The 25 Biggest Betrayals in NFL History

Over the years in the NFL, there have been loads of betrayals between teams, players and coaches. 

These things simply happen. Whether a player decides to sign with his previous team's rival, a coach bails on a team mid-season or if a franchise completely disrespects one of their players. 

When I think of betrayals in the NFL, not all of them have to be as extreme as something like LeBron James going on national television and pretty much telling the entire city of Cleveland to screw off.

Some betrayals may have little loyalty involved, but it's the principle that still counts.

In that spirit, here are 25 of the biggest betrayals in NFL history. 

Bill Belichick Leaving the New York Jets

New England Patriots fans are so thankful that Bill Belichick packed up overnight and ditched the New York Jets to became the Patriots next head coach. 

In a bizarre change of events, Belichick was announced as the Jets next head coach in 2000, but immediately after, he turned in his resignation to become the next head coach of the Patriots.

So what happened? New England coughed up a first-round pick to hire Belichick but in return, they won three Super Bowls and emerged as the NFL's latest dynasty. 

Brett Favre Plays for the Minnesota Vikings

Only if Brett Favre could accept the fact that he should retire, then none of this would have happened.

The Green Bay Packers had a young quarterback in the wings, Aaron Rodgers, and were ready to move on as Favre announced his retirement in 2007.

However, that did not last long as he came out of retirement to play for the New York Jets for just one season.

Immediately after the season, Favre retired again but then unretired just to play for the Minnesota Vikings—a hated rival of the Packers. 

San Diego Chargers Quit on Drew Brees

I realize that Philip Rivers is pretty damn good, but Drew Brees is just so much better—there is no debate. 

Brees spent five seasons with the Chargers, as he was the team's second-round draft pick in 2001. However, once his contract expired, the team decided to not re-sign him as they were already invested in Rivers.

So what happened? Brees goes to New Orleans and wins a Super Bowl as a Saint and emerges as arguably the top quarterback in the game, while Rivers and the Chargers have choked time and time again. 

New England Patriots Trade Drew Bledsoe Inside the Division

One could say that in Drew Bledsoe's eyes, this was a betrayal—but I'm not too sure he looked at it that way. However, we're going to play it out as if he did.

Just weeks after the New England Patriots won Super Bowl XXXVI, the team decided to trade Bledsoe to the Buffalo Bills, a team inside the division. 

Bledsoe was ultimately replaced by Tom Brady in 2001, as Bledsoe went down with an injury and Brady stepped up and led the team to its first title. 

Cleveland Browns Move to Baltimore

Let's just say that Art Modell is not a very popular man in the city of Cleveland.

He moved the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore in 1995 after nearly 50 years in Cleveland—where's the loyalty? 

Miami Dolphins Giving Up on Wes Welker

This is a trade that I am sure that the Miami Dolphins would love to have back.

Wes Welker is arguably the top wide receiver in the NFL today, but from 2004 until 2006, he was just an average Joe with the Dolphins.

Miami decided to part ways with Welker by trading him to a divisional foe, the New England Patriots. Since then, Welker has had four 100-plus reception seasons. 

What Michael Vick Did to the Atlanta Falcons

Michael Vick was just an immature punk when he was the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback.

Vick simply did not care about anyone but himself as he was sentenced to 21 months in prison due to illegal dog-fighting.

Ultimately, Vick betrayed the city of Atlanta, as he was the team's franchise player. 

Terrell Owens Quitting on the Philadelphia Eagles

Terrell Owens can never be happy. It's just a fact.

T.O. was not happy with the Philadelphia Eagles as he was upset about his contract and publicly bashed his quarterback, Donovan McNabb, and his head coach, Andy Reid.

On March 14, 2006, the Eagles cut Owens and four days later, he signed with the Dallas Cowboys, one of Philly's biggest rivals. 

Eli Manning Refusing to Play for the San Diego Chargers

I really like Eli Manning as a quarterback right now, but he was a complete immature child the minute he was drafted. 

Manning was selected first overall in 2004 by the San Diego Chargers but then refused to play for them and was ultimately traded for quarterback Philip Rivers, who was selected by the New York Giants. 

Ty Law Signing with the New York Jets

It's not really Ty Law's fault that he was released by the New England Patriots, as the team wanted him to take a major pay cut despite being an elite cornerback entering the twilight of his career. 

New England cut Law back on Feb. 25, 2005, and then he signed with the New York Jets—New England's biggest rival in the AFC East. 

The Baltimore Colts Moving to Indianapolis

Whenever a team just packs up and moves out overnight, it has to be considered one of the ultimate betrayals. 

Robert Irsay took his Baltimore Colts and pretty much said "see ya" to the city of Baltimore and moved to Indianapolis. 

Sam Hurd Being Arrested on Federal Drug Charges

Sam Hurd is a criminal—that's all that I have to say.

Hurd was rewarded with a solid $5.15 million contract back in July, but then decided that it was not enough, as he reportedly ran a drug operation which involved the selling of marijuana and cocaine. 

Bobby Petrino Quitting on the Atlanta Falcons

Bobby Petrino may be the worst head coach in NFL history. 

Petrino agreed to a five-year deal worth about $24 million with the Atlanta Falcons back in 2007 but then bailed on the team after just 13 weeks into his first season.

As of right now, Petrino's record at the NFL level is a pitiful 3-10. 

Shaun Ellis Signing with the New England Patriots

Shaun Ellis was a life-long New York Jet until this past offseason, as he decided to sign with the New England Patriots.

Whenever you spend your entire career with one team and then go and sign with their rival, that's going to be considered a major betrayal. 

Eric Mangini Ratting out the New England Patriots

What the New England Patriots did was illegal and against the NFL rules, but Eric Mangini is considered to be a rat.

Mangini is the one responsible for bringing "Spygate" to the attention of the NFL following his New York Jets' first game with the New England Patriots back in 2007. 

Mangini served as Bill Belichick's offensive coordinator in New England until agreeing to be the head coach of the Jets. 

Jon Gruden Leaving Oakland and Then Beating Them in the Super Bowl

Jon Gruden and Al Davis just did not work well together.

Gruden left the Oakland Raiders following the 2001 season to became the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

In Gruden's first season as the Bucs' head coach, he led his team to Super Bowl XXXVII and beat his former team, the Oakland Raiders. 

San Francisco 49ers Trading Joe Montana

Joe Montana's career was all but over and the San Francisco 49ers needed to move on, as they had Steve Young sitting on the bench. 

Montana is the greatest quarterback ever to play football and it's just so weird seeing him wear a different jersey other than a 49ers one. 

What John Elway Will Probably Do with Tim Tebow

John Elway is already doing it. 

I realize Elway has recently said that Tim Tebow is "not going anywhere," but I guarantee you that he tries to trade him at the end of the season. 

Earlier this season, Elway spoke negatively towards Tebow, which ultimately lowered his trade value; now I guarantee to you that he's just "beefing" up his value so he can get something nice in return. 

San Diego Chargers Letting LaDainian Tomlinson Walk

LaDainian Tomlinson is arguably the greatest running back of our generation, but the San Diego Chargers simply wanted to move on without his services. 

At the end of the 2009 season, the Chargers decided to not resign L.T. and allowed him to go out and sign with the New York Jets. 

Baltimore Ravens Hiring John Harbaugh Rather Than Rex Ryan

I may be in the minority on this one, but I believed that Rex Ryan deserved the job over John Harbaugh.

Ryan had been a very successful defensive coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens under Brian Billick and certainly deserved a shot at a head coaching job in the NFL. 

The Ravens ultimately decided not to promote Ryan and then just a year later, he signed as the next head coach of the New York Jets. 

Jerry Rice Leaving the 49ers for the Oakland Raiders

Jerry Rice may have been on the downhill of his career, but he's arguably the greatest football player ever to play the sport. 

Rice had spent his entire career with the San Francisco 49ers before signing with the Oakland Raiders in 2000. 

Terrell Owens Implying That Jeff Garcia Is a Homosexual

Jeff Garcia is not gay. I mean, he seems far from being gay. 

You do not go out and imply that your quarterback a homosexual—you just don't do that.

Sometimes, I really don't think Terrell Owens gets it. 

Bill Parcells Walking out on the New England Patriots

Bill Parcells and Robert Kraft weren't a good match together.

Parcells wanted to run the team when Kraft was the owner and wanted to be involved.

Following the New England Patriots' Super Bowl XXXI loss to the Green Bay Packers, Parcells ditched the Patriots and then landed with the New York Jets, a divisional rival. 

Bill Parcells Luring Curtis Martin Away from the New England Patriots

Once Bill Parcells left New England, Curtis Martin wanted out as well. 

Martin was a restricted free agent in 1997 as Bill Parcells and the New York Jets offered him a massive $36 million contract over six seasons and ultimately gave up a first- and a third-round draft pick to acquire his services from the New England Patriots. 

If the Indianapolis Colts Draft Andrew Luck

This has yet to happen—but trust me, it will.

I am not saying that I would not draft Andrew Luck if I were the Indianapolis Colts, because you simply have to. He's a once-in-a-decade quarterback. 

Once Luck holds up his Colts' jersey in front of the media, it will be the biggest slap in the face to Peyton Manning—the person who made the Colts relevant and brought a Super Bowl to Indy.