Aaron Rodgers will have on a different shade of green in 2023.
Rodgers will make his debut with the New York Jets on Monday Night Football, and that is going to look awkward for most football fans, especially those who follow the Green Bay Packers.
Rodgers spent 18 seasons in Green Bay from 2005-2022. He won the AP NFL MVP award four times, and he led the Packers to a victory in Super Bowl XLV. Like Brett Favre, Rodgers is starting the next chapter of his career in the Big Apple.
How will Rodgers fare? Favre isn't the only Hall of Fame quarterback who you can look at to see how it goes once you trade one jersey for another. In reverse chronological order, here is a look at 11 other legendary quarterbacks — 10 Hall of Famers and one who will join them soon — who switched uniforms when they were 33 or older.
Tom Brady
Brady was a six-time Super Bowl champion and four-time AP NFL MVP for the Patriots in a 20-year stretch from 1999-2020. Brady and Patriots coach Bill Belichick emerged as the most-dominant player-coach combination of all time through that incredible run. Brady led the NFL in TD passes four times and passing yards three times while with New England. Brady left the Patriots via free agency in 2020 and signed with Tampa Bay. He led the Buccaneers to a 31-9 victory in Super Bowl LV against Kansas City. He passed for 5,316 yards and 43 TDs the following season and led Tampa Bay to a 19-17 victory at New England in Week 3. Brady played one more season in 2022 before retiring.
Peyton Manning
Manning delivered on expectations as the Indianapolis Colts' No. 1 pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. He played with Indianapolis through 2011 as a record-setting quarterback. He also led the franchise to a victory in Super Bowl XLI. Manning, however, missed the 2011 season with a neck injury, and that opened the door for the franchise to draft Andrew Luck. Manning signed with Denver at 36 years old. Manning set NFL records in passing yards and TDs in his second season in Denver, and he led the Broncos to two Super Bowl appearances. Manning had a 1-2 record in three starts against his former team, but he closed his career with a 24-10 victory in Super Bowl 50 against the Carolina Panthers.
Brett Favre
The Packers traded Atlanta for Favre in 1992. Favre spent 16 seasons with Green Bay, , and the three-time MVP led the Packers to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances and a victory in Super Bowl XXII. He spent his final years in Green Bay waffling about retirement and was traded to the Jets before 2008 in a scenario similar to what happened with Rodgers in Green Bay last year. After one season in New York, Favre signed with the Vikings in 2008 when he was 40. He beat the Packers and Rodgers twice that season while leading a run to the NFC championship game. Rodgers and the Packers won both meetings the following season, however, and Favre finally retired in 2010.
Kurt Warner
Warner was the leader of the "Greatest Show on Turf" for six seasons and led the Rams to two Super Bowl appearances and a victory in Super Bowl XXXIV. He earned AP NFL MVP honors in 1999 and 2001. Warner was released by the Rams in 2003. He spent one year with the Giants before landing with the Cardinals in 2005 when he was 34. Warner led a Super Bowl run out of a wild-card spot in 2008 before the Cardinals lost to the Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII. He retired in 2009.
Warren Moon
Moon played for Houston from 1984-93 and was the centerpiece of the "Run and Shoot" attack. The six-time Pro Bowl selection led the NFL in completions, attempts and passing yards in 1990 and 1991. Moon was traded to Minnesota in 1994 when he was 38. Moon played three seasons with the Vikings and also had stints with Seattle and Kansas City. Moon retired after the 2000 season. Moon never reached the Super Bowl as a player.
Joe Montana
Montana won four Super Bowls with San Francisco in 13 seasons from 1979-92. Montana led the NFL in completion percentage five times in that stretch as the ultimate efficient quarterback for Bill Walsh. Montana missed all of 1991 and most of 1992 with a back injury, which opened the door for Steve Young to take the starting job. Montana signed with the Chiefs in 1993, and he led Kansas City to a 24-17 victory against San Francisco in Week 2 of the 1994 season. He was 17-8 over two seasons and retired in 1994.
Ken Stabler
"The Snake" spent 10 seasons with the Raiders and led Oakland to a victory in Super Bowl XI. He is one of the most-beloved players from the John Madden era with the Raiders. Stabler held out in 1980 and was traded to the Houston Oilers for Dan Pastorini. Houston lost to Oakland in the 1980 AFC Wild Card round that season. Stabler spent two seasons in Houston and three more in New Orleans before retiring after the 1984 season.
Joe Namath
This is the bar for Rodgers in New York. No Jets quarterback will ever be more popular than "Broadway Joe." Namath led the Jets to a 16-7 upset against the Colts in Super Bowl III. Namath led the AFL in passing yards in 1966-67 and the NFL in passing yards in 1972. He spent one season with the Los Angeles Rams in 1977. The 34-year-old Namath could not overcome nagging injuries and was benched in favor of Pat Haden after four games. Namath retired after the 1977 season.
Johnny Unitas
Unitas played spent 17 seasons with the Baltimore Colts from 1956-72. He won three NFL championships and was a five-time All-Pro selection who led the league in passing yards four times. Unitas also helped Baltimore win Super Bowl V. The Colts traded Unitas to the Chargers in 1973. At 40 years old, Unitas played in just four games before being replaced by Dan Fouts. Unitas retired after the season.
George Blanda
Blanda was a two-time AFL champion with the Houston Oilers from 1960-66. He led the league in passing yards twice. He was traded to Oakland at 40 years old in 1967. Blanda was a backup quarterback and kicker on the Raiders team that beat Houston in the 1967 AFL championship game. He played nine seasons in Oakland before retiring at 48. Knowing all that, it's easy to forget Blanda started his career with the Chicago, where he played from 1949-58.
Y.A. Tittle
Tittle was a four-time Pro Bowl selection with the 49ers. He split the quarterback duties with John Brodie in 1960 before being traded to the Giants. The 34-year-old Tittle enjoyed a strong second act with coach Allie Sherman. Tittle led the Giants to NFL championships in 1962 and 1963. He also led New York to a 48-14 blowout against San Francisco on Nov. 17, 1963.
