In the NFL, sometimes a change of scenery can reignite a career, giving a star one last shot at greatness with a new team.

Other times? It’s an absolute train wreck, the kind that leaves fans scratching their heads, wondering what went wrong.

Let’s take a look at some of the most notable late-career moves and highlight the most legendary hits—and the epic flops that went up in flames!

Which moves by these NFL stars ended up as either successes or flops?

Success: Tom Brady to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

TAMPA, FLORIDA – JANUARY 16: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers yells as he runs on the field prior to the NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys at Raymond James Stadium on January 16, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Let’s start things off with the star who threw a wrench into this entire concept for NFL teams everywhere, and he set the standard for an over-the-hill pro starting up with a new team.

After leaving the New England Patriots, Brady led the Bucs to a Super Bowl victory at age 42, proving his elite play could translate to a new system without Bill Belichick.

The Buccaneers went from an underdog team to the league’s most-watched contenders, all because of one guy. And if you thought he was just there to cash a paycheck, his performance that year and, really, during that entire stretch was impressive and his compettive nature was as fierce as ever, defying age and rewriting the script on what’s possible in the NFL… At least for Tom Brady!

In any case, Brady’s move to Tampa Bay wasn’t just a success—it was the ultimate statement, putting a Hall of Fame stamp on his already Canton-bound career. And he did so without any New England magic; this was simply Brady being Brady, proving his mastery of the game could transcend teams, coaches, and systems.

Disaster: Warren Sapp to Oakland Raiders

Oakland defensive tackle Warren Sapp before the game as the San Diego Chargers defeated the Oakland Raiders by a score of 27 to 0 at McAfee Coliseum, Oakland, California, September 11, 2006. (Photo by Robert B. Stanton/NFLPhotoLibrary)
Now, here’s one that didn’t exactly pan out.

Warren Sapp, the larger-than-life defensive tackle who made his name with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, decided to wrap up his career with the Raiders. If Brady’s switch was about proving something, Sapp’s was just the opposite.

He won a Super Bowl with Tampa, then shipped out to Oakland, where he appeared to just be cashing checks and really not taking things all that seriously. Sure, he brought his reputation and his charisma, but when it came to actually delivering on the gridiron? The Raiders just weren’t getting the same guy who terrorized offenses in Tampa.

Which was a massive disappointment for the Raiders, who expected Sapp to bring veteran leadership and a spark to the Raiders’ defense.

But all he ended up bringing was an inflated contract with diminishing returns.

Sapp’s stint in Oakland was a far cry from the terrifying monster he was with the Bucs, and it didn’t take long for fans to start questioning if his heart was really in it.

Success: Peyton Manning to Denver Broncos

SANTA CLARA, CA – FEBRUARY 07: Peyton Manning #18 of the Denver Broncos celebrates after the Denver Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers with a score of 24 to 10 to win Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium on February 7, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
While he spent most of his career chasing Tom Brady in one way or another, Peyton Manning actually set the curve for what a second act should look like. After his time in Indianapolis came to a somewhat abrupt end, Manning rejuvenated his career in Denver, setting numerous records and winning a Super Bowl at age 39.

Peyton Manning’s transition from the Colts to the Broncos was one of the first big blockbusters in recent history to actually deliver.

And it was particularly impressive because going into it, there were red flags everywhere… This was a guy who’d undergone neck surgery, missed an entire season, and still came back with a new team looking better than ever.

Manning didn’t just play—he dominated, setting passing records left and right.

He landed in Denver and immediately turned that team into an offensive juggernaut, leading them to the playoffs year after year and finally sealing it all with a Super Bowl win.

This wasn’t just a career reboot; it was a rejuvenation. Manning’s success in Denver was a textbook lesson in how the right NFL star in the right system can not only meet expectations but blow them out of the water and really cement his legacy.

Disaster: Johnny Unitas to the San Diego Charger

Talk about a legend who should have just quit while he was ahead.

Johnny Unitas is one of the most storied quarterbacks in NFL history and became a legend as the face of the Baltimore Colts after originally being cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers way back in 1955.

He earned the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award three times and threw for a touchdown in a record 47 straight games.

This is the NFL star who literally invented the two-minute drill, and when San Diego brought him into the fold, they were expecting big things…

But in 1974, when Unitas traded in Colts blue for Chargers powder blue, let’s just say things didn’t go as planned.

Unitas’s age showed in San Diego, and it was painfully obvious. His once-dominant arm had all but vanished, and instead of looking like a savvy veteran, he looked like a guy who was just trying to make it through the season.

Needless to say, the Chargers’ gamble on Unitas didn’t pay off. Instead, it backfired, and the great Unitas ended his career on the bench.

While it didn’t tarnish his legacy, it sure didn’t add to it.

Also Read: How Many Criminal Charges Were On Late NFL Star Aaron Hernandez?

Success: Randy Moss to New England Patriots

FOXBOROUGH, MA – CIRCA 2010: In this handout image provided by the NFL, Randy Moss of the New England Patriots poses for his 2010 NFL headshot circa 2010 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by NFL via Getty Images)
Many had written off Randy Moss as a malcontent who would never again amount to anything in the NFL after his stint in Oakland, but Bill Belichick and Tom Brady had other plans.

They brought him into New England, where he played some of the best football of his career and created an offense that nearly powered the Patriots to the first undefeated season in league history since 1972.

Randy Moss in New England was like watching a fireworks show in full display, and the memory of his dismal stint with the Oakland Raiders, during which many thought Moss was done, just sort of seemed to fade away.

But Bill Belichick trusted that he could capitalize where no one else could, and he gave Moss a chance to prove he was still the most dangerous receiver in the game. What happened next? Pure magic.

Moss, paired with Tom Brady, tore through defenses and shattered records. The 2007 season was something out of a movie. Moss not only revived his career but helped lead the Patriots to a perfect regular season. He showed that all he needed was a quarterback who could maximize his potential. This wasn’t just a second chance; it was redemption and dominance all rolled into one.

Disaster: Emmit Smith to the Arizona Cardinals

TEMPE, AZ – MARCH 27: The NFL’s all-time leading rusher, running back Emmitt Smith #22, and Arizona Cardinals president William V. Bidwill hold Smith’s new Cardinals jersey at the Cardinals Training Facility on March 27, 2003 in Tempe, Arizona. Emmitt Smith signed a 2-year deal for nearly 8 million dollars. (Photo by Gary Williams/Getty Images)
Emmitt Smith was Dallas. He was the heart and soul of the Cowboys, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, and a guy with three Super Bowl rings to his name. But in 2003, after breaking Walter Payton’s all-time rushing record in the 2002 season, Smith was released by the Dallas Cowboys after the season.

Smith took his talents to Arizona, and, well, let’s just say it was an awkward goodbye.

Smith’s run with the Cardinals was marked by injuries, a lack of production, and a team that didn’t have the supporting cast to let him shine. He managed a couple of decent games, but there was nothing remotely like the Emmitt we knew in Dallas. This wasn’t the hero riding off into the sunset; this was more like the hero limping to the finish line. Emmitt’s Arizona chapter is a reminder that not every star needs one last ride, especially when it’s just not the right fit.

He finished out his career after the 2004 season in the desert, where he never managed to eclipse the 1000-yard mark, which he did in 11 of his 13 seasons with Dallas.

Success: Kurt Warner to the Arizona Cardinals

SEATTLE – OCTOBER 18: Quarterback Kurt Warner #13 of the Arizona Cardinals celebrates as he leaves the field after the game against the Seattle Seahawks on October 18, 2009 at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
Unlike Emmitt, Kurt Warner’s move to Arizona was quite a success. Not quite to the fairy tale level of his initial ascent to the NFL, but very impressive for this star nonetheless! Then again, he set a ridiculously high standard for those kinds of theatrics with the whole grocery store clerk, NFL Europe, and NFL MVP, leading the best offense that the league has ever seen and Super Bowl champion arc!

I mean… that doesn’t even sound like humanly possible progress, but that’s exactly what Warner did to start his career!

In any case… He was later written off by many in and around the NFL after a rough exit from his time with the New York Giants.

Fortunately for the veteran quarterback, Warner found a soft landing spot out west with the Cardinals and completely turned his career around. In Arizona, he became the comeback king, leading a team that had been the league’s punchline to a Super Bowl appearance.

Warner’s stint with the Cardinals wasn’t just good—it was inspiring. He played an underdog role, clawing his way back to relevance and proving that his career wasn’t over.

His second act was an all-time lesson in resilience and showed that sometimes, it takes a new environment to remind everyone what the player knows they’re capable of.

Disaster: Shaun Alexander to the Washington Redskins

LANDOVER, MD – OCTOBER 19: Running back Shaun Alexander #37 of the Washington Redskins runs with the ball during the game against the Cleveland Browns on October 19, 2008 at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland. The Redskins won 14-11. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
Shaun Alexander in Seattle was something else—a rushing champion, an MVP, and a guy who once seemed unstoppable.

He could barrel over would-be tacklers like nobody else in the game at the time and, in many ways, was the face of the game for a stretch there! I mean, he was even on the cover of Madden. It is hard to get more prestigious than that!

But when he moved to Washington for a fat paycheck after eight seasons in the Pacific Northwest, it was as if all of his powers vanished. Alexander played just four games for Washington, and his production was almost nonexistent.

During that 2010 season, the Redskins played in those aforementioned four games and rushed for a pathetic 24 yards on 11 carries, leaving many to suspect that the Madden curse had struck yet again!

Alexander’s time in Washington was so forgettable it’s often left out of his career highlights altogether. It was a sad ending for a once-great star NFL player who clearly didn’t have much left in the tank. If there’s a lesson here, it’s that sometimes, the spark just doesn’t reignite, no matter how much you want it to.

But if you can still get paid in the process, more power to you!

Success: Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – SEPTEMBER 15: Quarterback Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams sits on the bench during the NFL game at State Farm Stadium on September 15, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Rams 41-10. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Though much of Matthew Stafford’s career in Detroit was marked by wasted talent between him and Calvin Johnson.

Sure, he put up some incredible numbers, but the wins were few and far between. Then came the move to the Rams, and it was as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. In his first season, Stafford took the Rams all the way to a Super Bowl victory, proving that given the right team and the right moment, he could be a winner.

While Matthew Stafford’s tenure in Los Angeles hasn’t all been rainbows and sunshine, winning a Super Bowl in his first season of his time there made it a successful endeavor even if the story is not yet complete.

For Stafford, this wasn’t just a new chapter—it was validation. All those years of struggling in Detroit? They’d finally paid off. Stafford’s move to L.A. has proved to everyone once and for all that he’s one of the best in the business.

Disaster: Earl Campbell to the New Orleans Saints

Earl Campbell was a wrecking ball in Houston, known for running over defenders like they weren’t even there.

During his six-and-a-half seasons in Houston. He was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in each of his first three seasons, winning the NFL Most Valuable Player award in 1979.

But by the time he got to New Orleans, the hits had piled up, and Campbell just wasn’t the same star NFL player he was. His body had taken too much of a beating, and his production was a shadow of what it used to be.

Campbell’s stint with the Saints was the sad story of a legend who stayed a little too long.

A classic example of the sitcom running too long… or the final chapter that no one really needed, and a reminder that for power backs, the career clock ticks a little faster, and even a great like Campbell, who was once unstoppable but in New Orleans, it was clear that his time had come and gone.