Quarterbacks are the faces of the franchise—until they’re not. And when it’s time for them to go, it’s rarely quiet, clean, or uncomplicated.
Some QBs leave with a mic drop, others with a trail of drama, resentment, or front-office chaos in their wake. Whether it was a power struggle or a refusal to let go, these 15 quarterbacks turned their goodbye into everyone else’s headache.
15. Cam Newton
Cam’s departure from Carolina was a confusing mess of mixed signals and awkward timing. One day, he was the franchise; the next, he was an Instagram post saying goodbye.
14. Jay Cutler
Cutler didn’t just leave Denver—he detonated the bridge on his way out. Trade demands, bad vibes, and a whole lot of sulking made his exit legendary for all the wrong reasons.
13. Derek Carr
Carr’s breakup with the Raiders was one of those “it’s not me, it’s you” moments—with plenty of passive-aggressive shade on both sides. Getting benched before the season ended didn’t help the PR optics.
12. Brett Favre
The will-he-won’t-he retirement saga became a full-blown soap opera. From Green Bay to the Jets to the Vikings, Favre dragged everyone through his dramatic farewell tour.
11. Jimmy Garoppolo
Jimmy G’s time in San Francisco ended with more shoulder shrugs than fanfare. Between injuries, trade rumors, and awkward press conferences, it was like watching someone get ghosted in real time.
10. Carson Wentz
Wentz went from MVP candidate to locker-room pariah faster than anyone expected. The Eagles’ front office had to clean up the mess long after he was gone.
9. Deshaun Watson
Legal issues, trade drama, and more headlines than actual football surrounded Watson’s exit from Houston. The Texans were left with PR nightmares and a giant hole at QB.
8. Matt Ryan
The Falcons attempted to flirt with Deshaun Watson and ultimately lost Matt Ryan in the process. He left politely, but Atlanta still had to scramble to figure out their next move.
7. Russell Wilson
Wilson’s exit from Seattle was dressed up as a fresh start, but it was clear things had soured. The Seahawks cleaned the house while the Broncos inherited a full-blown identity crisis.
6. Jameis Winston
Tampa Bay finally gave up on the Jameis rollercoaster and moved on. Of course, the second he left, they landed Tom Brady and won a Super Bowl—awkward.
5. Andrew Luck
When Luck suddenly retired two weeks before the season started, Colts fans were stunned into silence—and then boos. The team’s long-term plan vanished in a single press conference.
4. Robert Griffin III
RG3’s exit from Washington was the result of a total system breakdown. Injuries, ego clashes, and front office dysfunction made sure nobody came out clean.
3. Tom Brady
Even the GOAT couldn’t leave quietly. His New England exit was marked by vague statements, cryptic posts, and a highly publicized switch to a Super Bowl rival.
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2. Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers made sure the Packers felt every second of his dissatisfaction. From darkness retreats to public jabs at the front office, his departure was a slow-motion headache for everyone involved.
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1. Peyton Manning
When the Colts chose to move on from a legend recovering from neck surgery, the fanbase went into mourning. Replacing him with a rookie named Andrew Luck made the transition even messier—and way more complicated than it had to be.
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