Tom Brady set to play Patriots in New England return: How did other QBs fare in similar circumstances?
A look back at other star quarterbacks playing against their former teams
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tom Brady will make a return to Foxborough on Sunday night as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is looking to pick up a victory over his former team, the New England Patriots.
While both Brady and Patriots coach Bill Belichick have tried to downplay the hype around the game, the storylines about the legendary quarterback returning to his old stomping grounds are obviously the talk of the NFL in Week 4. It’s the first time Brady is playing New England in his career and both teams are in need of a victory to keep pace in their respective divisions and conferences.
Brady will join some of the other great quarterbacks who made their returns to play against their old teams.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Here’s how some of those games went.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Drew Bledsoe
The Buffalo Bills announced Feb. 16, 2005, that they will release quarterback Drew Bledsoe. (REUTERS/Gary Weipert)
Nov. 3, 2002: Drew Bledsoe lost his job to Tom Brady during the 2001 season and by 2002 he was playing for the Buffalo Bills. In his first game against the Patriots, the Bills lost 38-7. Bledsoe was 28-for-45 with 302 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception. He was sacked four times.
Drew Brees
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
Oct. 26, 2008: Drew Brees may have spent most of his career with the New Orleans Saints, but he started with the San Diego Chargers. Brees and the Saints welcomed the Chargers in Week 8 of the 2008 season. The Saints got a narrow 37-32 victory. Bree was 30-for-41 with 339 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Randall Cunningham
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Randall Cunningham passes to Cowboys wide receiver Raghib Ismail for a 9-yard gain during the second quarter against the Arizona Cardinals Sept. 10, 2000, in Phoenix. Cunningham, filling in for injured Troy Aikman, passed for 135 yards and two touchdowns during the first half. (Reuters)
Sept. 3, 2000: Randall Cunningham made his return to the NFL after retiring in 1996 with the Vikings. However, he didn’t get a chance to play against his former team until he was with the Dallas Cowboys in 2000. He played against the Philadelphia Eagles in the first week of the season as Philly blew out Dallas. He was 13-for-26 with 135 passing yards with a touchdown and an interception. He didn’t start in that game.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Brett Favre
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre heads to the sidelines after he throws a pass intercepted by Chicago Bears' Julius Peppers during the first quarter of their NFL football game at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Dec. 20, 2010. (REUTERS/Eric Miller )
Oct. 5, 2009: Brett Favre’s departure from the Green Bay Packers was messy. He would eventually play for the New York Jets and the Vikings at the end of his career. He didn’t play the Packers in his lone season in New York. In 2009, he got his chance as a member of the Vikings. The Vikings won the game, 30-23. Favre was 24-for-31 with 271 passing yards and three touchdown passes.
Peyton Manning
Denver Broncos' quarterback Peyton Manning holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers in the NFL's Super Bowl 50 football game in Santa Clara, California, Feb. 7, 2016. (REUTERS/Mike Blake)
Oct. 20, 2013: Peyton Manning was the first starting quarterback to win Super Bowls with two different teams. He joined the Denver Broncos in 2012 after 13 years with the Indianapolis Colts. He proved he still had some gas left in the tank. He didn’t get a crack at the Colts until Week 7 of the 2013 season. Manning was 29-for-49 with three touchdowns and an interception along with 386 passing yards. However, the Broncos came up short, 39-33.
Donovan McNabb
Washington Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb (5) scrambles under pressure from the Philadelphia Eagles' Stewart Bradley (55) during the fourth quarter of their NFL football game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Oct. 3, 2010. (REUTERS/Tim Shaffer)
Oct. 3, 2010: Donovan McNabb led the Eagles to a Super Bowl, only to obviously lose to Brady, Belichick and the Patriots. By the 2010 season, McNabb was playing for Washington. He returned to play the Eagles on the road in Week 4. He was 8-for-19 with 125 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Joe Montana
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Joe Montana in first-quarter action against the Houston Oilers in the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, Jan. 16, 1994. The Oilers lost the game, 28-20. (REUTERS/Gary Cameron)
Sept. 11, 1994: Joe Montana played for the Kansas City Chiefs after his run with the San Francisco 49ers was over. Montana didn’t have the same success but nearly got the Chiefs to a Super Bowl during the 1993 season. He did get a chance to play the 49ers again and made the most of it. In Week 2 of the 1994 season, Montana and the Chiefs beat San Francisco. Montana was 19-for-31 with 203 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Steve McNair
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Steve McNair sits on the bench after being taken out of the game in the fourth quarter of their NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Baltimore, Maryland, Nov. 11, 2007. Ravens tight end Todd Heap is seated to the left of McNair. (REUTERS/Joe Giza )
Nov. 12, 2006: Steve McNair was an MVP with the Tennessee Titans in 2003 and toward the end of his career he was trying to help the Baltimore Ravens win some games. McNair played against the Titans in Week 10 of the 2006 season. In a 27-26 win, McNair was 29-for-47 with 373 passing yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
Warren Moon
Quarterback Warren Moon of the Minnesota Vikings turns to hand the ball off to a running back against the Chicago Bears during an NFL football game Sept. 3, 1995, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. Moon played for the Vikings from 1994-96. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Oct. 8, 1995: Warren Moon started his Hall of Fame career with the Houston Oilers. He was traded to the Vikings before the 1994 season and eventually played three seasons with the team. He played against the Oilers in Week 6 of the 1995 season. He led the team to a 23-17 victory and was 28-for-43 with 289 passing yards, two touchdown passes and two interceptions.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fran Tarkenton
Quarterback Fran Tarkenton of the New York Giants throws a pass during a preseason game in August 1969. (Photo by: Diamond Images/Getty Images)
Nov. 5, 1967: Fran Tarkenton had two separate stints with the Vikings but in 1967 he was a member of the New York Giants. He played the Vikings in Week 8 of the season. He was 12-for-23 with 270 passing yards and three touchdowns. He also had a season-high 56 rushing yards on six carries. Minnesota, however, would take the 27-24 victory.
Kurt Warner
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner (left) talks to his wide receiver Anquan Boldin in the fourth quarter against the Indianapolis Colts during an NFL game in Glendale, Arizona, Sept. 27, 2009. The Colts defeated the Cardinals. (REUTERS/Rick Scuteri )
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Nov. 20, 2005: Kurt Warner played the first part of his career with the St. Louis Rams before having a cup of coffee with the New York Giants. He would later join the Arizona Cardinals and nearly win a Super Bowl. Warner finally got his chance to play against the Rams in the 2005 season. In Week 11’s win, Warner was 27-for-39 with 285 passing yards and three touchdown passes.