The Chicago Blackhawks have officially traded star winger Patrick Kane to the New York Rangers. Kane was a legend with the Hawks as he and Jonathan Towes, brought Championship Hockey back to Chicago.
What other Legends went to new teams late in their career?
1. Michael Jordan (Basketball) – Washington Wizards, September 25, 2001. After retiring from the Chicago Bulls in 1998, Jordan took a break from basketball and pursued a career in baseball. He returned to the NBA in 2001, signing with the Washington Wizards as the team’s president of basketball operations and a player.
2. Wayne Gretzky (Hockey) – New York Rangers, July 21, 1996. Gretzky was traded from the Los Angeles Kings to the St. Louis Blues in 1996, but he only played one season with the team before being traded again to the New York Rangers. Gretzky wanted to play for a team that had a chance to win the Stanley Cup, and the Rangers were a strong team at the time.
3. Tom Brady (Football) – Widely considered one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in March 2020 after spending his entire career with the New England Patriots. Brady had led the Patriots to six Super Bowl titles and earned numerous individual accolades, but at the age of 42, he decided to take on a new challenge.
Brady’s decision to join the Buccaneers was partly motivated by the opportunity to work with head coach Bruce Arians, who had a reputation for developing quarterbacks. The Buccaneers also had a talented group of offensive weapons, including wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, that appealed to Brady.
4. Jerry Rice (Football) – Seattle Seahawks, September 7, 2004. Rice played for the San Francisco 49ers for 16 seasons before being traded to the Oakland Raiders in 2001. He spent three seasons with the Raiders before being released in 2004 and signing with the Seattle Seahawks. Rice wanted to keep playing football and saw an opportunity to contribute to the Seahawks.
5. Brett Favre (Football) – New York Jets, August 6, 2008. Favre played for the Green Bay Packers for 16 seasons before being traded to the New York Jets in 2008. He had initially retired from football but decided to come back and play for the Jets.
6. Shaquille O’Neal (Basketball) – Boston Celtics, August 4, 2010. O’Neal played for several teams throughout his career, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, and Phoenix Suns. He signed with the Boston Celtics in 2010, hoping to help the team win another championship.
7. David Beckham (Soccer) – LA Galaxy, July 13, 2007. Beckham played for several teams in Europe, including Manchester United, Real Madrid, and AC Milan. He signed with the LA Galaxy in 2007 as part of a long-term plan to grow soccer in the United States.
8. Randy Johnson (Baseball) – New York Yankees, February 1, 2005. Johnson played for several teams throughout his career, including the Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks. He was traded to the New York Yankees in 2005, hoping to win a World Series with the team.
9. Joe Montana (Football) – Kansas City Chiefs, April 20, 1993. Montana spent most of his career with the San Francisco 49ers, winning four Super Bowls with the team. He was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993 and played two seasons with the team before retiring.
10. Peyton Manning (Football) – Denver Broncos, March 20, 2012. Manning played for the Indianapolis Colts for 14 seasons before being released by the team in 2012. He signed with the Denver Broncos, hoping to win another Super Bowl before retiring.
Close but no Cigar
Ray Lewis (Football) – Baltimore Ravens, September 1, 1996. Lewis played for the Baltimore Ravens his entire career, but he almost signed with the New York Jets as a free agent in 2009. He ultimately decided to stay with the Ravens, but he did sign a one-year deal with the team in 2012 before retiring.