Reports surfaced recently (via Pro Football Talk) suggesting that the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos might have interest in swinging a deal for disgruntled Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs.
It might seem far-fetched to think that the Raiders would agree to deal the standout ball carrier to a division rival, but it’s not as unlikely as it might first seem. After all, plenty of notable NFL players have gone on to star for teams they once fiercely opposed.
If the trade compensation is there, the Raiders would be hard-pressed to turn the right deal down. Similarly, Jacobs would likely jump at the opportunity to stick it to Vegas twice a year.
Here’s a look at some of the most notable instances where a star player flipped franchises and suited up for a rival. Included in that group will be, ironically enough, a former Raiders ball carrier who ended his career carrying the mail in Arrowhead.
Notable NFL Players That Changed Teams Within the Division
Darrelle Revis Links Up With Tom Brady and Bill Belichick
Darrelle Revis was a beloved member of the New York Jets for the first six years of his NFL career. The Jets ultimately opted to trade the star cornerback in the 2013 offseason, recognizing the contract extension Revis was due would be untenable due to cap constraints.
New York wisely sent Revis out of conference, shipping him off to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for first and fourth-round picks. But when Tampa cut Revis the following offseason, he quickly migrated back north. In fact, Revis inked a deal with New York’s bitterest rival, the New England Patriots, mere hours after the Bucs gave him his walking papers.
Jets fans were predictably incensed. Many took to social media to share videos of themselves burning their own Revis jerseys.
Revis denied suggestions that he signed with the Patriots to exact revenge on New York. Instead, he cited a desire to win as the primary motivation for his controversial decision. That proved to be a wise move, as Revis earned the first and only Super Bowl ring of his pro career during his lone season in New England.
“My thing is all about winning. I want to win. What better organization than the New England Patriots to be a part of?”
This one is largely water under the bridge today, as Revis would reconvene with New York just one season later. In fact, he’s now enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a member of the Jets. Nonetheless, all those still-smoldering No. 24 jerseys won’t soon forget how ticked off Jets fans were the day Revis jumped ship.
Rod Woodson Allies With Steelers Rivals, New and Old
The Pittsburgh Steelers are known for holding onto homegrown talent. That’s held true even in the free agent era. And after 10 years (and 38 interceptions) with the ball club, defensive back Rod Woodson seemed like someone likely to retire in black and gold. Which made it sting all the more for Steelers fans when Pittsburgh let Woodson walk in 1997.
Woodson was in his 30s and, by then, had suffered a torn ACL the season prior. He bounced back nicely, but the Steelers were hesitant to meet his contract demands. Woodson inked a deal in 1997 with the San Francisco 49ers and had a nice year. However, it’s the next half dozen years of his career that we’re here to discuss.
Woodson reentered free agency in 1998 and linked up with the Baltimore Ravens, an expansion franchise and budding thorn in Pittsburgh’s side. Before long, the Ravens emerged as a defensive force and finished the 2000 season Super Bowl champions. Woodson was a pivotal force in that, hauling in 20 interceptions during his four-season stay in Baltimore.
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After that, Woodson spent two more years with an old-time rival of Pittsburgh’s, the then-Oakland Raiders. He hauled in eight more picks and scored two defensive touchdowns in a 2002 season where Oakland notched a Super Bowl appearance as well.
Woodson, surprisingly, never picked Pittsburgh off in the nine opportunities he had after leaving, and his teams went just 4-5 against the Steelers in games he was active for.
Long-time Steelers owner Dan Rooney regretted Woodson’s exit at the time (as per 247 Sports), and the benefit of hindsight didn’t make the decision to let him get away look any better.
”When Franco Harris went to Seattle, that was the most difficult,” Rooney told the New York Times in 1996. ”But this thing with Rod is right up there. Right up to now, I wanted Rod on our team. You can blame it on the salary cap. You can blame it on anything you want. I really wish he was finishing his career with us for a lot of reasons. It hurts.”
Marcus Allen Gets Out From Under Al Davis’ Thumb
Marcus Allen — famously and publicly — feuded with Raiders owner Al Davis. The first four years of Allen’s pro career were outstanding. He racked up 4,638 rushing yards, 2,304 receiving yards, and 57 total touchdowns. And yet, Allen encountered several hurdles in his quest for playing time thereafter.
First, he had to share the backfield with highly touted Bo Jackson. Later on, Allen had to vie for touches with decorated vets like Roger Craig and Eric Dickerson. At one point, Allen was relegated to fourth on the depth chart.
Many folks surmised that Davis’ refusal to play Allen stemmed from a 1989 contract dispute. A sentiment Allen echoed in a 1992 interview with Al Michaels.
“He told me he was gonna get me. We’ve had conversations. I don’t know for what reason, but he told me that he was gonna get me,” Allen said. “But it’s just been an outright joke to sit on the sidelines and not get the opportunity to play. I shouldn’t say not get the opportunity, they don’t want me to play.”
Allen would ultimately get the chance to tote the rock again full-time with a long-time Raiders rival, agreeing to terms with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993. During his five years in Kansas City, Allen chipped in 3,698 rushing yards and 47 touchdowns. Ultimately, he’d get the last laugh.
As a Chief, Allen squared off with the Raiders 10 times, notching 155 carries, 617 yards, and two touchdowns in those matchups. But more importantly for Allen, his Chiefs boasted a 9-1 record against the silver and black in those games.
T.O. And Philly Have a Bad Breakup, Dallas Swoops In
The man known as “T.O.” only spent a season and a half with the Philadelphia Eagles, but Terrell Owens’ impact was substantial. Owens racked up 124 receptions, 1,963 yards, and 20 touchdowns in 21 games played with the Eagles. He also famously fought through an injured ankle to play in Super Bowl 39 against the Patriots, hauling in nine catches for 122 yards in the narrow loss.
However, Owens might have made an even bigger impact on his way out of Philadelphia. The outspoken wide receiver seemingly made headline news on a daily basis for his criticisms of the Eagles and their then-quarterback, Donovan McNabb…whilst still teammates with the star QB.
Philly wound up shutting Owens down midseason after he publicly stated his Eagles would be in a better spot with Brett Favre at quarterback, amongst other things.
“A number of commentators will say he’s a warrior, he’s played with injuries,” Owens said of Favre. “I feel like him being knowledgeable about the quarterback position, I feel like we’d probably be in a better situation.”
Philadelphia severed ties with Owens quickly in the offseason, and the embattled wideout turned around and inked a deal with the Dallas Cowboys. Ask any NFC East fan about the league’s biggest rivalries, and there’s no doubt it’ll start and end with Philly and Dallas.
The opportunity for Owens to show out against the team he felt disrespected by no doubt was a motivating factor.
Owens got to square off with Philadelphia six times during his three-year stint with the Cowboys. He was held to 45 yards or less in three of those games. He excelled in the other three, though, averaging 122 yards and a touchdown per.
Nevertheless, the Eagles enjoyed a 4-2 edge in the win column against T.O.’s Cowboys, including a now infamous (and division-clinching) 44-6 pasting in the last go-round. Point, Philly.
Brett Favre Says ‘Skol’
Brett Favre was synonymous with the Green Bay Packers for the great majority of his 20-year playing career. But near the end of his career, the team brass grew tired of the quarterback hemming and hawing over his playing future.
It became something of an annual tradition for Favre to contemplate retirement at season’s end during his last few years in Green Bay. Favre finally announced his (first) retirement in March 2008.
Much like Tom Brady years later, Favre regretted it. Unlike Brady, however, Favre was not welcomed back to the team he had resigned from. After all, at that point, Green Bay had Aaron Rodgers waiting in the wings behind Favre for three years. After a long, contentious negotiation process, Green Bay finally brokered a deal for Favre with the New York Jets.
But Favre’s year-long Jets tenure isn’t the reason for his inclusion on this list. It was the following two seasons that he spent with an NFC North rival of Green Bay’s in the Minnesota Vikings that rubbed some fans the wrong way.
Favre contemplated retirement again virtually all offseason before inking a deal with Minnesota at the 11th hour in August 2009. Favre downplayed the revenge angle, crediting a love of the game for his return.
“The bottom line is it’s football,” Favre said. “Once you step into the huddle, I don’t look at the helmets. I look at the faces, and the guys will know I’m in it for the right reasons because I still love to play.”
What made this betrayal hurt even more for Green Bay fans is that Favre excelled in Year 1 in Minnesota. He had a career-best (or close to it) season in many statistical categories, piloted Minnesota to a 12-4 finish and sweeping Green Bay in the process. Favre threw seven touchdowns in those two games.
Jilted Packers fans would probably tell you Favre got a measure of comeuppance when he threw a game-clinching interception to New Orleans in that year’s NFC Championship Game. The Packers, meanwhile, got their own revenge in 2010 when they swept Favre and picked him off four times in the process. But his heel turn won’t soon be forgotten.
