Over the past few years, several of the NFL’s most accomplished and beloved stars walked away despite having plenty of gas left in the tank.
Well, the fandom in us continues to hope that these former stars will feel the itch to play again. And if they decide to do just that, which teams should be atop their wish list?
Let’s play matchmaker for 10 retired NFL legends whom we hope will ultimately decide to come back for one more year.
Tom Brady: San Francisco 49ers
If there’s one team crossing its fingers hoping that Tom Brady un-retires, it’s his boyhood team.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan even admitted ahead of the club’s run to Super Bowl 58 that he would have pursued Tom Brady if the GOAT didn’t retire. According to Shanahan, Brady’s arrival was the only way Brock Purdy would have lost his starting job in 2023.
Purdy played fine in the 49ers’ heartbreaking Super Bowl 58 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. But you get the sense if San Fran had a Hall of Fame talent and a proven winner at the helm, they would have snuck past Patrick Mahomes and company.
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It’s also well-known by now that Brady wanted to join the 49ers in 2020 free agency, but they were committed to Jimmy Garoppolo. And ever since that fateful decision, the 49ers have kept falling just short of a Super Bowl title.
So how about bringing in the seven-time Super Bowl-winning QB to this star-studded roster to get over the hump once and for all? Heck, sign Brady for just one year! Have him come in, try to deliver you Lombardi Trophy No. 6 and THEN hand the reins back to Purdy.
C’mon Tom. Just sell back your Las Vegas Raiders’ ownership stake and make the dream of playing for the 49ers a reality.
Andrew Luck: Dallas Cowboys
Luck will always be one of the greatest “what if” stories in professional sports. He walked away in his prime just weeks before his 30th birthday back in 2019.
Of course, the first overall pick of 2012 might not have ever felt the desire to call it quits if the Indianapolis Colts’ horrific offensive line didn’t let him take so many punishing hits…
As long as he stays retired, Luck’s career will always feel like a case of unfinished business. Now what if in an alternate universe, Luck is fully healthy and decides he wants to attempt an NFL comeback?
It wouldn’t happen with the Colts, of course, since they already have their new QB in Anthony Richardson. If there’s one Super Bowl hopeful that makes sense, it’s the Dallas Cowboys. Allow us to explain…
Luck would have to go to a team with an elite offensive line and plenty of play-making weapons. The Cowboys have two future Hall of Famers in Tyron Smith and Zack Martin to block, plus rising star Tyler Smith. CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks are one of the game’s top-receiving duos, too.
Why would Dallas want Luck when they already have a younger and healthier option in Dak Prescott? Well, Prescott has had nearly a decade now to lead Dallas to the promised land. His ugly 2-and-5 playoff record speaks for itself. The Cowboys need to accept they won’t win the big one with Prescott and Mike McCarthy.
We saw the Colts fall apart whenever Luck was injured during his playing career. He carried a very mediocre roster to four playoff appearances, including a trip to the 2015 AFC Championship Game.
Luck going to Dallas to replace Prescott and trying to help the Cowboys get over the playoff hump once and for all? We’d be all for it!
J.J. Watt: Detroit Lions
Watt’s a classic case of a guy retiring while he still had plenty left to give. In his final season on a lowly Arizona Cardinals team in 2022, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year tallied 12.5 sacks and seven pass defenses.
Many fans hoped that JJ would join younger brother T.J. in Pittsburgh and play for the Steelers, but the former retired before that dream could become a possibility.
With TJ, Alex Highsmith and Cameron Heyward already leading a stout pass rush, however, the Steelers wouldn’t have much use for the elder Watt. If anything else, JJ would likely prioritize a Super Bowl contender that could offer him ample playing time.
That’s where the Lions come into play.
Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes quickly turned the Lions into a winner, leading them to an NFC Championship Game appearance in the 2023 season. If there was a glaring weakness that kept them out of the Super Bowl, however, it was the lack of game-wrecking pass-rushers to complement Aidan Hutchinson.
The scrappy, energetic and feisty Watt would be perfect for the culture Campbell has built-in Motor City. Watt would provide the Lions with another dangerous pass-rusher and quality run-stopper capable of getting this team into the big dance once and for all.
A.J. Green: Kansas City Chiefs
Like JJ Watt, Green’s final season came in 2022 on a terrible Arizona Cardinals team.
With Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins all missing ample time, the 2022 Cardinals limped to a 4-and-13 record just one year after reaching the postseason. And man, did it just straight up suck to see both Green and Watt have to walk away like that.
Injuries derailed the final five years of Green’s career, but he was productive in 2021 with 54 receptions, 848 yards and three touchdowns. With Murray at full strength, Green was able to produce like a quality No. 2 receiver.
Having had a full year now to rest and recover from all those injuries…why shouldn’t Green come back and see what he can do with the game’s best QB in Patrick Mahomes?
The Chiefs have been a factory for getting veteran stalwarts their first Super Bowl rings: Tyrann Mathieu, Melvin Gordon, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Frank Clark, Carlos Dansby, Orlando Brown Jr…you name it.
Green would be a rotational player in KC’s offense if he were to un-retire and join them in 2024. But with his big body and contested-catch skills, Green could serve nicely as a red zone weapon for Andy Reid and company. And he’d get the chance to win a ring no less!
Le’Veon Bell: Pittsburgh Steelers
Bell royally screwed up when he rejected the Steelers’ offer of a $70 million extension back in 2018. Bell sat out the entire year as a result, wanting to stay fresh and believing he’d cash in on the free-agent market.
Bell didn’t even last two seasons with the New York Jets after signing a lucrative deal with them in 2019 free agency. He split 2021 with the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was soon out of football altogether.
The Bell-Steelers breakup was miserable for both sides. His career went down the toilet after rejecting their final offer, and Pittsburgh hasn’t won a playoff game since Bell’s departure.
A week before Super Bowl 58, Bell expressed interest in returning to the NFL and noted that he only wanted to play for the Steelers. And that got us thinking: WHY NOT?!
Yes, the Steelers have two stud running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. But remember Bell’s explosiveness as a pass-catcher and the constant damage in the red zone we saw during his tenure with Pittsburgh? Of course, he could still be useful for Mike Tomlin and company. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to have running back insurance in case one of your top guys gets injured.
There’s still unfinished business for Bell and the Steelers following their ugly divorce. Bringing back a former fan favorite and superstar in Bell for their new Super Bowl quest would make for so many compelling storylines in Steel City!
Julian Edelman: New York Jets
Something tells us Edelman wouldn’t have walked away after his age-34 season if Tom Brady hadn’t left New England in the first place. Alas, Edelman did that in 2021 following an injury-riddled 2020 season with the Brady-less Pats.
But if Edelman were to return to the gridiron, who better than Aaron Rodgers’ New York Jets?
The former shifty slot receiver would surely only wanna join a bona fide contender with an elite QB. Not to mention that the Jets don’t have much in the receiving room outside of young star Garrett Wilson.
Edelman’s explosiveness and route-running skills made him a nightmare to cover 1-on-1. Surely, Rodgers would have no issue getting the ball to Edelman with defenses mostly focused on Garrett Wilson anyway.
And the Jets need championship DNA on their roster. Edelman’s a three-time Super Bowl champion who sits third all-time in playoff receptions behind only Travis Kelce and Jerry Rice.
C’mon, Julian. Go ring chase for a fourth championship ring. And go join forces with none other than Mr. Rodgers.
Luke Kuechly: Cleveland Browns
Months after Andrew Luck’s shocking retirement, another superstar from the 2012 NFL Draft class also decided to call it quits in his 20s.
The seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker retired after his age-28 2019 season after numerous injuries, and the Carolina Panthers haven’t been the same ever since.
Kuechly was still at the top of his game when he retired, tallying two interceptions, 12 pass breakups and 144 combined tackles. And if he theoretically decided to continue playing in 2024? Kuechly wouldn’t even be that old at the age of 33…
The Cleveland Browns would especially make sense for Kuechly if he decided to un-retire. They have a top-tier defense led by Myles Garrett and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.
If there’s a weakness in the Browns’ defense, it’s at linebacker. And Kuechly would fit perfectly in Jim Schwartz’s ultra-aggressive and hard-hitting defense.
He’d surely want the chance to pursue a Super Bowl, and the Browns look ready to take that next step after making the postseason with their No. 4 QB option in Joe Flacco. So yeah, Kuechly to the Browns absolutely has to happen if the ex-Panthers star decides to return following a four-year hiatus.
Larry Fitzgerald: Baltimore Ravens
Fitzgerald last played for the Cardinals in 2020, and he was well past his prime with career lows in receptions and receiving yards.
We remain bitter that Fitzgerald didn’t get to sniff the postseason in his final five NFL seasons. Gotta credit him for being loyal to the only NFL organization he ever played for, we suppose…
But what if “Fitz” is feeling the urge to play again? Surely, he’d want to ring chase, and Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens would fit the bill here.
John Harbaugh and company are never scared to bring in past-their-prime vets on the offensive side of the ball. See: Dez Bryant, Le’Veon Bell and most recently Odell Beckham Jr.
Fitzgerald would do fine in a rotational role on a run-first Baltimore offense. And his big-game experience could help the Ravens FINALLY break through in the AFC after yet another playoff heartbreak in 2023.
Fitzgerald and Jackson teaming up for their first Super Bowl ring together. I mean, what does either side have to lose here?
Philip Rivers: Pittsburgh Steelers
A month before the 2023 season, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that Philip Rivers was the team’s contingency plan at QB if they had won the 2022 NFC Championship Game over the Philadelphia Eagles.
The 2022 49ers had lost Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo to season-ending injuries. Brock Purdy tore his UCL in the NFC title game, and backup Josh Johnson suffered a concussion.
Shanahan admitted that Rivers was ready to go for Super Bowl 57 if the 49ers needed him. In other words, Rivers apparently still has the itch to play despite announcing his retirement three years ago.
In his final NFL season — spent with the Colts in 2020 — Rivers threw for 4,169 yards and 24 touchdowns. He guided Indy to a playoff appearance and a near-upset of the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round.
Rivers never missed a game over the final 16 years of his career. He stayed remarkably healthy and durable. So we have little doubt the ex-Chargers superstar could still play if he decided to come back in 2024.
Among the top NFL contenders in need of a QB, the Steelers would make the most sense for Rivers. He’d have George Pickens, Diontae Johnson, Pat Freiermuth, Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris as his top weapons. AND a top-10 defense to complement him.
In this win-win scenario, Rivers could also help mentor Kenny Pickett following two lackluster seasons to begin his career. More importantly, Rivers would provide a much-needed short-term boost at QB to potentially help the Steelers breakthrough in a loaded AFC.
Rob Gronkowski: Buffalo Bills
If Brady was un-retired and went to the 49ers? That doesn’t necessarily mean that Gronk should join him there, too. The 49ers have enough weapons and the league’s second-best tight end in George Kittle.
Regardless of Brady’s decision, Gronkowski should ONLY have his eyes on the Buffalo Bills in the event that he decides to un-retire for a second time.
Gronk was a beast in his final season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021, recording 55 receptions for 802 yards and six touchdowns despite missing five games.
Guess who keeps choking in the playoffs? And guess who needs a No. 2 receiving option? The Buffalo Bills. And guess where Gronkowski is from? Buffalo. And guess who owns four Super Bowl rings? Gronkowski. And guess who’s never won a Super Bowl? The Bills.
Josh Allen and company need another weapon to help Stefon Diggs in the passing game. And who better than a guy with 92 career touchdowns — or 15 career postseason TDs in 2022 playoff games?
Yeah, Gronkowski totally has to come to the Bills and help bring the Lombardi Trophy to his hometown team.
