for one team, and then his final season washed up for their rival?

One I can think of is Harold Carmichael, though I don’t know if he should be labeled “washed” in his Dallas stint?

Jim McMahon with the Packers.

Tony Dorsett with the Broncos

In a way, Randall Cunningham with the Cowboys qualifies but he did have one final season with the Ravens. Neither team gave him enough of a chance to start which was unfortunate. I still felt he could play. His 1998 season was one of the best ever for a QB who didnt win the MVP award.

Jim Taylor with the Saints

***missed the part about a rival

I don't know if any examples given really fit the bill other than Cunningham playing for the Cowboys the Saints weren't a rival to the Packers nor Denver to the Cowboys. I feel like the biggest and most egregious example of this and even more so than Shaq playing for the Celtics would be my favorite team's all time best franchise player Andre Johnson leaving the Texans to play for both the Colts and Titans in his last 2 seasons. That was about as disgusted I've ever been as a football fan and the Texans lost part of whatever soul they had finally started to build with that happening.

As a Niner fan it stung to see Jerry Rice and Roger Craig go to the (regional) rival Raiders.
Yes, I know they were in L.A. when Roger went but they were still the Traitors.

The obvious example is Brett Favre with the Vikings. That final season was hard to watch, particularly his final game. Unless the requirements are that he spent only one year with the rival team, but Shaq bounced around the league to four different franchises in all.

Crazy Packers Fan wrote: ↑Tue Aug 04, 2026 8:17 pm The obvious example is Brett Favre with the Vikings. That final season was hard to watch, particularly his final game. Unless the requirements are that he spent only one year with the rival team, but Shaq bounced around the league to four different franchises in all.

I’d count Favre in 2010, About the same time Shaq on the Celtics was happening in the NBA coincidentally enough

Steve McMichael to the Packers.