Top 10 veteran NFL QB acquisitions of the last 10 years: Buccaneers, Eagles, Rams struck gold with these moves

Most gambles at the position don't pay off, but these did

The seemingly unending saga of Aaron Rodgers' uncertain football future continues to hang over the Pittsburgh Steelers, not just because Rodgers has long been an outsized NFL personality, but because the Steelers have precious few alternatives at quarterback going into the 2025 season. Having repeatedly and publicly insisted they're comfortable waiting for the 41-year-old Rodgers to contemplate his life and, hopefully, eventually put pen to paper, they've all but boxed themselves into his corner.

In doing so, they're unofficially betting on an aging signal-caller to buck the trend of veteran acquisitions failing to jumpstart a title run under center. The Steelers bore witness to this firsthand in 2024, when they added not one but two veteran quarterbacks in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, only to let both rentals walk out the door following a disappointing one-and-done playoff bid. Here they are now, back at square one, with history suggesting these kinds of quarterback gambles just don't pay off.

And yet, Rodgers wouldn't be entirely alone if he ultimately joins Pittsburgh and proves successful. While some of the game's most consistent stars at quarterback tend to be homegrown -- drafted and developed in a sturdy environment (see: Patrick Mahomes with the Kansas City Chiefs, Josh Allen with the Buffalo Bills, etc.) -- there are a select few who transcend the rest of a typically messy market by finding some level of success after changing teams.

Here are 10 of those examples over the last decade, dating back to the 2015 season:

Top veteran QB acquisitions of the last 10 years

10. Sam Darnold (2024)

49ers to Vikings via free agency

Darnold lasted just one year in Minnesota, all but securing his own exit with a skittish finish under bright lights, but he was otherwise a bargain-bin steal, arriving as a Band-Aid following a year on the bench in San Francisco, then firing 35 touchdowns and leading 14 wins as a gutsy gunslinger under coach Kevin O'Connell.

9. Geno Smith (2019)

Chargers to Seahawks via free agency

Resigned to backup gigs after a shaky start with the New York Jets, Smith came to Seattle as a clear No. 2 behind Russell Wilson, barely throwing a pass for his first two years under Pete Carroll. Then Wilson left and Smith filled his shoes with unexpected zeal, winning 27 games over three seasons as a streaky but splashy starter.

8. Ryan Tannehill (2019)

Dolphins to Titans via trade

Serviceable, if unspectacular, during a seven-year run in Miami, Tannehill found new life coming off the bench in Tennessee, excelling as a play-action passer en route to a surprise AFC title-game appearance in 2019. His dependence on the Derrick Henry-led ground game became clearer as time went on, but he also threw 33 scores in 2020.

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7. Jimmy Garoppolo (2017)

Patriots to 49ers via trade

Injuries often rendered Garoppolo unavailable, costing him 31 games over his final five years in the Bay Area. The midseason trade acquisition was an efficient point guard for Kyle Shanahan in some big spots, however, helping lead the 49ers to two NFC championship games -- and a Super Bowl appearance -- in a three-year span.

6. Kirk Cousins (2018)

Washington to Vikings via free agency

Cousins was long the butt of jokes for cashing big checks with barely any playoff resume; in fact, his six-year stint in Minnesota is still debated for producing a single postseason win. Still, he was a resilient and respected face of the franchise for more than a half-decade, flirting with MVP candidacy in his final season before an injury effectively ended his time in town.

5. Baker Mayfield (2023)

Rams to Buccaneers via free agency

Replacing Tom Brady figured to be an impossible task, and when Tampa Bay signed Mayfield to a one-year, prove-it deal, they were adding a maligned former No. 1 pick who'd just bounced between three teams in the last two seasons. The ever-scrappy Mayfield proceeded to throw 69 scores in his first two years with the Bucs, reviving his image with consecutive playoff bids.

4. Jared Goff (2021)

Rams to Lions via trade

Dumped by Los Angeles just three years after helping the Rams reach the Super Bowl, Goff looked a lot like a throwaway piece of the Matthew Stafford blockbuster (more on that below), sure to be quickly replaced in Detroit. Instead, he gradually settled in and became a resilient figurehead for Dan Campbell's ultra-aggressive and ultra-talented Lions contender.

3. Nick Foles (2017)

Chiefs to Eagles via free agency

Foles may be the anomaly here, never quite sticking as a full-timer, but the journeyman wasn't just the cool-handed star of Super Bowl LII, when he outdueled Tom Brady to upset the Patriots dynasty while filling in for an injured Carson Wentz. The clutch Eagles legend, who was previously traded by Philadelphia, also led the Birds to another improbable playoff run 2018.

2. Matthew Stafford (2021)

Lions to Rams via trade

The Rams had built an all-star lineup by 2021, and they envisioned Stafford -- not Goff, his L.A. predecessor -- as the missing piece to a championship. They were quickly proven right, with Stafford's big arm helping lift the Rams over the top in a 41-touchdown debut. Durability has been an issue, but when upright, No. 9 remains one of the NFL's most gifted arms.

1. Tom Brady (2020)

Patriots to Buccaneers via free agency

It's not every day you get a crack at the most accomplished quarterback of all time, but the Bucs lured the longtime New England great to Florida in 2020, and Brady answered the call. Looking mildly exhausted in his last Patriots days, he found a new gear at age 43, tossing 40 scores and helping Tampa Bay dominate the Chiefs to win Super Bowl LV in his Bucs debut. He was equally as dynamic the following year, leading the NFL with 43 touchdowns en route to yet another playoff appearance.