Aaron Rodgers is set to join the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025, following his time with the New York Jets. Rodgers is primarily celebrated for his extensive 18-season career with the Green Bay Packers, where he clinched four NFL MVP awards and led the team to a victory in Super Bowl XLV. His upcoming move to the Steelers marks him joining his third team in four years.
However, the 10-time Pro Bowl quarterback is far from the first sports icon to don a different jersey late in their career, moving away from the franchise where they built their legacy. Here`s a look at other prominent athletes who made notable departures after spending a decade or more with the teams that defined their stardom.
NBA
When discussing Michael Jordan, the immediate association is the Chicago Bulls. MJ dedicated 16 seasons to the NBA, guiding the Bulls to six championships between 1991 and 1998. Widely considered the greatest NBA player of all time, it seemed inevitable that Jordan would spend his entire career with the team that drafted him in 1984.
Initially, Jordan retired in October 1993 for a brief period in minor league baseball. His absence from basketball was short-lived, and the NBA community rejoiced with his simple “I`m back” announcement in March 1995. After adding more glorious years with the Bulls, Jordan retired for a second time in January 1999.
Yet, Jordan couldn`t stay away from the game for long. He joined the Washington Wizards` front office in January 2000. Management wasn`t enough, prompting him to return as a player for the Wizards in September 2001. Witnessing him in a Wizards uniform for two seasons felt strange. Jordan`s final NBA game took place on April 16, 2003, playing for Washington.
Patrick Ewing was a cornerstone of the New York Knicks throughout the 1980s and `90s, establishing his reputation in New York. He averaged impressive stats during his tenure. Although he missed the 1999 Finals due to injury, Ewing and the Knicks pushed the Houston Rockets to seven games in the 1994 Finals before ultimately losing.
After 15 seasons and 11 All-Star selections in New York, Ewing requested a trade, and the team honored his request, sending him to the Seattle SuperSonics. He played one season in Seattle, followed by another with the Orlando Magic, before retiring in 2002.
Moving from one dominant center to another, Hakeem Olajuwon`s career with the Houston Rockets spanned 17 seasons and was filled with accolades: 12 All-Star selections, numerous All-NBA appearances, two NBA championships, two Defensive Player of the Year awards, and an MVP title. Olajuwon led Houston to back-to-back titles in the mid-1990s, a rare feat at the time.
However, his time with the Rockets concluded when he was traded to the Toronto Raptors before the 2001 season. He spent just one year in Toronto before retiring.
Recognized as one of the NBA`s premier point guards, Tony Parker was a key draft pick for the San Antonio Spurs in 2001. He was an integral part of one of the most successful “Big Threes” in history, alongside Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, under the guidance of legendary coach Gregg Popovich.
Parker played 17 seasons with the Spurs, contributing to four NBA championship victories (2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014). He surprised many by leaving the Spurs – a team Duncan and Ginobili never left – signing a two-year deal with the Charlotte Hornets before the 2018-19 season. He retired after just one season there in July 2019.
One half of the “Splash Brothers” duo for his first 13 NBA seasons, Klay Thompson joined the Dallas Mavericks via a sign-and-trade in the summer of 2024. This move ended his long-standing partnership with Stephen Curry. As the Golden State Warriors` No. 11 pick in the 2011 draft, Thompson was central to the franchise`s rise and four championships.
Thompson`s next destination was not short on star power; he teamed up with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving upon arriving in Dallas to join the reigning Western Conference champions.
Honorable mention:
- Karl Malone: Spent his final season with the Los Angeles Lakers (2003-04) after 18 years with the Utah Jazz (1985-2003).
- Paul Pierce: Played his first 15 years with the Boston Celtics (1998-2013) before stints with the Brooklyn Nets (2013-14), Washington Wizards (2014-16), and LA Clippers (2015-17). He signed a symbolic contract to retire as a Celtic in July 2017.
- Dwyane Wade: Spent his initial 13 seasons with the Miami Heat, then played a season each with the Chicago Bulls (2016-17) and Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-18). Wade returned to Miami mid-2018-19 season before retiring in April 2019.
- Damian Lillard: Spent his first 11 seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers before being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks before the 2023-24 season.
NFL
Commitment over two decades is significant. Just ask Tom Brady, who was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2000 and spent 20 seasons there.
However, in March 2020, Brady shocked the sports world by announcing his move to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The then-42-year-old, often regarded as the greatest quarterback ever, confirmed his signing on social media.
It was certainly peculiar to see the six-time Super Bowl champion playing anywhere other than Gillette Stadium. Even more surprising was watching him lift the Lombardi Trophy for a different franchise after winning his seventh Super Bowl ring at the end of his first playoff run with the Bucs.
After two seasons in Tampa Bay, Brady announced his retirement, but the surprise of his departure from New England lingered.
When you think of Brett Favre, the Green Bay Packers likely come to mind. The Hall of Fame quarterback had a 20-season NFL career and still holds several records. Favre played for the Packers from 1992 to 2007, 16 seasons during which he was the face of the franchise and brought them a title in Super Bowl XXXI.
He retired in March 2008, only to change his mind later. In a bizarre turn, the Packers traded him to the Jets in August 2008. He spent one season in New York before signing with the Minnesota Vikings – a direct rival of the Packers. He played the 2009-10 season and, after being injured in the 2010-11 season, retired permanently in January 2011.
It seems almost unbelievable that Joe Montana played for a team other than the San Francisco 49ers. Montana secured four Super Bowl victories (XVI, XIX, XXIII, and XXIV) with the 49ers, the team he played with for 14 seasons after being drafted in 1979. However, Joe Cool`s NFL career lasted 16 seasons.
The eight-time Pro Bowl quarterback dealt with injuries late in his career, missing the 1991-92 season and most of 1992-93. By the time Montana was healthy again, Steve Young had established himself in San Francisco. Before the 1993-94 season, the 49ers traded Montana to the Kansas City Chiefs, where he concluded his career after two relatively average seasons. Montana retired in April 1995 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
Honorable mention:
- Russell Wilson: The Seattle Seahawks traded the QB who led them to their only Super Bowl title. Wilson, after 10 seasons with the Seahawks, became the first quarterback to start for a team he had previously defeated in a Super Bowl (Super Bowl XLVIII).
- Peyton Manning: Played four seasons with the Broncos after being released by the Colts, winning Super Bowl 50 in his final season.
- Johnny Unitas: Played four games with the Chargers after 17 seasons with the Baltimore Colts.
- Emmitt Smith: After 13 years with the Cowboys, he spent two seasons with the Cardinals, scoring 11 touchdowns in 25 games.
- Jerry Rice: Following 16 years with the 49ers, Rice spent 3½ seasons with the Raiders and part of his final season with the Seahawks. He impressively had 1,211 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in his age-40 season.
MLB
Arguably one of baseball`s greatest sluggers, Hank Aaron spent 21 seasons with the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves, starting in 1954. The 25-time All-Star and 1957 World Series champion also holds the second-highest career home run total with 755. In 1975, Aaron left the Braves for the Milwaukee Brewers, where he played two seasons at the age of 41. He later returned to Atlanta to join the Braves front office in 1976.
Willie Mays, considered among the greatest baseball players ever, enjoyed an illustrious 22-year career. He remains a prominent figure for the New York Giants, the team where his MLB journey began in 1951. When the Giants relocated to San Francisco after the 1957 season, Mays moved with them, continuing his brilliant play.
He dedicated a remarkable 21 seasons to the Giants, helping the team win the World Series in 1954. In May 1972, at age 41, Mays was traded back to New York to play for the Mets. He spent one less impactful season there before retiring.
Honorable mention:
- Yogi Berra: Released by the Yankees after an 18-year career. Took a season off, then played in four games with the Mets.
- Harmon Killebrew: After 21 seasons with the Twins, he spent 106 games with the Royals, hitting only .199.
- John Smoltz: Split his final season between the Red Sox and Cardinals after a 20-year career with the Braves.
NHL
Martin Brodeur won three Stanley Cups with the New Jersey Devils and is now an executive with the team. However, his entire career wasn`t solely with the Devils.
Brodeur, a 10-time All-Star and one of the greatest goaltenders in NHL history, started his career in 1991. While retirement speculation arose in the 2012 offseason, he signed another contract with the Devils. After two below-average seasons, Brodeur became a free agent and signed with the St. Louis Blues in December 2014. He retired in January 2015, having appeared in only seven games for the Blues.
Considered one of the finest hockey players ever, Bobby Orr was essentially royalty in Boston during his decade there. The defenseman joined the Boston Bruins, a team that had struggled, in 1966. Orr transformed the team, helping the Bruins win the Stanley Cup in 1970 and 1972.
Orr missed most of the 1975-76 season due to injury, and his agent advised him to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks as a free agent. Orr played only 20 games in the 1976 season, missed the entire 1977 season, and attempted a comeback in 1978. He skated in just six games before retiring at age 30 in 1978.
Honorable mention:
- Mike Modano: Spent 20 seasons with the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars, then played four games with the Detroit Red Wings in his final season.
- Bernie Federko: Played 13 seasons with the Blues, and played 13 games with the Red Wings in his final season.
WNBA
In 2021, Candace Parker surprised the basketball world by leaving the Los Angeles Sparks, the team that drafted her, after 13 seasons to play for her hometown Chicago Sky. At the time, this was arguably the most significant player movement in the WNBA`s history, facilitated by a new collective bargaining agreement. The two-time WNBA MVP and champion surprised fans again in January when she announced she was leaving Chicago to sign with the defending champion Las Vegas Aces.
Soccer
One of the greatest soccer players ever, the Brazilian legend Pelé debuted for Santos FC in 1956. Besides leading Brazil`s national team to three FIFA World Cups, he also helped Santos win the Copa Libertadores in 1962 and 1963. After 19 seasons with Santos, Pelé retired in 1974.
Two years later, he returned to the sport, signing with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League before the start of the 1975 season. The legend eventually retired in October 1977 following an exhibition match between the Cosmos and, fittingly, Santos.
The English footballer John Terry is best remembered as the captain of Chelsea, playing for the club from 1998 to 2017. Terry, a center back, led Chelsea to five Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, and a UEFA Champions League title.
In January 2017, Terry spent one season with Aston Villa, departing in May 2018 after the team failed to gain promotion to the Premier League. A few months later, Terry returned to Aston Villa as an assistant head coach.
Considered one of the greatest midfielders of all time, Steven Gerrard joined Liverpool in 1998 and remained with the team until 2015. Despite winning multiple domestic and European cups, including the UEFA Champions League, he never secured a Premier League title with Liverpool.
Nonetheless, he remains a club legend. Gerrard then moved across the Atlantic to Major League Soccer, signing with the LA Galaxy in January 2015. After 13 appearances with the Galaxy, Gerrard retired at age 36 in November 2016.
