Some players were so phenomenal during their careers they can only be described as legends. Here we pick one such player to return to each NFL team in 2021.
The offseason is all about improving your team in hopes that you can compete in the coming season. And for all 32 teams in the NFL, they’re hopeful that they’re in a better position heading into 2021 after all the work they did in both free agency and the NFL Draft.
But that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be willing to add one legendary player from their past to their current roster.
Here we look to do just that for each team in the league as we select one former star from the past to add to their 2021 team.
Arizona Cardinals: Aeneas Williams
There was a long stretch of time where the Arizona Cardinals were a struggling franchise and Aeneas Williams was with that team for many of those years. Chosen 59th overall in the third round of the 1991 NFL Draft out of Southern, Williams joined the Cardinals when they were still known as the Phoenix Cardinals. He spent the next 10 seasons playing for the franchise and made the Pro Bowl four times in that span while also being named to the All-Pro First-Team twice and the Second-Team once.
Williams had a nose for the football and recorded six interceptions as a rookie which was just a glimpse of what he could do. He finished his career with 55 interceptions, 46 of which came during his time in Arizona.
He spent his final four seasons with the St. Louis Rams where he made the playoffs three times — after making only one postseason trip during his time with the Cards. He was still playing at an elite level for the Rams even though he was already 33 when they joined him.
Heading into 2021, Arizona is trying to improve upon their defense and adding a shutdown corner of Williams’ caliber would be a huge benefit to them.
Atlanta Falcons: Deion Sanders, Cornerback/Returner
This season, the Atlanta Falcons need some help in several areas. They need help on defense which could lead to them bringing back someone such as linebacker Jessie Tuggle. On offense, they could use someone such as Mike Kenn who was an incredibly underrated tackle for much of his career. Or, they could use a better running game which would not only help take some of the pressure off of Matt Ryan and the passing game that just lost Julio Jones, but it would also help the defense by allowing them to keep the ball in their hands and milk the clock.
For that reason, it would be tempting to choose Gerald Riggs as the legendary player to bring back to the Dirty Birds. He did, after all, run for 4,532 yards from 1984 through 1986 which was downright insane. As much as he would help the team, the needs on defense are simply too great and that means we pick arguably the best defensive player the Falcons have ever had — Deion Sanders.
Amply nicknamed Prime Time, Sanders was just electric for Atlanta. A two-sport star who was also playing for the Atlanta Braves while with the Falcons, Sanders had 24 interceptions in five seasons with Atlanta, three of which he returned for touchdowns. He went on to play for the San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Football Team, and Baltimore Ravens but was at his best while with Atlanta, S.F., and Dallas.
In addition to his ability as a corner, Deion was stellar in the return game. He had six career punt return touchdowns and three more as a kickoff returner. But if that wasn’t enough reason to bring him back, he could also help on offense. Sanders spent time at wide receiver and had 60 receptions for 784 yards and three more touchdowns. Had he dedicated himself to that side of the line of scrimmage, he could have been successful as well but his nose for the ball on defense made him too valuable for that.
Baltimore Ravens: Ed Reed, Safety
Entering 2021, the Baltimore Ravens are one of the better teams in the NFL. They continue to win 10-plus games every season and they have a young quarterback in Lamar Jackson who is still improving as a player — but also already has an MVP award in his back pocket.
Baltimore also spent this offseason trying to improve around him as they brought in wide receivers Rashod Bateman, Tylan Wallace, and Sammy Watkins in an attempt to open up the passing game. As much as they have improved on offense in recent years, Baltimore is still known for their abilities on defense. When this team is elite defensively, they’re tough to beat.
Right now, they’re still one of the best in the league but if they wanted to become one of the more feared units again they would need someone such as Ed Reed patrolling the back end. That’s why Reed is the player chosen here as the returning legend.
A Hall of Famer, Reed just seemed to always know where the ball was going. He twice had nine picks in a single season and finished his career with 64 interceptions in 12 years. If that wasn’t enough, he had another nine in postseason games.
Reed was also dangerous once he got the ball in his hands. He had 1,590 yards and seven touchdowns on interception returns and another 168 and a score in the playoffs. He even scored twice on fumble returns, making him one of the most exciting defenders of his time.
Buffalo Bills: Thurman Thomas, Running Back
Say what you want about the Buffalo Bills never getting a ring, making it to the Super Bowl four seasons in a row is pretty darn impressive. That team in the late 1980s and early 1990s was simply loaded and it makes it easy to look at that era for a player to add to this roster.
Buffalo is finally returning to relevance as they won the AFC East last season and had a legit MVP candidate in Josh Allen. The third-year quarterback took a huge step as a player and leader with the arrival of Stefon Diggs. Having that No. 1 wideout made all the difference in the world for Allen and helped him take the Bills to the AFC Championship Game.
Now, they added a lot of talent to their defense in the draft including edge rusher Gregory Rousseau who could be one of the steals of the first round. Their hope is that the defense continues to improve in order to help the offense as they try and take down the Kansas City Chiefs this year.
Something else that would make a huge difference would be adding an elite running back to their roster, which is what we do here by bringing Thurman Thomas back into the mix for 2021. A five-time Pro Bowl selection, Thomas finds himself in the Hall of Fame after 13 seasons in the NFL, 12 of which were with the Bills. He finished with 12,074 yards rushing and 65 touchdowns but he was also a dangerous player in the passing game.
Thomas had 4,458 yards and 23 more touchdowns on 472 catches. Adding him to a roster that has Allen, Diggs, and Cole Beasley would simply be unfair. But it would also be fun for fans in Buffalo to watch.
Carolina Panthers: Julius Peppers, EDGE
This season, the Carolina Panthers are hoping to take their next step under head coach Matt Rhule. In his first season, they finished 5-11 but that was without their best player as Christian McCaffrey was injured early in the year.
They aren’t just expecting his return to health to fix everything though as Carolina went out and traded for Sam Darnold in an effort to get better under center. With the third overall pick from 2018 under contract, the Panthers elected to send Teddy Bridgewater to Denver. Their hope is that Darnold’s issues in New York were due to Adam Gase and his style of coaching which would give them a young player who could guide them for the next 10-plus seasons.
With all that being said, it would be nice to bring in a wide receiver such as Steve Smith to help Darnold out. But with Robby Anderson, D.J. Moore, and Terrace Marshall on the roster, we go in a different route and improve the defense with one of the best players in team history — Julius Peppers.
An absolute athletic freak, Peppers was listed at 6-foot-7 and 295 pounds but he moved like a player 50-pounds lighter than that. He used his uncommon mix of size and speed to rack up 159.5 career sacks. His versatility was often on display as well as he had 11 career interceptions with four touchdowns on the returns.
Peppers was a nightmare to block and with Rhule’s strategy to team-building — he wants an elite defense and an offense that can control the clock — there might not be a better player to bring back to Charlotte.
Chicago Bears: Walter Payton, Running Back
This offseason, the Chicago Bears found their new face of the franchise in Andy Dalton. Ok, maybe it’s actually Justin Fields, but Matt Nagy still says he wants to start Dalton in Week 1 for now.
Fields slid down the draft a little and eventually, he was on the board at a spot where Chicago was able to make the leap and add him to their roster. Now a team that made the playoffs as the final Wild Card entrant in 2020 could be even better with a play-maker such as Fields as well as Teven Jenkins at offensive tackle. Jenkins was also a steal for them as the first-round talent fell into the second.
Already armed with a good defense, these new offensive players could help Chicago stay competitive in the NFC. What could help even more is if they had a world-class running back capable of carrying his team on his back. That’s exactly what they did have in Walter Payton who was the face of their offense from in the 1970s and 80s. Drafted fourth overall in 1975, Payton was with Chicago until 1987 and during those 13 years, he had 16,726 yards and 110 touchdowns. Payton is still No. 2 all-time in rushing yards with only Emmitt Smith ahead of him.
The accolades for Payton include five All-Pro selections, nine trips to the Pro Bowl, one Super Bowl Ring, and an MVP in 1977 when he ran for 1,852 yards ad 14 touchdowns. Payton, who passed away far too young, is still honored every year by the league as they hand out the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award to whoever does the best work outside of the game.
Payton, an amazing humanitarian in his own right, won the award in 1977 before it was named after him and set a standard for others to live up to.
Having a player with his talent and leadership on the 2021 Chicago Bears roster would be exactly what they need to become favorites in the NFC North.
Cincinnati Bengals: Anthony Munoz, Offensive Tackle
One team that’s trending in the right direction is the Cincinnati Bengals. While they were still struggling to find wins in 2020, they did show that they have some serious offensive stars in quarterback Joe Burrow (the No. 1 overall pick from 2020), running back Joe Mixon, and wide receivers Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd. Now heading into 2021, they added another offensive star in the making with Ja’Marr Chase who was Burrow’s No. 1 receiver at LSU.
What they didn’t do, was add a new offensive tackle which got people fired up. Cincinnati didn’t completely ignore their line, which did need some help. They went out and signed Riley Reiff in free agency and drafted Clemson’s Jackson Carman. They will also hopefully see some improvement in Jonah Williams who is entering his third season but just his second year of play after missing his rookie campaign.
Still, there was hope that they would do more to beef up the line after seeing Burrow go down with a torn ACL last year. Burrow has the tools to be elite but no one could have performed under the pressure he was facing in 2020. That’s why it would make sense to bring back a legend on the offensive line in Anthony Munoz.
The third overall pick in the 1980 NFL Draft out of USC, Munoz made the Pro Bowl in 11 of his 13 seasons with the Bengals. He was also a nine-time All-Pro selection and was named the NFL Offensive Lineman of the Year in both 1981 and 1988. Putting someone like that on a line to protect Burrow’s blindside would be a huge boost to this Cincinnati team.
Cleveland Browns: Clay Matthews Jr., Linebacker
There were a couple of players who would have made sense for the Cleveland Browns here including cornerbacks Frank Minnifield or Hanford Dixon. Cleveland has four solid options at cornerback but three of those players have had injury concerns in their pro and collegiate careers.
Another option would have been wide receiver Paul Warfield who would have given them a player capable of stretching the field. Again, the Browns are solid here with Odell Beckham, Jr. and Jarvis Landry leading the way but OBJ has dealt with several nagging injuries as well as a torn ACL in 2020.
Still, those positions have players who are capable of getting the job done. Where Cleveland really has a big question mark is in the middle of their defense at linebacker. Right now, Anthony Walker comes in as the top player at the position although they have high hopes for rookie Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and second-year linebacker Jacob Phillips. JOK, however, is more of a hybrid player and Phillips still has to prove he can be consistent — something that is also an issue for Mack Wilson and Sione Takitaki.
With all that being said, Clay Matthews, Jr. is a player who could step in and improve the entire defense for the Browns. He spent 16 seasons in Cleveland and is the all-time leader in tackles for the franchise with 1,430. He added another 165 tackles in his final three seasons which were spent on the Falcons but he was at his best in the orange and brown.
Matthews, Jr. — who is part of a royal football family — could also bring the heat off the edge. He recorded 62 sacks with the Browns and 7.5 for the Falcons in his career. Matthews should be in Canton but for some reason, he hasn’t been voted in. Even without getting g that respect he deserves, he’s a legend in Cleveland and would instantly improve this roster.
Dallas Cowboys: Darren Woodson, Safety
Heading into the 2021 NFL Season, the Dallas Cowboys are looking to rebound from a terrible 2020 campaign. It was Mike McCarthy’s first season as head coach and that led to expectations that they could finally shake some of the issues they had under Jason Garrett.
While the offense was more productive, the team was still struggling to get wins since their defense was so awful. Then in Week 5, Dak Prescott broke his ankle and was out for the season, which also killed their offensive output. With Prescott back this year, they’re hoping for the firepower on offense to return but they will still only go as far as this defense allows them to.
Dallas did add more help on that side with the selection of Micah Parsons in the 2021 NFL Draft as well as the addition of Keanu Neal and Damontae Kazee. On top of that, they replaced Mike Nolan with Dan Quinn which gives them a defensive coordinator they trust more. What they still don’t have — and haven’t had for years — is a game-changer on the back end of their defense.
That’s why Darren Woodson is the choice here — even though it’s tempting to go with DeMarcus Ware who would be great opposite DeMarcus Lawrence. Another reason we go safety over edge is the fact that Randy Gregory is expected to take a step forward after having a full offseason with the team. As for Woodson, he was the last great safety Dallas had and every elite defense needs to have a safety capable of making big plays (even if Stephen Jones doesn’t think so).
Woodson played in Dallas from 1992 through 2003 and recorded 967 tackles and 23 picks in that time. He was a sure-tackler who also could cover in the slot as well as any cornerback. He might not turn the Cowboys into an elite defense but he could mask a lot of their deficiencies.
Denver Broncos: John Elway, Quarterback
Things are tricky in the Mile High City entering this season. The Denver Broncos should feel good about their chances given some of the talent they have on their roster. They have a solid receiving corps that includes Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, and K.J. Hamler. There’s also Noah Fant and Albert Okwuegbunam at tight end as well as Melvin Gordon, Royce Freeman, and Javonte Williams at running back.
On defense, they also have a lot of talent with Von Miller, Bradley Chubb, Justin Simmons, Patrick Surtain, and Kyle Fuller. But there’s one glaring hole — they don’t have a quarterback they can believe in. And in today’s NFL, it’s impossible to win without competent and consistent play under center.
Denver has tried to remedy the situation as they have Drew Lock who was a second-round pick in 2019 as well as Teddy Bridgewater who they added in the offseason. They likely want to see Bridgewater push Lock to become a better player but the truth is, he will probably unseat Lock before long.
Of course, being able to bring back someone such as John Elway in his prime would fix everything. Elway was one of the best of his generation and really is in the conversation of top-20 quarterbacks in league history. A Hall of Famer and two-time Super Bowl winner, Elway would have this team competing for not only the AFC West title, but for a spot in the Super Bowl as well.
Detroit Lions: Barry Sanders, Running Back
Dan Campbell takes the helm for the Detroit Lions as the former New Orleans Saints assistant coach is running the show now in the Motor City. He already has a tough task ahead of him since the Lions have struggled as of late to field a winner and this year, they have to try and get back on track after losing a few stars on offense.
Detroit didn’t retain wide receivers Kenny Golladay or Marvin Jones, Jr. and also traded Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams. They did receive a couple of first-round draft picks in the process as well but that won’t help in 2021. In addition to those picks, they added Jared Goff who was the No. 1 overall pick for the Rams in 2016 but never really lived up to that status. Sure, he had some great numbers but much of that was attributed to the scheme and play-calling of head coach Sean McVay.
It’s going to be hard for Goff simply due to the lack of weapons around him which makes someone such as Calvin Johnson an option as a legend to bring back. And if anyone wanted Johnson, they wouldn’t be wrong since it he was the best receiver in the game during his prime so it would instantly improve the offense.
However, the Lions also had a player who was the best running back in the game during his prime in Barry Sanders. And as good as Johnson was, Sanders is just too legendary to pass on in this scenario.
Like Johnson, Sanders never got to experience a lot of team success in the NFL since the Lions were so bad during his career. Also like Johnson, he walked away from the game when he was still playing at an elite level.
Sanders had 1,491 yards in 1998 which was his final season and went for 2,053 the year prior. In all, he had 15,269 yards and 99 touchdowns on the ground as well as 352 receptions for 2,921 yards and 10 more touchdowns as a receiver. An electric playmaker, Sanders averaged 5.0 yards per rush for his career and is a player the Lions could lean on in 2021 as the focal point of their offense. Not only would he take a lot of pressure off the shoulders of Goff but he would help alleviate some of their problems from not having an elite set of receivers.
Green Bay Packers: Sterling Sharpe, Wide Receiver
Maybe we should be asking for Brett Favre to come back for the Green Bay Packers since Aaron Rodgers is unhappy and is sending signals that he wants out. But maybe, bringing back an elite wide receiver would be enough to convince Rodgers to stay — especially since much of his frustration seems to be centered around the front office not giving him enough weapons in the passing game.
With that being said, it’s hard to think of a better option for them to add than Sterling Sharpe in his prime. The older brother of the much-more famous Shannon Sharpe, Sterling was one of the best receivers in the NFL but had his career cut short due to a neck injury. Had this not happened, he surely would have continued to pile on the impressive stats and would probably be in the Hall of Fame with his brother says Bob Fox of Bleacher Report.
"“If not for a neck injury that forced him to retire, Sterling Sharpe was destined for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Sharpe was named All-Pro five times and was also named to five Pro Bowl squads. Sharpe led the NFL in receptions three times, including back-to-back seasons when Sharpe had more than 100 receptions for the first time in NFL history.” — Bob Fox, Bleacher Report"
His best season was in 1992 when he had 108 receptions for 1,461 yards and 13 touchdowns but was still playing at a high level in 1994 when he had 18 touchdowns on 94 catches for 1,119 yards. Putting him on the same field as Davante Adams would seem to be enough to convince Rodgers to give the front office more time. It would also mean Green Bay would have the best receiving duo in the entire NFL.
Houston Texans: Andre Johnson, Wide Receiver
Another team with a weird situation to work out this year is the Houston Texans. They ended 2020 with a poor record and things got worse when Deshaun Watson let it be known he wanted out. One of the big reasons was the problems he had while Bill O’Brien was running the show and he likely doesn’t feel any better now since they didn’t hire Eric Bieniemy who he was rumored to be pulling for as the replacement.
Instead, Houston hired David Culley who was the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens — who had one of the worst passing attacks in the NFL last season. He’s also 65-years old, meaning he’s not going to be around for the long haul.
There’s also the off-field drama for Watson and in the end, it seems unlikely he plays for Houston this season. It appears as though Tyrod Taylor will take his place so it would be ideal to bring in another quarterback but Watson is not only the best they ever had, he’s really the only true franchise quarterback they have ever had.
So with that being the case, we elect to add Andre Johnson who is the most decorated wideout in team history. He’s first in team history in receptions (1,012), yards (13,597), and touchdowns (54). Bringing him back wouldn’t fix all their issues but it would help Taylor tremendously by giving him a legit superstar out wide to go to.
Indianapolis Colts: Peyton Manning, Quarterback
Philip Rivers spent just one season as the starting quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts but the bolo tie-wearing gun-slinger seemed like a perfect fit. He even led them to the playoffs but decided after the season it was time to go home and spend time with his family.
With him out, the Colts brought in Carson Wentz which could also pay off for them. Wentz played at an MVP level in 2017 when Frank Reich was his offensive coordinator and now the two are back together with Reich serving as the head coach.
There’s legitimate hope for Wentz to return to form this season but we can’t guarantee he will. If we could, then maybe bringing back Marvin Harrison would be the right move since they would have a quarterback playing as well as anyone else working with one of the best wideouts to ever play the game.
But since we aren’t sure Wentz will look like the player we once saw on the field, then we have to go with a different player, Peyton Manning. Easily the most recognizable player Indianapolis has ever had (heck, he might be the most recognizable the NFL has ever had thanks to his ability to make people laugh in every commercial he stars in), Manning would be a great addition to this Colts team.
Manning was one of the players who ushered in this new pass-happy era of football and if he were in Indy now, he would make all the receivers around him better. And given the fact that they have a strong defense, he would easily lead them to the AFC South title and possibly much more.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Tony Boselli, Offensive Tackle
Since joining the NFL in 1995, the Jacksonville Jaguars have had their share of quality players. However, they have yet to truly have a franchise quarterback. They have found some success at times with Mark Brunell leading them to a winning record four seasons in a row.
The former Green Bay reserve was 63-54 for them and had 25,698 yards passing with 144 touchdowns and 86 picks. To this day, he’s the best quarterback Jacksonville has ever had but they hope that’s changing now that they used the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft on Trevor Lawrence.
Of course, Lawrence won’t be able to do it alone. He’s going to need some talent around him and while the Jags have started to rebuild, they could use a better offensive line. That’s why their returning legend is none other than Tony Boselli, who just so happens to be the first player the team ever drafted.
The 6-foot-7, 324-pound USC product didn’t just live up to his status as the No. 2 overall pick, but he also put up such a sold career that he’s often considered the best player in Jacksonville history. Putting him out there to block Lawrence’s blindside would be a dream come true for the 2021 Jaguars.
Kansas City Chiefs: Derrick Thomas, Linebacker
After winning the Super Bowl in 2019, the Kansas City Chiefs made it back to the big game the following season but lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Even though they didn’t win it all for the second season in a row, the Chiefs are back-to-back AFC champions and favorites to get back to the Super Bowl again this year.
On offense, they have a myriad of star players including Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kecle. On defense, they also have a few big names such as Chris Jones and Tyrann Mathieu but they still have some holes they would like to fill.
Adding Derrick Thomas would not only fill some of the voids on their defense but he would also make life easier for everyone else with his ability to get after the quarterback. Thomas, the No. 4 overall pick in 1989 out of Alabama, played 11 seasons in Kansas City and had 126.5 sacks including a career-best 20 in 1990.
For all his work, Thomas was tabbed as the Chiefs No. 1 overall player all-time in a recent top-10 player ranking on SI.com.
"“Derrick Thomas was an outside linebacker who was drafted fourth overall in the 1989 NFL draft. He came into the league in dominating fashion, earning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. In his rookie season, Thomas had 75 tackles, 10 sacks, three forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. The next season, he would have one of the greatest seasons for an outside linebacker, leading the league with 20 sacks and six forced fumbles, and setting the all-time record for sacks in a single game with seven.” — Jeff Unk, SI.com"
Eventually, Mahomes will overtake the top spot but Thomas will surely stay atop the team rankings for many years to come.
Thomas, unfortunately, passed away far too young, but still left quite the legacy in the NFL during his time on the field.
Las Vegas Raiders: Tim Brown, Wide Receiver
The Las Vegas Raiders are no strangers to bringing people back. They have twice hired a former superstar coach, but didn’t really get the results they wanted during that second term from either coach.
First up was Art Shell, who was the coach from 1989 through 1994 and had a record of 54-38 with three trips to the postseason. He was brought back 12 years later when the Raiders hired Shell at 60-years old. He lasted just one more season and was 2-14.
They again hopped into the way-back machine in 2018 when they re-hired Jon Gruden. Originally, Gruden was a 35-year-old head coach in 1998 and coached in Oakland through the 2001 season.
He came back in 2018 and has yet to lead them to a winning season. Over the past three years, Gruden is 19-29. He’s still trying to rebuild the roster and would love to get someone such as Tim Brown on his roster.
Brown played for 16 seasons in Los Angeles and Oakland and had 1,070 receptions for 14,734 yards and 99 touchdowns. He was a part of the team when Gruden was the coach and even faced him in the Super Bowl when Gruden was on the Tampa Bay sideline. He even spent his final season in the NFL with Gruden.
If they could add him during his prime to this roster, it would give Las Vegas the No. 1 wideout they desperately need. Then again, Gruden does have an affinity for players who are way past their prime, so he probably would take Brown at his current age of 54 (but for this piece, we prefer using the way-back machine that the Davis family uses for their coaching searches).
Los Angeles Chargers: Junior Seau, Linebacker
Quarterback Justin Herbert had a fantastic season in 2020 for the Los Angeles Chargers and hopes are high that they can start to turn things around. He set the NFL record for passing touchdowns by a rookie with 31 and wasn’t far behind the record for yards as he had 4,336 which was close to the 4,374 Andrew Luck had in 2012.
Los Angeles is hoping that an improved offensive line will help him take the next step as a passer. Something else that could help would be adding a generational talent at running back like LaDanian Tomlinson.
LT spent nine years in San Diego and had 12,490 yards rushing and 3,955 yards passing with a total of 153 total touchdowns. He would be huge for Herbert and the offense but he’s still not the choice here. We saw Tomlinson paired with an elite quarterback in Philip Rivers and while they got close, they never made it to the Super Bowl.
A former Chargers star who did make it to the big game, however, was linebacker Junior Seau. Arguably the best Charger of all time, Seau led a team that went to Super Bowl XXIX in 1995. They lost to the 49ers but they were still a great team — led by a stellar defense.
Seau was the face of that unit and had 155 tackles and 5.5 sacks. He was also able to play for what seemed like an eternity. Seau spent 13 seasons in San Diego and had 842 tackles with 47 sacks, 15 picks, and 11 forced fumbles. From there, he spent three seasons in Miami and another four in New England, playing until he was 40.
Another life that was lost too early, Seau was the face of the Chargers and if he were back on this roster in 2021, their defense would be vastly improved.
Los Angeles Rams: Marshall Faulk, Running Back
There’s no denying that the Los Angeles Rams are all-in on the 2021 NFL season. They traded away Jared Goff and two first-round picks for Matthew Stafford who just turned 33 this offseason. He might not have a lot left in the tank but when he’s at his best, Stafford can move the ball as well as anyone.
He’s also got a great play-caller on the sidelines now with Sean McVay which means it’s the best situation he’s been in during his entire career. But the hopes aren’t all on Stafford.
Los Angeles has a stacked roster with Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods on offense and then Jalen Ramsey, Aaron Donald, and Leonard Floyd on defense. What they don’t have, is an elite running back which is why the call here is easy as Marshall Faulk is the legend that returns to the Rams.
Faulk started his career with the Indianapolis Colts before joining the St. Louis Rams in 1999. He was one of the stars of the ‘Greatest Show on Turf’ and helped them win Super Bowl XXXIV over the Tennessee Titans.
During his career, Faulk won the NFL MVP in the year 2000 after going for 1,359 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground and another 830 yards and eight touchdowns receiving. This came after he had more than 1,000-yards as both a runner and receiver in 1999.
In addition to his MVP award, Faulk was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year three times and had seven trips to the Pro Bowl. He was impossible to stop when he was on a roll and would make this Rams team a favorite in 2021.
Miami Dolphins: Dan Marino, Quarterback
Over the past 12 seasons, the Miami Dolphins have finished with a winning record just twice. Once was in 2016 when they were the Wild Card entrants but had to start Matt Moore as Ryan Tannehill was injured. The second was this past season but they just missed out on the playoffs despite going 10-6 — there were three Wild Card teams in the AFC with 11 wins.
This past season, the Dolphins were winning on the strength of their defense which has been rebuilt by head coach Brian Flores. They do hope for more on offense this coming season especially after signing Will Fuller in free agency and drafting Jaylen Waddle.
Of course, the success — or failure — of their offense will lie heavily on the shoulders of Tua Tagovailoa who enters his second season as a pro. During his rookie campaign, Tua found success in terms of wins and losses but he looked to be far behind Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert, the quarterbacks who were taken right before and right after him in the draft.
Despite the investment they made in Tua, the Dolphins would swap him out to start over with Dan Marino on this roster. Marino was a gun-slinger who put up video game numbers in the 1980s and 1990s. He threw for 5,084 yards in 1984 when the running game was still king and finished his 17-year career with 61,361 yards and 420 touchdowns.
Marino was one of the best to ever play the position and he’s often mentioned as the best quarterback to never win a Super Bowl. Perhaps he could do that with the defense Miami is building now.
Minnesota Vikings: Randy Moss, Wide Receiver
One of the hottest recruits of all time, Randy Moss had his choice of several big-name schools to attend. Originally, he settled on Notre Dame but he never suited up for them as the school denied his enrollment due to a fight in high school. He was then committed to Florida State but never played for them either as he found himself in more hot water.
Eventually, Moss landed at Marshall, where was just a monster. He proved to be a freak of an athlete and deserved to be a day one pick. In fact, he was expected to land with the Dallas Cowboys, which was his favorite team growing up, at No. 8 overall. Dallas dropped the ball, however, and passed on Moss.
In the end, he slid to the Minnesota Vikings at No. 21 in the 1998 NFL Draft and he used the motivation to completely humiliate the NFL — and especially the Cowboys when they would play. As a rookie, he set the NFL record for touchdown receptions with 17, and then in 2007 with the New England Patriots, he set the NFL record with 23 touchdowns.
Arguably the greatest deep threat to ever play, Moss had 982 receptions for 15,292 yards with 156 touchdowns. Those numbers could have been even better had it not been for a stretch with the Oakland Raiders where he was visibly unhappy and put up subpar numbers for a couple of seasons.
Right now, Minnesota has a strong receivers corps led by Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen so wideout might not be the biggest need. Even so, the answer for who they need to bring back is Randy Moss. And it always would be Randy Moss.
New England Patriots: Tom Brady, Quarterback
This one might feel like it’s too soon but there’s really no player the New England Patriots could choose to add to their roster than Tom Brady. Before Brady arrived, the Patriots were a team no one gave too much thought about. They had plenty of success at times but they had yet to win it all.
Then Brady took over for an injured Drew Bledsoe and they started to do nothing but win. In fact, they even won their very first title during Brady’s second year in the league — which was his first as a starter.
At that time, he was a bit of a game manager. He had just 2,843 yards with an 18-to-12 touchdown-to-interception ratio in 14 starts. In the postseason, he had just 572 yards and one touchdown in three games.
It wasn’t long after that when Brady became the face of the team and they started winning because of him. He led the Pats to six Super Bowls which ties them for the most in NFL history. Then, he left after 17 seasons and went and won a title with Tampa Bay.
As for New England, they went out and spent a ton of money on new weapons in the passing game. There’s no guarantee that will help them rebound from their first losing season since 2000, but adding Brady back would.
New Orleans Saints: Joe Horn, Wide Receiver
With Drew Brees retiring this offseason, the New Orleans Saints are turning a page — and it won’t be easy. A franchise that was known for their struggles (even being called the ‘Aints’ at different points in time) completely turned around when Sean Payton was hired as the head coach and Brees signed on as the quarterback.
They would surely like another run with him under center, but we will give that one time to breathe before saying he needs to be brought back. As for the 2021 roster, New Orleans has a quarterback under contract who led the NFL in passing yards in 2019, Jameis Winston.
A former No. 1 overall pick, Winston had 5,109 yards with 33 touchdowns for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The problem is, he had 30 interceptions as well. Working with Payton should help him cut down on the picks and assuming he beats out Taysom Hill, Winston should be able to put points up with this offense.
He could do even more if they had a second wide receiver capable of putting up big numbers across from Michael Thomas. They had this in 2020 with Emmanuel Sanders but due to injuries, they never really had a full complement of weapons, and Sanders was released in a cap-savings cut.
This leads to us choosing Joe Horn as the returning star. Horn spent seven of his 12 NFL seasons in New Orleans and had 7,622 yards and 50 touchdowns in that span. He also brought a lot of charisma and confidence to the offense with his personality, which could help them as they look for their post-Brees identity.
New York Giants: Lawrence Taylor, EDGE
One of the biggest football stars in North Carolina history — if not the biggest — was Lawrence Taylor. A monster pass-rusher, Taylor was taken second overall in the 1981 NFL Draft by the New York Giants and he helped them become one of the more legendary defenses in league hostory.
For the majority of his time with the Giants, his head coach was none other than Bill Parcells. As if having the ‘Big Tuna’ as the head coach wasn’t enough to turn an athletic phenomenon into a ferocious defender, Taylor also had Bill Belichick as his linebacker from 1981 through 1984 and his defensive coordinator from 1985 through 1990.
During that time, the Giants won two Super Bowls, Taylor won an NFL MVP award, and he was named to 10 Pro Bowls, 8 First-Team All-Pros, and two Second-Team All-Pros. In all, he was credited with 132.5 sacks (they didn’t count them as an official stat in his rookie season) and added 11 fumble recoveries, and nine interceptions for good measure.
New York is currently rebuilding their team and they have a solid defense right now. What could turn them into an elite one would be the return of Lawrence Taylor in his prime. His ability to destroy an offense’s game plan would make everyone’s job easier and would even take some of the pressure off of the offense since they wouldn’t need to score nearly as much to win games.
New York Jets: Curtis Martin, Running Back
New York Jets rookie head coach Robert Saleh has a tough task ahead of him in turning this franchise around. The good news is, he was arguably the best hire of the offseason and has proven that he can get it done as a defensive coach.
His unit in San Francisco took the team all the way to the Super Bowl following the 2019 season and much of that was thanks to elite defensive play and ball-control offense. Right now, the Jets are working toward rebuilding that defense and they added a couple of solid options to help them improve in Carl Lawson, Sheldon Rankins, and Jarrad Davis.
Their additions weren’t limited to defense either as New York signed wide receiver Corey Davis but then added some explosiveness in Elijah Moore in the draft. Of course, the entire thing comes down to Zach Wilson who will be the starting quarterback but what if he had an elite running back to turn to?
New York wisely added Tevin Coleman who is a solid option and drafted Michael Carter but neither of them can hold a candle to what they had from 1998 through 2005 in Curtis Martin. A five-time Pro Bowl selection and the 2004 NFL Rushing leader with 1,697 yards that season — which was even more remarkable to accomplish since he was 31 — Martin started his career with the New England Patriots before heading to the Jets where he continued to bulldoze defenders.
In 11 seasons, he had 14,101 yards and 90 touchdowns on the ground and 3,329 and 10 more touchdowns through the air. His addition would give the offense instant credibility while allowing Wilson to lean on someone capable of moving the chains.
Philadelphia Eagles: Reggie White, Defensive End
One of the many teams in a transitional period this year is the Philadelphia Eagles. They made a big move this offseason as they fired Doug Pederson just three seasons after he won the Super Bowl for them.
They also elected to trade Carson Wentz, who missed that Super Bowl with a torn ACL but was instrumental in them winning their division that year as he was playing at an MVP level before the injury. Wentz is now the starter for Indianapolis where he will work under Frank Reich who was the offensive coordinator when the Eagles won it all.
Reich wasn’t going anywhere so the Eagles couldn’t get him back but they did take his offensive coordinator as they hired Nick Sirianni as the head coach. They still have a lot to figure out, including whether or not Jalen Hurts will be the guy under center.
Adding some offensive help would be a good move but there’s no way to pass on taking Reggie White back in this legend scenario. White was the face of the franchise for years in Philly as he racked up an incredible 124 sacks in eight seasons.
He then made waves in free agency in 1993 when he signed with the Green Bay Packers and played there for six years and scored another 68.5 sacks and won a Super Bowl ring as well. White retired after the 1998 season but returned in 2000 to play for the Carolina Panthers and he had 5.5 sacks at age 39.
A two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and 13-time Pro Bowler, White was unstoppable during his day, but he could still dominate in this era if we were able to bring him to the field in 2021.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Joe Greene, Defensive Tackle
“Mean” Joe Greene was not just one of the best Pittsburgh Steelers to ever play the game, but he was also one of the best in the history of the NFL. There’s also an argument to be made that he’s the most dominant defensive lineman to ever step foot on a football field.
Born and raised in Texas, Greene played for North Texas State and turned enough heads to get drafted fourth overall in 1969 by the Steelers. He then played for them his entire career which lasted until 1981.
During those 13 seasons, he did nothing but win. He won countless battles with opposing offensive linemen and the ‘Steel Curtain’ defense led their team to many wins on the field. Greene was a part of four Super Bowl wins for the Steelers and was named to the Pro Bowl 10 times and won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award twice.
He was also great for endorsements and appeared in several movies. Greene’s most popular appearance in front of the camera was a Coca-Cola commercial where he tossed his jersey to a kid after the young fan gave him a coke.
By today’s standards, the commercial is pretty simple but it remains nostalgic and even won an award back when it was aired.
Pittsburgh has some stars on defense still but they’re not as dangerous — or feared — as they were with “Mean” Joe Greene. Bringing him back in 2021 would change that as a strong Steelers defense would suddenly be a dominant one.
San Francisco 49ers: Joe Montana, Quarterback
For years, it seemed as there was no debate about who the best quarterback in the NFL was. Joe Montana was a former third-round pick from Notre Dame who traded in his golden Fighting Irish helmet for a gold San Francisco 49ers one in 1979.
He then spent 13 seasons in San Francisco where he was one of the winningest quarterbacks in league history. He took over as the full-time starter in 1981 and kept that job through 1994. He won 100 games with only 39 losses and then went 16-7 in the playoffs.
Montana was undefeated in the Super Bowl as well, going 4-0 for the Niners. He eventually lost his job to Steve Young as the 49ers transitioned from one Hall of Fame quarterback to the next — which is a rare thing. He played two more seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and was 17-8 and went 2-2 in the playoffs, even making the AFC Championship Game in 1993.
The current 49ers team is still looking for their next elite quarterback and after deciding Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t the answer, they drafted Trey Lance. The North Dakota State product could be the next big thing and if he were, then it would make sense to grab Jerry Rice here. But since we don’t know just what Lance offers yet, the answer is to bring Montana back.
Pairing him with a strong defense and a great play-caller such as Kyle Shanahan would almost be unfair.
Seattle Seahawks: Walter Jones, Offensive Tackle
There was some drama this offseason for the Seattle Seahawks as reports suggested Russell Wilson was unhappy with the organization for not adequately building up their offensive line. They picked up Gabe Jackson which will help, but not as much as bringing back Walter Jones would.
The No. 6 overall pick in 1997, Jones spent 12 seasons in Seattle. He was called the best player in Seahawks’ history by Corbin Smith of Seahawks Maven, edging out other Hall of Fame stars such as Steve Largent, Cortez Kennedy, and Kenny Easley (who would all also help the 2021 Seattle team immensely).
"“Strong arguments can be made for Largent, Easley, and Kennedy, who all reside in Canton as members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, to stake claim to this top spot. But while all three of those players had outstanding careers, none of them achieved the greatness of Jones, who belongs in the discussion as one of the greatest players to play in the NFL regardless of position.” — Smith, Seahawk Maven"
Adding Jones would vastly improve the line and there’s no doubt that Wilson would be much happier with the team if he had a nine-time Pro Bowler and Hall of Famer in front of him.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Lee Roy Selmon, Defensive End
The 2021 Tampa Bay Buccaneers really don’t need to bring back anyone. This team is loaded on both sides of the ball and just won the Super Bowl in front of their home crowd. They also returned all 22 starters so both sides of the ball are in good hands.
That doesn’t mean we won’t bring back a legend from the past, but it just means it can be a luxury pick rather than need-based — kind of like drafting for the best player available. With that being said we end up taking Lee Roy Selmon as the returning star.
Selmon was the No. 1 pick in 1976 which also happened to be the first-year Tampa Bay was an NFL team. He ended up being stuck on some bad teams but Selmon lived up to his status as the first player they took to build their team around.
He played for nine seasons and while sacks weren’t an official stat until he was near the end of his career, he did get credited with 11 at the age of 29 when the league was still playing just 14 games. He added eight in his final season at the age of 30. He retired after that due to a back injury but still did enough to make the Hall of Fame and get his No. 63 retired in Tampa Bay.
The 1979 NFL Defensive Player of the Year even has an expressway named after him which shows the impact he had on the team and community.
Oh, and while we’re at it, they need to bring back that creamsicle jersey as well. Such a thing of beauty.
Tennessee Titans: Jevon Kearse, Defensive End
When a player is simply nicknamed “The Freak,” then you know he’s just built differently. That’s especially true with Jevon Kearse, the former Tennessee Titans defensive end who spent the first five seasons of his career in Tennessee and then returned for the final two.
Originally a first-round pick from Florida in 1999, Kearse was insane for his first three seasons with 36 sacks in that span including 14.5 as a rookie. He missed 12 games in 2002 before returning in 2003 to record 9.5 sacks and 42 tackles.
That was enough for him to land a big contract in free agency with the Philadelphia Eagles who rewarded him with $64 million over eight seasons. He ended up playing out just half of that contract and had 105 tackles and 22 sacks in four seasons. He was good, but not the elite player the Titans had.
Kearse then returned for 2008 and 2009 and was a decent piece in the pass rush rotation but nothing like he was early in his career. Here, we bring back Kearse to the 2021 Titans roster when he was at his best.
Right now, they have been trying to find that elite pass-rusher and even took a shot in 2020 with Jadeveon Clowney — which didn’t work out. They countered that in 2021 with the signing of Bud Dupree but there’s no guarantee he will live up to his contract status. What we can guarantee is Kearse would be able to take this defense to the next level.
Washington Football Team: Sammy Baugh, Quarterback
This one feels almost like cheating since I am a firm believer in the magic that Ryan Fitzpatrick brings to a team. And after landing him in free agency, the Washington Football Team is slated to start the veteran journeyman who has the absolute best beard in the business.
Fitzpatrick is also a guy who the team just feeds off of. He’s a natural leader and very charismatic. Having said all that, he hasn’t had tremendous success as a quarterback outside of few seasons. A lot of that could be the situation he has been in but he’s still just 59-86-1 as a starter.
With that all being said, and with the utmost respect to FitzMagic, the choice here for a returning legend in D.C. is none other than “Slingin” Sammy Baugh. The star quarterback for the Football Team, Baugh was with them from 1937 through 1952 and he was a revolutionary player.
Back when he came into the league, the NFL was run-heavy but Baugh was all about the forward pass. He was called an innovator as he ended up throwing for 21,886 yards and 187 touchdowns while everyone else was still running the ball and tossing laterals.
He wasn’t just a strong arm either as Baugh played some cornerback and was even known for his ability to punt the ball. Still, it was his play as a quarterback that made him stand out.
Slingin’ Sammy is credited with changing the game and even has his No. 33 retired in Washington.