NFL Trade Deadline: 30 greatest trades in NFL history

14. Lions trade Bobby Layne in middle of season

Moving on from a superstar that played a key role in helping his team win three championships is never an easy decision. However, this ended up being the case for the Detroit Lions with Bobby Layne.

The Lions traded their star quarterback to the Pittsburgh Steelers after just two games into the 1958 season. While one could argue that this trade was a long time coming for the former Texas star, the decision by the Lions still came as quite the surprise.  Layne might have been past his prime, but would one day go on to earn a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

From there, Layne would go on to play the rest of his career as a member of the Steelers. However, he never did manage to win another championship or even make a return to the playoffs for that matter with Pittsburgh.

Still, it’s difficult not to wonder what could have been for Layne if things continued to work out for the best as a member of Detroit. That being said, when looking at some of the controversial rumors related to his gambling habits, it’s easier to understand why the Lions organization felt compelled to move on from Layne when it did.

Not to mention, when looking at some of the previous injuries Layne dealt with leading up to 1958 along with his off-the-field behavior, this trade doesn’t seem so crazy after all. Layne certainly provided Detroit with some amazing memories throughout his career. All that aside, sometimes when a surprising trade like this happens in the middle of an actual season, the individual has no one to blame other than himself.