On April 29, 2007, the Oakland Raiders traded Randy Moss to the New England Patriots for a fourth-round draft pick. Moss joined an already successful squad in New England. He and quarterback Tom Brady reached new heights during their brief 52-game partnership.
If not for several dominos falling the wrong way early in Moss' career, he may have never reached the Patriots. The superstar wide receiver took a winding road before finally reaching the best offensive marriage of his career.
Moss' NFL journey began when the Minnesota Vikings took him with the 21st-overall selection in the 1998 NFL Draft. The high-flying speedster from Marshall wasted no time introducing himself to the league. In his first game, Moss caught four passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns.
The Associated Press chose Moss as the 1998 Offensive Rookie of the Year and named him a First Team All-Pro. Playing alongside Cris Carter for the first four years of his career, Moss thrived in Minnesota. When he left the organization in 2005, the future Hall of Famer trailed only Carter in the franchise's receiving record books.
However, Moss' relationship with the Vikings grew strained. The dynamic receiver had a history of diva tendencies. He became infamous for telling Minneapolis Star Tribune writer Sid Hartman, “I play when I want to play,” in 2001. According to the New York Times, Moss amassed $45,000 in fines from the Vikings and the league while playing in Minnesota. He only began curtailing these issues under Bill Belichick, with the Patriots.
Moss' attitude, combined with a disappointing, injury-shortened 2004 regular season led to his departure from Minnesota. While Moss finished the 2004 season with what was then a career-low 767 receiving yards, he did score two touchdowns in a Wild Card playoff victory.
However, that same game he pretended to moon the crowd after scoring. The controversial act earned Moss a $10,000 fine from the league. Following a loss in the Divisional round, the mediocre Vikings parted ways with one of the most talented wide receivers in history. This set Moss on the path to joining the Patriots.
Minnesota sent Moss to the Raiders for a 2005 first-round pick, 2005 seventh-round pick and linebacker Napoleon Harris. Moss' agent, Dante DiTrapano, told The Pioneer Press, “Randy's desire to win a Super Bowl is enhanced with a move to a team like the Raiders, because the Minnesota Vikings seem to be in a constant rebuilding mode.”
However, the Raiders never sniffed the playoffs during Moss' brief, two-year stint in Oakland. The team went a combined 6-26. While Moss produced 1,005 yards and eight touchdowns in 2005, he lacked motivation. In 2006, Moss turned off. He finished the year with only 553 yards despite still being 29 years old. The Raiders traded him before the 2007 season.
Moss left Oakland, holding a grudge. Years later, as a member of ESPN's Monday Night Countdown, Moss yelled to Raider fans, “I am not a Raider! I am not a Raider! I am not a Raider!”
When Oakland traded Moss, head coach Lane Kiffin told the media, “We felt this was the best scenario for both the Raiders and Randy. We wish him nothing but the best.” Oakland fired Kiffin after the 2008 season while Moss went on to set records.
New England won the trade. The Raiders went 4-12 in 2007 while the Patriots went 16-0 and narrowly lost in the Super Bowl. Moss' career enjoyed renewed success. He set the single-season record for receiving touchdowns with 23 while Brady broke the single-season record for passing touchdowns.
During Moss' time with the Patriots, the team went 40-12 but never won a Super Bowl. Moss recorded 259 receptions, 3,904 yards and 50 touchdowns with the organization.
On October 6, 2010, New England traded Moss back to Minnesota, where his renewed antics got him waived after only four games. He then landed with the Tennessee Titans for eight games before he retired following the season. That first retirement was short-lived, as he returned in 2012 for one final year with the San Francisco 49ers.
New England's inability to win a Super Bowl during Moss' time with the team should not reflect poorly on the receiver. After winning a Super Bowl during the 2004 season, Brady's team waited 10 years before hoisting the Lombardi Trophy again.
New England's drought, combined with Brady suffering a torn ACL in 2008, prevented Moss from capturing a Super Bowl trophy. Ultimately, Moss is the greatest receiver in NFL history never to win a championship.
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