Piece by: Kyle Sramek
A while back I wrote an article about NFL free agents who are still chasing their first Super Bowl victory. All those players absolutely deserve it even if they are still on the open market. That is just one category of athletes doing the same as them. Phillip Rivers retired last year from the sport after 17 wonderful seasons in the league with 8 Pro Bowl selections during his career. His individual statistics are incredible ranking 5th all-time in both passing yards and touchdowns in NFL history. He seems like a guaranteed Hall of Famer if you just base your decision off regular season statistics.
He probably would be if only he had won a Super Bowl during his time in the league. In today’s NFL, the main achievement that quarterbacks need in order get into Canton is a league championship. He made it to the playoffs plenty of times, but never won the big game. He might join the likes of former Miami Dolphin quarterback Dan Marino and make it in without ever winning a Super Bowl. It is absolutely possible, but Marino was in a class all his own during his career. I am not sure if Rivers is in the same category as the current Hall of Famer though. That is why winning a Super Bowl is such a big accomplishment for all players before they retire. Here is a list of current players that have changed teams via free agency or a trade that will hopefully result in a championship for them.
Matthew Stafford- QB
The current Rams and former Lions quarterback is a good comparison to Rivers in a lot of aspects. Both were drafted high in the 1st round of their drafts, had success in the postseason early in their careers, have amazing yearly and career statistics, but unfortunately played for teams with poor history in terms of success. Stafford is 33 years old currently and he was looking like he might join Marino and Rivers as great quarterbacks that never won a championship. That was before he was traded to Los Angeles this offseason to a team that was already a contender for the Super Bowl. The team has an imposing defense with reigning DPOY Aaron Donald at defensive tackle and cornerback Jalen Ramsey as well as weapons on offense he never had in Detroit. He has a great team around him right now. This could be the year that he finally separates himself from that infamous club and finally gets that championship ring.
Julio Jones- WR
The recently acquired wide receiver had long been an amazing target for former quarterback Matt Ryan in Atlanta. Now he joins the Titans in the AFC where they turned into a championship contender overnight. They sent a second and fourth round selections for Jones as well as a sixth round pick. I believe the Titans should be arrested for the theft of a major playmaker of his pedigree. The only reason they should not be charged is they reportedly were giving the Falcons the best offer for his services. How no team was willing to give up more than that in exchange for the superstar is beyond me, but good on Tennessee. You guys got a premier talent that will expand what they can do offensively.
A.J. Green- WR
Green and Jones are almost identical in many ways. The wide receivers are both imposing targets whose skills were wasted on subpar teams. Green was an incredibly loyal player for the Bengals and would have done anything he could to bring a championship to Cincinnati. He finally hit the market this offseason and signed with the up and coming Arizona Cardinals. Putting him on the same field as DeAndre Hopkins will give him a chance at being something he has never been in his entire career. The opportunity to be a number two receiver on a team. Giving Green the space to work and not be constantly double-teamed will definitely make him an even better player even if his statistics fall off a little bit this season. If he wins the Lombardi Trophy though, he would probably be okay with that sacrifice.
J.J. Watt- DL
Speaking of new additions to the Cardinals Watt did the same as Green in coming from a team that is going nowhere fast in the Houston Texans. He has been a dominant and versatile player in the league for many seasons now as a three time DPOY during his career. Watt was a beloved player there not just on the field, but as a citizen in the community as well. When hurricane Harvey hit the area and flooding occurred as a result of it in 2017, he set a goal to raise $200,000 for disaster relief for those affected. He just barely met that mark raising over $37 million in the weeks after the disaster. Not too bad for a football player in my opinion. The only thing missing from his football resume is a Super Bowl win to go along with everything else he has already accomplished.
Ryan Fitzpatrick- QB
You probably were not expecting to see him on this list, were you? Fitzpatrick, or as I like to call him Fitzmagic, has been all around the league as a journeyman quarterback. However, if you are looking for someone to lose a lot of games to earn a higher draft pick, he is not your guy. This guy has a reputation for not being talented enough to be a franchise quarterback, but also too good to lose a lot of games. He is a guy with the brain of a Harvard graduate, which he actually is, but the heart of a warrior. Take this last season for example. He was the starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins and began the season hot out of the gates winning more than most expected. So, what did the Dolphins do? Naturally, you bench him and put in your rookie quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa. Seems smart to me. Pull a starting pitcher who is dealing his best stuff ever to save him for the next game. While Tagovailoa might have a promising career ahead of him, you just do not do that. Oh well. The past is the past. Now he is in Washington and will probably do the same there, even though he deserves a shot at a Super Bowl ring.
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