5 NFL Teams Who Ruined Their Future by Trading Away a Star Too Early

by Jeremy Block - 10/31/2025

NFL teams that ruined their future by trading a star too early Brett Favre Green Bay Packers

Some trades just don’t make sense, no matter how you look at them. Over the years, NFL teams have made decisions that, at the time, seemed like steps in the right direction. But in the end, those 'strategic moves' backfired hard. Whether it’s dumping a future Hall of Famer or letting a star walk before he hits his prime, these trades didn’t just alter the careers of individual players—they helped shape the future of entire franchises.

So, let’s take a look back at some of the most shocking examples where teams traded away a star too early, only to watch them go on to achieve great success.

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Steve Young: Tampa Bay Buccaneers to San Francisco 49ers (1987)

In the late 1980s, Steve Young was stuck behind Vinny Testaverde in Tampa Bay, a team that clearly didn’t know how to use its future Hall of Famer. After just two seasons with the Buccaneers, throwing for 3,217 yards in 19 games played, he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2nd-round and 4th-round pick. Young finally got the chance to start. The Buccaneers, who were desperately in need of a franchise QB, let Young slip through their fingers.

The 49ers, however, were able to take full advantage. Young went on to throw for over 33,000 yards, win a Super Bowl, and rack up two MVPs during his time in San Francisco.

Meanwhile, Tampa Bay was stuck in the dumps after this move, never finding a suitable replacement for Young. That trade, which seemed like a low-risk move at the time, ultimately set the Bucs back for years. The 49ers’ dynasty of the late '80s and early '90s would not have been the same without Young helping San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana.

Brett Favre: Atlanta Falcons to Green Bay Packers (1992)

Before he was Brett Favre—the legendary QB we all remember, he was a first-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 1991. But after just one season with Atlanta, where he didn’t even start and played in only two games, the Falcons decided they had no use for him. They didn’t see the potential that was clearly there. So, in 1992, they traded him to the Green Bay Packers for a first-round pick.

At the time, the Falcons didn’t realize what they had. And boy, did they miss the ball on this one. No pun intended.

In Green Bay, Favre turned into one of the most iconic QBs of all time, leading the Packers to a Super Bowl title and winning three MVP awards. Over the course of his career, he threw for more than 71,000 yards and 508 touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Falcons couldn’t find long-term success at QB and were stuck in the rebuilding process for years.

Marshall Faulk: Indianapolis Colts to Los Angeles Rams (1999)

The Indianapolis Colts took a huge gamble when they traded Marshall Faulk to the Los Angeles Rams in 1999 for second- and fifth-round picks. Funny enough, Faulk had already made his mark in Indianapolis, playing there for five seasons. But heading into his sixth season, the Colts decided to let him go before he could reach his peak, trading him for a second- and fifth-round pick.

While the Colts probably thought they’d already gotten the best out of Faulk, they had no idea what they were missing. The Rams, on the other hand, hit the jackpot. Faulk became the centerpiece of Los Angeles’ offense, helping lead the Rams to a Super Bowl title in 2000 and winning the NFL MVP award.

Over the course of his career with the Rams, Faulk racked up more than 6,500 rushing yards, 12,000 total yards, and 58 rushing touchdowns. It’s safe the Colts kicked the can on this deal.

Drew Brees: Los Angeles Chargers to New Orleans Saints (2006)

In 2006, the Los Angeles Chargers had a tough decision to make. They had to choose between Drew Brees, who had already been the team's starting quarterback and was doing quite well—throwing for over 3,000 yards in three of his five seasons there, but he was coming off shoulder surgery in 2005. Ultimately, the Chargers decided to let Brees walk and sent him to the New Orleans Saints, opting to rebuild with a young Philip Rivers.

Look, Philip Rivers wasn’t a bad quarterback at all, we can agree on that. But Rivers or Brees? Brees wins that matchup all day. And that became obvious almost instantaneously. Over his career with New Orleans, Brees threw for 68,010 yards and 491 touchdowns, winning a Super Bowl title and Super Bowl MVP, on top of breaking countless passing records.

The Chargers, meanwhile, had Rivers—who was solid but never quite reached the heights of Brees. Moving on from Brees could’ve been a huge mistake, but luckily for the Chargers, Rivers put up strong numbers for many years. Still, despite all his success, he never brought a Super Bowl title to San Diego.

Jerome Bettis: Los Angeles Rams to Pittsburgh Steelers (1996)

Before he became the Pittsburgh Steelers’ bulldozer of a running back, or ‘The Bus,’ Jerome Bettis was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the first round of the 1993 draft. But after just three seasons with the Rams, where he recorded decent numbers, they traded him to Pittsburgh in 1996 for a third-round pick. At the time, the Rams didn’t realize what they were giving up and considered Bettis ‘expendable.’ In hindsight, big mistake.

In Pittsburgh, Bettis went on to become one of the most beloved players in Steelers history. He rushed for over 10,500 yards, scored 93 touchdowns, and eventually won a Super Bowl with the Steelers in 2006, cementing his place as one of the most dominant running backs of his era.

As for the Rams? They struggled to replace Bettis’ production and spent years searching for a suitable replacement, until they finally signed Marshall Faulk a few seasons later.

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5 NFL Teams Who Ruined Their Future by Trading Away a Star Too Early

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