Recognize the Face, But Not the Team: Players Holding on Too Long

There are many Packer fans out there who have worshipped Brett Favre over the years. Some of them are dumbfounded and even angry that he could even think about playing for another team. Some are concerned about how this will affect his legacy.

This article was written to put Favre fan's minds at ease and assure them that the majority of fans will forget that he ever played for another team. He will be remembered solely as a Packer. The proof lies in NFL history.

After searching for photos of these NFL stars with unfamiliar teams at the end of their career, I have become even more convinced that Favre's recent antics will be forgotten in ten years.

Honorable mention goes out to Johnny Unitas, Emmitt Smith, Andre Reed, Cris Carter, and Thurman Thomas. I wanted to include you in this list but got tired of looking for photos of you in Charger, Cardinal, Redskin, and Dolphin, uniforms respectively.

Many more greats have finished there career unloved in foreign cities, but here are a few of interest.

Franco Harris

One of the main forces behind four Steelers' Super Bowl victories felt he had something left in the tank and tried his luck in Seattle.

Although the Seahawks played in two playoff games that year (1984) Franco watched both from the sidelines. He finished the season with 170 rushing yards and wasn't even used in the second half of the season.

O.J. Simpson

I tried to find the image that I once saw of O.J. sitting on the bench in his Niners uniform with both of his surgically repaired knees on full display. But after wading through seventeen million court photos I downloaded the first picture I came across of him in a 49ers uniform.

Tony Dorsett

The only reason that I know that Dorsett played for Denver is that I had the original Techmo Bowl for Nintendo. Dorsett was listed as the Broncos' starting running back on the game.

Ronnie Lott

Who can ever forget the great Jets safety Ronnie Lott.

If I ever decide to make a list of NFL teams who have signed the most washed up former superstars the Jets will be at or near the top of my list.

Sadly, my Redskins would be on that list also.

Eddie George

This may be the player that makes me the saddest on this list. Even though I am a Redskins fan and didn't want George to succeed in Dallas, this was a painful season to watch.

A player who Titans fans remember for his toughness and hard nosed running couldn't even bull his way to a three yard per rush average.

Cudos to the Titans for knowing when to cut the umbilical on both George and Steve McNair (R.I.P.).

Joe Namath

Raise your hands if you knew that Namath played for the Rams. Now put your hands down.

You should be ashamed of yourself for lying like that. By this point in Namath's career he had less knee cartilage than a three month old fetus.

Larry Csonka, Paul Warfield, and Jim Kiick

Alright Packer fans, here is my closing argument. You think that you are mad at Brett Favre.

Imagine how angry you would be if you were coming off of back to back super bowl championships and every running back that was important to your team bolted for an expansion league!

As crazy as this sounds this is exactly what happened to the Miami Dolphins in the mid-seventies.

But all that is water under the bridge now and even the memory of the World Football League is all but forgotten. Csonka, Warfield, and Kiick still get together and pop open a champaigne bottle every year after the last undefeated team is beaten, along with the rest of the 1972 Dolphins.