Retirement is a chapter that everyone must go through, including NFL athletes. As we all know, football isn’t forever given that age often catches up to the body. While some NFL players have happily retired from the game, others have yet to move on. Although a lot would become coaches or analysts, some found that they still had enough gas in the tank for another NFL run. For this piece, let’s take a look at the 10 most successful coming out of retirement for NFL players and coaches.
Steve DeBerg
Steve DeBerg once led the NFL in completions. And after stopovers with several teams, DeBerg decided to retire by becoming a quarterbacks coach. But in 1998, he came out of retirement by joining the Atlanta Falcons to become one of the oldest quarterbacks in the NFL. After unretiring, DeBerg made his first Super Bowl roster and became the oldest to be part of one.
Brett Favre
Unlike other people in this list, Brett Favre retired thrice. Favre already had a legendary career with the Green Bay Packers which saw him win a Super Bowl and three consecutive MVPs. In 2008, he announced his first retirement but withdrew it shortly after by joining the New York Jets. After his lone season with the Jets, Favre retired once again.
In 2009, Favre returned to the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings. He led the Vikings to a 12-4 record and an appearance at the NFC Championship Game. The season also saw him throw for 4,202 yards to go along with 33 touchdowns.
Ed Jones
After helping the Dallas Cowboys win Super Bowl XII, Ed Jones retired from football in 1978 to try his hand at boxing. But in 1980, Jones made a decision to return to the NFL with the Cowboys. With Jones playing for the Cowboys again, he garnered his first three Pro Bowl appearances and All-Pro selections of his career.
Randall Cunningham
After a stellar career with the Philadelphia Eagles, it looked like Randall Cunningham was at the end of his career when no team picked him up in free agency. As a result, Cunningham hung up his football sneakers. But two years later, Cunningham returned with the Minnesota Vikings. In 1998, he tallied arguably the best season of his career with 3,704 passing yards and 34 touchdown passes to lead the Vikings to a 15-1 record and an NFC title game appearance.
Rob Gronkowski
Like his former teammate Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski also came out of retirement. Gronkowski retired in 2018 with three Super Bowl titles, five Pro Bowl appearances, and four All-Pro selections to his name. But in 2020, Gronkowski decided to wear his football sneakers again by reuniting with Tom Brady in Tampa Bay. Gronkowski would help the Bucs win their first Super Bowl since 2003.
Eric Weddle
After a decorated NFL career with the San Diego Chargers and Baltimore Ravens, Eric Weddle retired after playing for one season with the Los Angeles Rams. In fact, he was already getting settled by taking a high school football coaching job at Rancho Bernardo High. But in 2021, Weddle came out of retirement to help the Los Angeles Rams secure the win in Super Bowl LVI.
John Riggins
While John Riggins carved out a respectable NFL career initially, his second coming was even better. He led the Washington Redskins to a Super Bowl title and was named Super Bowl MVP. Riggins also earned his first All-Pro selection and led the league in rushing touchdowns. It’s quite rare to see a player play better than in his younger days.
Bronko Nagurski
During his initial stint with the Bears, Bronko Nagurski led the Chicago Bears to two NFL championships. Furthermore, Nagurski was a four-time All-Pro selection and led the NFL in rushing touchdowns before retiring in 1937. Six years later, with the Bears facing a lack of personnel due to World War II, Nagurski returned to the field en route to another NFL championship with the Bears.
Bruce Arians
Throughout his coaching career, Arians mostly served as an assistant coach for various NFL teams. His head coaching stints included a stopover at Temple University and with the Arizona Cardinals. Although he never won a championship throughout his career, that all changed when he came out of retirement. Arians unretired to coach Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to become a Super Bowl champion for the first time.
Dick Vermeil
Dick Vermeil mostly spent his time coaching in the high school and college football scene. While he did make waves with the Philadelphia Eagles, his seven-year stay never resulted in a championship as he chose to retire due to burnout. But after a 15 year hiatus, Vermeil returned to the NFL by coaching the St. Louis Rams. He led the Rams to a Super Bowl victory in the 1999 season, the first of his career.
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