Out with a whimper

[RRMarshall]

Archie Manning (Minnesota 1983-84)
Chester Marcol (Houston 1980)
Roy Gerela (San Diego 1979)
John Hadl (Houston 1976-77)

[SixtiesFan]

Doug Atkins and Ken Stabler - also with the Saints.

It should be noted that in a number of these cases the team sought the player hoping there was something left in the tank or,
as in the Namath and Simpson cases, here they are in la la land, folks.

Atkins was very good for Saints. Was 2nd team All-Pro in 1968 and 8½ sacks in 1969. He went out with a bang

I believe Doug Atkins sacked the QB on the last play of the 1969 season finale, a Saint victory, 27-24 over the Steelers.

[Jay Z]

Tobin Rote - Broncos
Jim Hart - Redskins
Don Maynard - Cardinals

Maynard spent a couple of weeks on the Rams' taxi squad at the end of '73, and also played in the WFL the next year.

Far from a HOFer, but Zeke Bratkowski had a weird end to his career. He initially retired after 1968. When he came back with the Packers in 1971, the Vikings had claimed his playing rights somehow, and the Packers had to trade a draft choice so he could play for them again. Then Bratkowski retired again after 1971, and went to the Bears as a coach. The Bears later decided they wanted him as a playing option too (what, no confidence in John Huarte as your backup?) and had to trade with the Packers, who had apparently learned to put Bratkowski on the correct reserve/retired list. Bratkowski was activated late in 1972 but never played for the Bears again.

[Andrew McKillop]

Jim Thorpe- Cardinals, 1928 - Played 1 game (Thanksgiving, Nov. 29) vs. the Bears, "played a few minutes"
Hugh McElhenny - Lions, 1964
Dan Pastorini - Eagles, 1983
Harold Carmichael - Cowboys, 1984
Jim Plunkett - Raiders, 1988 - Cut in the preseason
Eric Dickerson - Packers, 1993 - Was traded mid-season to the Packers, failed his team physical and was released before ever playing a game
James Lofton - Raiders (preseason), Rams, and then the Eagles, 1993
Ronnie Lott - Chiefs, 1995 - Hurt in the preseason and retired after the season
Chris Spielman - Browns, 1999 - Injured in the preseason
Neil Smith - Chargers, 2000
Eric Metcalf - Packers, 2002
Shaun Alexander - Redskins, 2008
Joe DeLamielleure - Charlotte Rage (Arena), 1992
Mark Duper - Miami Hooters (Arena), 1994
William Perry - London Monarchs (WLAF), 1996

[Rupert Patrick]

Roy Gerela - 1979 Chargers
Jim Zorn - 1985 Packers, but came back as a replacement player for the 1987 Bucs
Ron Jaworski - 1989 Chiefs

[SixtiesFan]

Going out with a whimper is usually the way it ends.

[Rupert Patrick]

Going out with a whimper is usually the way it ends.

I'm reminded of the line from the movie "Moneyball" when the scout tells the young Billy Beane, and I'm paraphrasing, that we're all told at some point we can no longer play the game, some are told at age 18 and some are told at 40, but we're all told.

[JohnTurney]

Going out with a whimper is usually the way it ends.

It ends that way a lot, even for the greats. Makes you appreciate the Jim Browns, etc..

[JohnTurney]

A great source for this type of info were the old Sporting News season review books. They listed notable players on training camp rosters for the upcoming season.

Agree and in their old Player Registers they would use the actual transaction wires to the end of a players career. That would be on nice thing Pro Football Reference could add...

[JohnTurney]

Gale Sayers 1971