The 10 biggest betrayals in NFL history

Atlanta cornerback DeAngelo Hall (left) questions side judge Joe Larrew (center) as Dallas wide receiver Terrell Owens (81) celebrates a touchdown during the first half Saturday, December 16, 2006, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

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HEMPSTEAD, NY – JANUARY 4: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New York Jets resigns from the job at a press conference just one day after accepting the position at Hempstead, New York on January 4, 2000. (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images) /

NFL fans sometimes see their favorite players sign with a hated division rival. Here are the 10 biggest betrayals in NFL history.

When you are a fan of a team, regardless of the sport, you are bound to have a favorite player. Whether it is a superstar who leads the team to victories, or if they are a role player who comes off the bench to make a difference when it matters the most. Fans will buy their jerseys to rock on game day.

It’s only a matter of time until a player’s tenure on a team runs out. That is a given, depending on an organization’s financial situation and the player’s contract demands. But what stings worse for a fanbase is to watch said athlete sign with a rival.

When it comes to the most gut-wrenching instances of an NFL player signing with a rival, here are the 10 biggest betrayals in history.

The 10 biggest betrayals in NFL history, No. 10: Bill Belichick resigns as Jets head coach, joins Patriots

If you live in the New York/New Jersey area and bleed Gang Green, you probably have a less-than-favorable opinion of Bill Belichick. After spending three years as the Jets’ defensive coordinator and assistant head coach under Bill Parcells, the Jets named him the new head coach of the team. This came as Parcells stepped down, and wanted Belichick to succeed him.

Then, on the day of his press conference to be introduced as head coach, Belichick wrote a resignation notice to Jets brass. One day after accepting the job, the introductory press conference became a resignation press conference. To this day, no one knows Belichick’s exact reasoning as to why he made the decision he made.

Shortly afterward, Belichick accepted the New England Patriots head coaching job. We all know how that went. He became head coach, stumbled upon Tom Brady, started him in relief of an injured Drew Bledsoe, and won six Super Bowl titles during the quarterback’s 20-year tenure.

As for the Jets, they pivoted from Belichick to Eric Groh, their linebackers coach. After missing the playoffs with a 9-7 record, Groh resigned. Then came the endless carousel of head coaches for the Jets, as they tried to find the right coach to lead the team to their first Super Bowl victory since their 1968 AFL season.

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