5 blockbuster QB trades which changed the NFL landscape feat. Eli Manning
It's rare for an elite NFL quarterback to get traded. It's arduous to find a great quarterback, so when teams land one, they rarely entertain the possibility of trading them away.
The most recent occasion when an elite quarterback was traded happened during the 2022 offseason. The Denver Broncos sent a giant package of draft picks and players to the Seattle Seahawks to acquire Russell Wilson. Both the Broncos and Wilson are hoping this results in a Super Bowl.
Trading for a top-tier quarterback always comes with the goal of winning a championship, which is why teams will sacrifice a lot to acquire one. Here are five times in NFL history that an elite quarterback was traded from one team to another, eventually resulting in a Super Bowl ring and changing the landscape of the NFL.
Blockbuster trades for NFL QBs
#1 - Matthew Stafford traded from Detroit Lions to Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford is a perfect example of how a quarterback can take a team to the next level. The Los Angeles Rams were a regular playoff team with Jared Goff as their quarterback, but after trading for Stafford with the Detroit Lions, they immediately won a Super Bowl in their first season together.
Rams traded two 1s (one of which is 2022 32nd overall pick), a compensatory 3rd, and Jared Goff for Stafford
Broncos traded two 1s, two 2s, 5th, Fant, Harris, and Drew Lock for Russell Wilson and a 4th round pick Comparing the 2 monster QB trades of last two years:
🐏Rams traded two 1s (one of which is 2022 32nd overall pick), a compensatory 3rd, and Jared Goff for Stafford
🐴Broncos traded two 1s, two 2s, 5th, Fant, Harris, and Drew Lock for Russell Wilson and a 4th round pick
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The move was beneficial to Stafford's legacy. Not only did he get his first Super Bowl ring with the Rams, but all four playoff wins of his career came in his first season with the franchise. He made multiple playoff appearances with the Lions but never earned a victory.
#2 - Eli Manning traded from San Diego Chargers to New York Giants
Eli Manning was selected by the San Diego Chargers with the first pick of the 2004 NFL Draft. Manning refused to sign with the Chargers and said he would sit out if they didn't trade him. The Chargers traded him to the New York Giants for Philip Rivers, another rookie quarterback from the same class.
While Rivers had a relatively successful career with the Chargers, he never made it to the Super Bowl despite many playoff appearances. Eli Manning helped the Giants win two Super Bowl rings while being named the MVP of the game in both wins.