Top 15 Greatest Free Agent Signings in NFL History
By Josh Hill
5. Kurt Warner – QB
Old Team: New York Giants
New Team: Arizona Cardinals
Kurt Warner is one of the most interesting an inspiring stories in NFL history. When he came to prominence with the St. Louis Rams as a leading member of “The Greatest Show on Turf”, everyone was well versed in Warner’s grocery bag-to-riches but once his time in St. Louis ended, Warner faded into obscurity. Hie story was inspiring but no one thought he could recreate the magic of his initial run in the NFL — but he did exactly that with the Cardinals. Warner was a damn fine quarterback the first time around but when he signed with the Cardinals, little did we know Warner was about to solidify himself as a viable Hall of Fame candidate, fully resurrecting his career in 2008 while leading the Cardinals to their first ever Super Bowl berth that same year.
4. Brett Favre – QB
Old Team: New York Jets
New Team: Minnesota Vikings
One of the most famous free agent cases surrounds Brett Favre, who was infamously traded from the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets strictly so he wouldn’t end up with the Minnesota Vikings. A year later, we found out why Ted Thompson wanted to keep Favre away from the Vikings, as the gunslinger turned in one of his best seasons of his entire career and lead the Vikings within a game of the Super Bowl. Favre managed to take the Vikings from a team that was limping into the future, to a team that was one of the best in football and seemed to be graced by the football Gods.
3. Deion Sanders – CB
Old Team:
Atlanta Falcons
New Team:
San Francisco 49ers
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Old Team:
San Francisco 49ers
New Team:
Dallas Cowboys
Seldom have we seen an athlete as gifted as Deion Sanders as no one has been able to be as special, as amazing or as coveted as “Primetime” was back in the day. Sanders not posted a Hall of Fame football career, but he balanced that with a pretty impressive baseball career as well. 1995 was perhaps the best year of Sanders life, as he has just finished his career with the Atlanta Falcons and signed on as a one year mercenary for the San Francisco 49ers. Many people to this day credit Sanders for sparking the 49ers Super Bowl success in Super Bowl XXIX and he helped set the tone for the Niners success for the rest of the decade, even if he did only spend a single season in San Francisco. Sanders followed up his success with the Niners by signing as a free agent with the Cowboys the next season, winning Super Bowl XXX and making him one of the only players to be the center of two of the best free agent signings in NFL history.
2. Reggie White – DE
Old Team: Philadelphia Eagles
New Team: Green Bay Packers
Reggie White was already one of the best defensive players in the game when he was with the Eagles in the 1980s, having accumulated more sacks in his Eagles career than games played for the team. But once moving to the Packers, White became to the defense what Brett Favre was to the offense and quickly became one of the biggest faces in the game. He held the franchise record for all-time sacks and was an instrumental part in helping the Packers win Super Bowl XXXI and reach Super Bowl XXXII.