Trade History: No matter the name or city, the Titans franchise is adept at making deals

The Titans franchise started out at the Houston Oilers in 1960 and appeared in the first three American Football League Championship Games, winning two of them. After the AFL-NFL merger, Houston had little success in the 1970s until trade acquisitions on offense (running back Earl Campbell and wide receiver Ken Burrough) and defense (linebacker Robert Brazile and defensive tackle Curley Culp) led the Oilers to back-to-back AFC Championship Games in 1978-79.

Houston failed to get past the Division round again for another 20 years, and by then the franchise had relocated to Tennessee and was named the Titans. A trio of offensive stars obtained through trades (offensive lineman Bruce Matthews, running back Eddie George, and wide receiver Derrick Mason) helped the team reach its first Super Bowl, a 23-16 loss to the Rams in which a last-second lunge by receiver Kevin Dyson was stopped on the one-yard line. Tennessee also reached the AFC Championship Game in 2019, thanks to running back Derrick Henry, wide receiver Corey Davis, and tight end Jonnu Smith, three players acquired in a 2016 deal with the Rams.

One trade that did not make this list was the 2015 move that sent a second-round pick to the Giants for three selections. While Landon Collins is now with Washington, he was a three-time Pro Bowler, an All-Rookie Team member, and a 2016 All-Pro in New York. Dorial Green-Beckham, Jalston Fowler, and Tre McBride combined to play 66 games with the Titans, and all three were out of the NFL within three years. Here are the 10 most influential trades in Oilers/Titans history.

1. January 25, 1971:

Oilers acquired DT Dave Rowe and WR Ken Burrough

Saints acquired: RB Hoyle Granger, T Terry Stoepel, DT Charles Blossom, and a second-round pick in the 1971 NFL Draft

Rowe started all 56 games in four seasons with the Saints and made the Pro Bowl in 1968. He never played a game with the Oilers and instead was sent to the Patriots. He played three seasons in New England and also had stints in San Diego, Oakland (where he won a title in Super Bowl XI), and Baltimore before retiring in 1978. After his NFL career, which spanned 12 years and 165 games, Rowe spent nearly 30 years as a broadcaster.

Despite being a first-round pick in 1970, Burrough had just 13 catches as a rookie and struggled to crack the Saints’ lineup. He became Dan Pastorini’s top target in Houston, earning two Pro Bowl selections and posting career-highs with 53 catches, eight touchdowns, and a league-leading 1,063 yards in 1975. Known for his ability to create long scoring plays, Burrough finished his 11-year Oilers tenure with 408 receptions (seventh in franchise history), 6.906 yards (third), and 47 touchdowns (tied for second). He played in back-to-back AFC Championship Games in 1978-79, but did not have a catch in either contest, as the Steelers defeated the Oilers both times. The last player to wear 00 on his jersey, Burrough was elected to the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

Granger was a Mississippi State product who was selected by the Oilers in the fifth round of the 1966 AFL Draft. He spent his first five seasons with Houston, earning two AFL All-Star selections and appearing in two playoff losses to Oakland. Granger’s best season was 1967, when he scored six touchdowns and ran for a career-high 1,194 yards. He spent just one year in New Orleans after the trade, rushing for 139 yards and a score as part of a backfield by committee approach. Granger returned to Houston for one final season and retired in 1972 as the team’s all-time leader with 3,514 rushing yards (he was passed by Earl Campbell in 1980 and now sits sixth on the list). 

Stoepel was signed by the Bears in 1967 as an undrafted free agent out of Tulsa. He had one catch in six games as a tight end as a rookie. After two years off NFL rosters, Stoepel converted to tackle and played all 14 games as a reserve with the Oilers in 1970. He never appeared in a game after leaving Houston. Stoepel passed away in 2016 at age 71. Blossom was a ninth-round pick of the Oilers in 1970 out of Texas Southern, and he never played a game in the NFL. The pick in this trade became Sam Holden, an offensive tackle from Grambling State who played nine games as a rookie for his only NFL experience. He spent two seasons in the World Football League and three with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders before retiring in 1978.

Assessment: Even though Rowe never played in Houston, Burrough became one of the most successful wide receivers in franchise history. The pieces New Orleans acquired appeared in just 23 games for the franchise (Granger 15 and Holden nine). Stoepel never played for the Saints and Blossom never got on the field for an NFL game. OILERS

Holden CFL - https://profootballarchives.com/playerh/hold00470.html

2. (Part One): May 15, 1973:

Oilers acquired: T Jim Snowden, TE Mack Alston, DE Mike Fanucci, S Jeff Severson, and WR Clifton McNeil

Redskins acquired: S Ken Houston

Fanucci played one season each as a reserve with the Redskins, Oilers, and Packers, totaling 40 games (13 in Houston). He played 66 games over five CFL seasons, primarily with the Ottawa Rough Riders, was an All-Star in 1978, and retired the following year. Severson played 83 games over eight seasons with five NFL teams. He spent 12 games with Washington in 1972 and played the next two years in Houston, starting all 14 games in 1973. Severson had stints with the Broncos, Cardinals, and Rams before retiring after the 1979 season. After four seasons as a reserve with the Browns, McNeil broke out in 1968, earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors after posting career-highs with 994 yards, seven touchdowns, and an NFL-best 71 catches. After a down year, he moved to the Giants and registered 50 catches for 764 yards in 1970. McNeil was traded to Washington during the following season and played in Super Bowl VII. He had one reception in three games with Houston after the trade and retired in 1973.

Snowden started 97 games in his seven-year tenure with the Redskins, but never appeared for the Oilers. Alston had just seven receptions in three seasons with Washington, but he was on the roster for the Super Bowl VII loss to the perfect Dolphins. He had his best years in Houston, totaling 73 catches for 783 yards and 12 touchdowns in four years with the Oilers. After four more seasons with the Colts, Alston retired in 1980 after an 11-year NFL career. He was a youth advocate during and after his playing career, and he passed away on Christmas Eve in 2014.

After their early success in the AFL, the Oilers slipped mostly into mediocrity for several years afterward. The team compiled a 9-45-2 record from 1970-73 and new coach and general manager Sid Gillman responded by trading away some of Houston’s stars and stockpiling young players and draft picks. One of those stars was safety Ken Houston, who overcame his draft spot as a ninth-round pick in 1967 to become one of the best safeties in NFL history. He played 84 games and was selected to three Pro Bowls and two AFL All-Star teams in six seasons with the Oilers. Houston had 25 interceptions, including an incredible nine brought back for touchdowns, and he had a career-high nine picks in 1971. After the trade, Houston was a two-time All-Pro and was selected to seven Pro Bowls, making him an honoree in 12 straight seasons from 1968-79. He retired in 1980 and later worked as a football coach and school counselor. Houston was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and was selected to the NFL’s 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019.

(Part Two) October 22, 1974:

Oilers acquired: DT Curley Culp and a first-round pick in the 1975 NFL Draft 

Chiefs acquired: DE John Matuszak and a third-round pick in 1976

Culp was a 1967 All-American defensive tackle at Arizona State, and he was also a second-round pick of the Broncos. Denver traded him to Kansas City in 1968 and, after a year as a reserve, Culp started 84 games over the next six seasons, earning two Pro Bowl selections and winning a title in Super Bowl IV. Culp decided to take a chance and sign with the upstart World Football League in 1975, leading to the Chiefs moving him to the Oilers. After the trade, he was named to four Pro Bowls and earned an All-Pro selection in 1975. Culp became a dominant nose tackle in Houston’s 3-4 defense and helped the team reach back-to-back AFC Championship Games in 1978-79. He was traded to the Lions midway through the 1980 season and played just five games in Detroit before retiring the following year. Culp was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013. Houston used the pick to select Jackson State linebacker Robert Brazile, who spent his entire 10-year career with the Oilers. Even though sacks were not kept as an official statistic during the early part of his career, Brazile was a top-notch pass rusher who was given the nickname “Dr. Doom.” The 1975 Defensive Rookie of the Year also earned seven Pro Bowl and two All-Pro selections. Brazile retired in 1984 after his wife died in a car accident. He was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.=

Like Culp, Matuszak was traded because of his decision to sign with the World Football League. The University of Tampa defensive end was taken first overall in the 1973 NFL Draft and started all 14 games with the Oilers as a rookie. However, he created a stir when he decided to sign with the WFL’s Houston Texans during the offseason. Matuszak played in the opening WFL game in early July 1974 while still under contract to the Oilers. During the game, he was given a restraining order preventing him from being a member of two professional teams at the same time. The situation was alleviated when he was traded to the Chiefs, and he played 22 games over his two-year stay in Kansas City. The Raiders signed Matuszak in 1976, and he started 72 games and won two titles during his six-year stint in Oakland. After retiring in 1981, he became an actor. Matuszak died in 1989 due to an accidental overdose of the painkiller Darvocet. The pick became Henry Marshall, a wide receiver from the University of Missouri who was part of a solid Kansas City receiving corps that also included Carlos Carson and Stephone Paige. Marshall ranked fourth in Chiefs history with 416 catches and 6,545 yards, and he is tied for eighth with 33 touchdowns. After 12 seasons, all with Kansas City, he retired in 1987.

Assessment: Although Alston played his best in Houston, the other four players appeared in just 34 games combined with the Oilers. Ken Houston became one of the league’s all-time great safeties with the majority of his accolades coming while he was with Washington. In the second trade, Culp and Brazile became Hall of Famers after thriving in Houston’s 3-4 defensive setup. Matuszak didn’t do much with Kansas City, but Marshall became one of the team’s best receivers. Each team found a great player, but Houston gets the edge based on the playoff success in the late 1970s. OILERS

3. April 24, 1978:

Oilers acquired: The top overall pick in the 1978 NFL Draft

Buccaneers acquired: TE Jimmie Giles, first- and second-round picks in the 1978 NFL Draft, as well as third- and fifth-round picks in 1979

The top pick in 1978 was Earl Campbell, a two-time All-American running back who won the Heisman Trophy after leading the nation with 1,744 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior. Campbell earned Offensive Player of the Year honors and also led the NFL in rushing in each of his first three seasons, while also topping the league in touchdowns twice. The “Tyler Rose” earned the Offensive Rookie of the Year awards after rushing for a then-rookie record 1,450 yards and 13 touchdowns. Campbell was named NFL MVP in 1979 after amassing 1,697 yards and 19 scores, which were both league-bests. He earned his third straight Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections in 1980 after leading the NFL and setting a career-high with 1,934 yards to go along with 13 touchdowns. Campbell had two more Pro Bowl seasons with Houston in which he had 1,300 yards and double-digit scoring totals.

The Oilers were a bad team in the mid-1980s, falling to 2-14 in 1983, and Campbell demanded a trade. After an 0-6 start in 1984, he was sent to the Saints, where he was united with Bum Phillips, the coach for his first three seasons in Houston. Campbell joined fellow Heisman winner George Rogers in the New Orleans backfield, but the punishment he had taken during his career began to wear him down and he retired before the 1986 season. He is the all-time leader for the Houston/Tennessee franchise with 73 touchdowns, and his 8,574 yards rank second. Campbell was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991 and was named to the NFL’s 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019. He has had knee and back issues since his playing career ended, and he overcame an addiction to painkillers to deal with the ailments.

The Buccaneers already had USC running back Ricky Bell on the roster after selecting him first overall instead in 1977. With Campbell expected to be the top pick, Tampa Bay traded the coveted selection and got tight end Jimmie Giles, as well as four picks, in return. Giles was an Alcorn State product who was used sparingly in Houston. He blossomed with the Buccaneers, earning four Pro Bowl selections and setting a team record with four touchdowns in a 1985 game against the Dolphins. Overall, Giles ranks second in team history with 34 receiving touchdowns, fifth with 4,300 yards, and ninth with 279 catches. He spent time with the Lions and Eagles before he retired in 1989.

The first-round pick, Doug Williams, went 36-7 at Grambling State under legendary coach Eddie Robinson. Williams made the All-Rookie Team in 1978 and led Tampa Bay to the playoffs three times in four years, including the 1979 NFC Championship Game. He left the Buccaneers for the USFL’s Oklahoma Outlaws in 1984 after owner Hugh Culverson refused his request for a raise in salary to $600,000 per season. After the USFL folded the following year, Williams signed with the Redskins. He came off the bench for most of his first two seasons in Washington, but took over for an injured Jay Schroeder in 1987 and led the team through the NFC playoffs. He threw for 340 yards and a record four second-quarter touchdowns in a 42-10 win over the Broncos in Super Bowl XXII. Williams became the first African-American quarter to both leads a team to a championship and win the Super Bowl MVP award. He retired in 1989 and took over for Robinson as Grambling State’s coach from 1998-2003 and 2011-13. Williams is now senior vice president of player development for the former Redskins franchise. Williams was the co-founder of the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

Tampa Bay’s other three picks from this trade became Brett Moritz, Reggie Lewis, and Chuck Fusina. Moritz was a guard who played six games with the Buccaneers as a rookie for his only NFL action. Lewis was a defensive lineman from North Texas who played 22 games in two seasons with Tampa Bay before retiring in 1980. Fusina was a quarterback who was an All-American and the Maxwell Award winner (best all-around player) with Penn State in 1978. He threw just five passes in three seasons behind Williams in Tampa Bay before he became a star in the USFL. Fusina was a two-time USFL champion with the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars, and he earned All-Star, Most Outstanding Quarterback, Sporting News Player of the Year, and Championship Game MVP honors in 1984. After the USFL folded, he played seven games with the Packers in 1986 before retiring.

Assessment: Among Tampa Bay’s picks, Moritz and Lewis were out of the league within two years, Fusina had far more success in the USFL than he did in the NFL and Williams led the Buccaneers to the NFC Championship Game, but his greatest moment came with the Redskins. Giles was a four-time Pro Bowler who ranks in the top-10 in several receiving statistics for Tampa Bay. Campbell’s list of accolades includes an MVP, three Offensive Player of the Year awards, five Pro Bowls, and three All-Pro selections. OILERS

4. April 24, 1983:

Oilers acquired: First-, second-and third-round picks in the 1983 NFL Draft

Seahawks acquired: The third overall selection in 1983

The Oilers originally held the second pick in the 1983 NFL Draft, but acquired two extra selections from the Rams for moving down one spot. Los Angeles ended up drafting future Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson and Houston moved the third overall selection to move down again and gain two more picks. The Oilers selected Bruce Matthews, who was a 1982 All-American at guard for USC. Matthews enjoyed a long and unique career in the NFL. He played in 296 games, which is 13th-most all-time and the second-most among players who were not a punter, kicker, or quarterback (Jerry Rice 303). Matthews missed just eight games in his entire 19-year career, all of them during a contract dispute in 1987. He was named to 14 straight Pro Bowls, earned seven All-Pro selections, and started for at least one full season at each spot on the offensive line. Matthews also appeared in 15 playoff games, including the Titans’ loss to the Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV. After his playing career, he spent two years with the Texans as an offensive assistant and three as an offensive line coach with the Titans. Matthews was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and he is also a member of the NFL’s 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. He is part of the Matthews football family, which includes his father, Clay Sr., brother Clay Jr.’s sons Jake, Kevin, and Mike, and nephews Casey and Clay III, who all played in the NFL.

Houston selected Michigan safety Keith Bostic in the second round. Bostic was known as being one of the NFL’s hardest hitters during his six years with the Oilers. He had 17 sacks, seven fumbles recovered, and 13 interceptions, including a career-high six in his 1987 Pro Bowl season. Bostic signed with the Browns in 1990, but he was released after just four games and retired at the end of the season. The third-round pick was Chris Dressel, a Stanford tight end who had 72 receptions, 694 yards, and six touchdowns in his first two seasons. Dressel totaled just 39 catches over his next eight seasons while playing with four other teams. He retired in 1992.

With this trade, Seattle jumped up six spots and selected Curt Warner, a running back who was a 1981 All-American at Penn State. Warner was a Pro Bowler and a member of the All-Rookie Team after finishing third in the NFL with 1,449 yards and fourth with 13 touchdowns in 1983. After the season, he had two solid playoff games for the Seahawks, including a 113-yard, two-score performance against the Dolphins in the Division Round before the Raiders held him in check in the AFC Championship Game. Warner missed almost all of the 1984 season with an ACL injury, but he returned and hit the 1,000-yard mark three times over the next four years while earning two more Pro Bowl selections. He is third on Seattle’s all-time list with 6,705 rushing yards and 55 touchdowns. After one season with the Rams, Warner retired in 1990. The College Football Hall of Fame member has also run an auto dealership, was a high school running backs coach, and created a foundation that helps children with autism.

Assessment: Warner was solid for Seattle, but the ACL injury shortened his career. Bostic was a Bowler with Houston and Matthews became one of the most productive and reliable linemen in NFL history. OILERS/TITANS

5. (Part One) April 9, 1985:

Oilers acquired: The third overall pick in the 1985 NFL Draft as well as a second-round selection

Vikings acquired: The second overall pick in 1985

The top of the 1985 NFL Draft saw two trades that involved four of the top seven picks, including a deal between the Bills and Browns that ended up with Bernie Kosar in Cleveland. The move angered the teams involved in this trade, since both Houston and Minnesota wanted to draft Kosar, but he chose to declare for the Supplemental Draft instead. Houston moved down and drafted Ray Childress, a two-time All-American defensive lineman at Texas A&M, with the third pick. Childress spent 11 years in Houston, amassing franchise records with 75½ sacks and 887 tackles. He also is first among defensive players with 19 fumble recoveries and ranks second with 19 forced fumbles (Jevon Kearse had 22). His best season was 1992, when he posted a career-high 13 sacks and earned his only All-Pro selection. The five-time Pro Bowler was the centerpiece of an Oilers defense that made the playoffs seven straight seasons, although the team never got past the division round. After missing the final 10 games of the 1995 season with a dislocated shoulder, Childress left Houston and signed with Dallas. He played just three games with the Cowboys, amassing three tackles and a sack before retiring. After his career, Childress ran an auto dealership for 10 years and was a limited partner of the Houston Texans.

Minnesota traded the second pick to Atlanta for the fourth overall pick, as well as a third-round selection. While the Falcons selected athletic offensive lineman Bill Fralic, the Vikings chose defensive end Chris Doleman, who was Fralic’s teammate at Pitt. Doleman spent his first nine seasons with the Vikings, earning six Pro Bowl and two All-Pro selections. He was the franchise’s all-time official sacks leader with 96½ before being passed by John Randle in 1999, and he led the league with 21 in 1989. Doleman was traded to the Falcons in 1994 and spent two years in Atlanta and three in San Francisco before returning for one final season with Minnesota in 1999. A 2012 Pro Football Hall of Famer, Doleman died from brain cancer in January 2020. The third-round pick was used to select University of Washington linebacker Tim Meamber, who played just four games with the Vikings in 1985. Meamber has dealt with drug abuse, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and Parkinson’s disease, and he is now homeless in Washington State.

This is going to be treated like a three-way trade since all the picks and deals are intertwined. The Falcons were very happy with their selection of Bill Fralic, a two-time All-American guard from the University of Pittsburgh. Fralic spent the next eight seasons in Atlanta, starting 131 games and earning four Pro Bowl and two All-Pro selections. Although the Falcons made the playoffs just once during Fralic’s tenure, they defeated the Saints in the 1991 Wild Card round for just their second postseason win in franchise history. He signed with the Lions for one final season in 1993 before retiring. He died from cancer in December 2018.

Assessment: Doleman was part of a Minnesota team that reached the 1987 NFC Championship Game, but overall, all three players had limited postseason success. However, Childress, Doleman, and Fralic were among the best at their respective positions throughout the late 1980s, making this a … PUSH

(Part Two) July 2, 1985:

Oilers acquired: WR Drew Hill

Rams acquired: A seventh-round pick in the 1986 NFL Draft and a conditional pick in 1987

The Oilers made an almost unheralded deal during training camp that brought in Hill, a speedy receiver who struggled for playing time during his six-year stint in Los Angeles (he also missed the 1983 season with a herniated disc in his back). Hill became one of Warren Moon’s favorite targets with Houston, amassing at least 900 yards in each of his seven seasons in the Lone Star State. He ranks second in franchise history with 7,477 yards, tied for second with 47 touchdowns, and fourth with 480 receptions. The two-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl XIV participant spent his final two years with the Falcons before retiring in 1993. He was the victim of an unconventional identity theft later in life. A talented artist, who was also in jail for armed robbery, attempted to impersonate the receiver until his scheme was uncovered by the Los Angeles Times newspaper in 2010. The real Drew Hill died the following year after suffering two strokes.

Los Angeles sent the pick acquired in this trade, along with two others, to the Colts for a sixth-rounder that became Robert Cox, a former UCLA offensive lineman who changed his last name to Jenkins. He was a reserve tackle with the Rams and played 82 games in seven years and was a reserve in a 30-3 loss to the 49ers in the 1989 NFC Championship Game. Jenkins spent three years with the Raiders, playing in 35 games before retiring after the 1996 season. The conditional pick in 1987 became a fourth-round selection that was used on Doug Bartlett, a defensive lineman from Northern Illinois who was cut by the Rams in training camp. Bartlett signed with the Eagles and registered one sack in 10 games in his only NFL season.

Assessment: Hill had a successful career as part of a potent Houston offense. Cox was a reserve with Los Angeles and Bartlett was a non-factor. OILERS

6. (Part One) September 18, 1986:

Oilers acquired: G Kent Hill, DE William Fuller, first- and fifth-round picks in the 1987 NFL Draft, and a first-rounder in 1988

Rams acquired: QB Jim Everett

Hill was a guard from Georgia Tech who was selected to five Pro Bowls during his eight years with the Rams and was a starter in the Super Bowl XIV loss to the Steelers. After 107 games on the left side in Los Angeles, he was moved to right guard in Houston after the trade. Hill played two more seasons before retiring in 1987. After his playing career, he became the Director of Student-Athlete Development at his alma mater. Fuller was a two-time All-American defensive end at North Carolina before starting his career with the Philadelphia Stars of the United States Football League. He was selected by the Rams in the CFL and USFL Supplemental Draft in 1984 and, after being selected as a USFL All-Star the following year, he was traded to the Oilers. Fuller played eight seasons in Houston, and he ranks second in team history with 59 sacks, including a career-high 15 in his 1991 Pro Bowl season. He signed with the Eagles in 1994 and was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his three years with Philadelphia while totaling 35½ sacks. Fuller spent two seasons with the Chargers before retiring in 1998.

Houston used the 1986 first-round pick on Haywood Jeffires, a wide receiver from North Carolina State. Jeffires was part of the “Run and Shoot” offense that also included receivers Drew Hill, Curtis Duncan, and Ernest Givins, and all four had increased production while catching passes from Warren Moon in the early 1990s. Jeffires went to three straight Pro Bowls and was also named an All-Pro in 1991, when he posted career-highs with 1,181 yards and an NFL-high 100 catches. Overall, he ranks second in team history with 515 receptions, is tied for second (along with Hill and Ken Burrough) with 47 touchdowns, and sits fifth with 6,119 yards. Jeffires registered eight catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns, as the Oilers amassed a 35-3 lead in the 1992 Wild Card round, but the Bills stormed back in the second half to win 41-38 in overtime. Jeffires finished his career with one final season with the Saints in 1996. He was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.

The 1987 fifth-round pick became Spencer Tillman, an All-American running back who was part of Oklahoma’s National Championship team in 1985. After two seasons with the Oilers, Tillman was traded to the 49ers and was on the roster for the 55-10 trouncing of the Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV. He returned to Houston in 1992 and amassed 670 kick return and 181 rushing yards while being used in a reserve role throughout his eight-year NFL career. After retiring in 1994, Tillman became a game and studio analyst for CBS and FOX, mostly paired with longtime broadcaster Tim Brando. The 1988 pick, led to two draft-day trades that will be discussed in the next item.

Everett was a talented quarterback from Purdue who was taken third overall by Houston in 1986. Like top pick Bo Jackson and several others in that draft class, Everett held out and the Oilers eventually sent him to the Rams. Despite playing just six games, he made the All-Rookie Team and led Los Angeles to the playoffs. Everett threw for at least 3,000 yards five times in eight seasons with the Rams, and the 1990 Pro Bowler also led the league in touchdown passes twice. He led his team to victories over the Eagles and Giants in the 1989 playoffs before the 49ers forced him into three interceptions during a 30-3 blowout in the NFC Championship Game. Everett was traded to the Saints in 1994 and, after three years in New Orleans, he finished out his career with the Chargers in 1997. He is the Rams’ all-time leader with 23,758 passing yards and he ranks second with 142 touchdowns (to Roman Gabriel with 154). However, Everett is probably best known for his altercation with radio and television personality Jim Rome on the set of the ESPN2 show Talk2 in 1994. Rome made fun of Everett’s aversion to taking hits (as if any quarterbacks actually LIKE getting hit) and called him “Chris” (a reference to female tennis player Chris Evert, whose last name is pronounced the same). Everett responded by turning over the table and pushing Rome to the ground.

(Part Two) April 24, 1988:

Oilers acquired: Third- and fifth-round picks in the 1988 NFL Draft

Chargers acquired: A third-round pick in 1988

The 1988 pick from the Rams ended up being the ninth overall selection, which the Oilers traded to the Raiders in a six-player deal. One of those acquired picks was sent on to San Diego, and Houston eventually ended up with Sean Jones, Quintin Jones, Greg Montgomery, and Cris Dishman. Sean Jones spent his first four years with the Raiders, amassing 31 sacks, including a career-high 15½ in 1986. He moved onto Houston, where he recorded 57 ½ sacks (third in team history), including 13 in his 1993 Pro Bowl season. Jones joined the Packers in 1994 and had 24 ½ sacks in three seasons while playing opposite Hall of Famer Reggie White. Jones retired after winning a ring with Green Bay for a Super Bowl XXI victory over New England. Quintin Jones was a University of Pittsburgh safety who played just five games in three seasons with the Oilers. He spent two seasons with the Montreal Machine of the World League of American Football, but he retired after a failed tryout with the CFLs Sacramento Gold Miners in 1993.

Montgomery was a punter who spent his first six seasons in Houston. He led the NFL in punt average three times, including a 45.6 mark in 1993 that resulted in Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors. Montgomery’s 43.6 average is the second-best in franchise history among players with at least 100 punts (Brett Kern 46.0). He played one year in Detroit and two in Baltimore before retiring in 1997. Dishman was a former Purdue cornerback who spent his first nine NFL seasons with the Oilers. He amassed 31 interceptions (second in team history), including a career-high six in 1991 when he earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections. Dishman also ranks high on the team list with 11 forced fumbles (tied for sixth), 12 fumble recoveries (sixth among defensive players), and 485 tackles (ninth). His season with the Oilers was 1996, the team’s final one in Houston. Dishman signed with Washington and made a Pro Bowl in his first year with the Redskins. He played with the Chiefs and Vikings before retiring in 2000. Since his playing career ended, Dishman has been a defensive backs coach in college, the NFL, the CFL, NFL Europe, and the XFL, where he worked with the New York Guardians in 2020.

San Diego selected former Iowa wide receiver Quinn Early in the third round. Early was a part-time starter with the Chargers, but his career took off after he signed with the Saints in 1991. Although he spent just five seasons in New Orleans, he ranks in the top 10 in franchise history with 270 receptions, 3,758 yards, and 25 touchdowns. His best season was his final one with the Saints in 1995, when he posted 81 receptions and set career-highs with 1,087 yards and eight scores. Early was a solid starter during three seasons with the Bills in the latter part of the 1990s, and he finished his career with the Jets in 1999. After his playing days, Early became a martial arts instructor and a screenplay writer.

Assessment: Everett has the advantage in smug media hosts upended and Early was a solid receiver whose best years came after leaving his original trade destination. However, the contributions of Jeffires, Fuller, Dishman, and Montgomery to the Houston franchise are just too much to overcome. OILERS

7. April 14, 1994:

Oilers acquired: A fourth-round pick in the 1994 NFL Draft and a third-rounder in 1995

Vikings acquired: QB Warren Moon

Houston used the 1994 fourth-round pick on Mike Davis, a University of Cincinnati defensive back who had two tackles in 16 games as a rookie. He appeared in three games with the Browns the following year and never played in the NFL again. The 1995 pick became Rodney Thomas, a running back from Texas A&M. Thomas led the Oilers with 947 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie, but he totaled just 900 over the next five seasons with the team as a backup to Eddie George. Thomas was on the Titans’ roster for their Super Bowl XXXIV loss to the Rams. He spent one season with the Falcons and retired after Atlanta cut him in 2002. Thomas died from a heart attack in 2014 at age 41.

The NFL was employing a new salary cap in 1994 and many teams were forced to cut veteran players to stay on budget. One of those teams was the Oilers, who traded Moon to the Vikings. After winning five Grey Cup titles and two-game MVP awards with the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos, Moon spent 10 seasons in Houston and led the Oilers to the playoffs in the final seven. He earned six Pro Bowl selections in the Lone Star State and still holds franchise records with 33,685 yards and 196 touchdowns. With Minnesota, Moon hit the 4,000-yard passing mark twice in three seasons and was named a Pro Bowler both times. He played two years with Seattle (including a ninth Pro Bowl selection in 1997) and two more in Kansas City before retiring in 2000. Moon was the 1989 Man of the Year winner and the league’s Offensive Player of the Year in 1990. He was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

Assessment: Davis played one year in Houston and Thomas had the makings of a star before Eddie George was drafted. Despite being in his late 30s at the time of the trade, Moon showed he could still be one of the best passers in the NFL. He was named to the Pro Bowl twice and led Minnesota to the playoffs in 1994. VIKINGS

8. (Part One) April 20, 1996:

Oilers acquired: A first-round pick in the 1996 NFL Draft

Seahawks acquired: DT Glenn Montgomery and a first-round pick in 1996

The Oilers originally had the ninth pick, but they acquired three picks from the Raiders to drop down to 17. That pick was used to move back up three spots in the trade with Seattle. The second-round selection was used on Jason Layman, a reserve offensive lineman who played 61 games in four seasons with the team. The fourth-rounder became Jon Runyan, who played four years with Houston and Tennessee, and he also started at right tackle in Super Bowl XXXIV. He became one of the best tackles in the league and made the Pro Bowl in 2002 during his nine seasons with Philadelphia.

Lawrence Phillips and Tim Biakabutuka might have been the first two running backs drafted in 1996, but Houston struck gold by selecting Eddie George at 14. Phillips’ career was derailed by drug, alcohol, and legal issues, while Biakabutuka had the misfortune of being in a crowded Panthers backfield that also included Anthony Johnson, Fred Lane, and William Floyd. George arguably should have been taken before those other two, thanks to a 1995 season in which he ran for 1,927 yards and 24 touchdowns with Ohio State. The year was capped off with the Heisman Trophy, and he also earned All-American and Big Ten MVP honors, as well as the Camp (player of the year as chosen by head coaches and sports information directors), Maxwell (best all-around player), and Doak Walker (best running back) awards. He also was named Offensive Rookie of the Year after rushing for 1,368 yards and eight touchdowns in 1996, the Oilers’ final season in Houston.

George earned Pro Bowl selections in each of the next four seasons, and he was an All-Pro in 2000 after posting career-highs with 1,509 yards and 14 touchdowns on an NFL-leading 403 carries. He ran for 449 yards and three touchdowns in four games during the 1999 postseason, including 95 and two scores in a Super Bowl XXXIV loss to the Rams. George was known for his dependability as a “bell-cow” back. He registered more than 300 rushing attempts in each of his eight seasons with the Titans franchise, and he hit the 1,000-yard mark seven times. His 10,009 yards rank first in team history, and his 64 touchdowns rank second behind Earl Campbell’s 73. Tennessee’s overuse of George led to him being released in 2004 after he refused to take a pay cut. He spent his final season with Dallas splitting carries with rookie Julius Jones. George still had issues with his knees and shoulder after retirement, but he is finding relief thanks to a facility in California that is using stem cell treatments to help heal joint issues. He was voted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

Seattle traded the pick to Detroit and received first- and third-rounders in return. Pete Kendall was a former Boston College guard who started 75 games in five seasons with the Seahawks. After three seasons with the Cardinals, Kendall went to the Jets, but left after three years due to a contract dispute. He was traded to Washington and spent two seasons with the Redskins before retiring in 2008. Kendall was a player representative during his career and went into equity research sales after he retired. The Seahawks used the later pick on Reggie Brown, a fullback from Fresno State. Brown played 61 games in five seasons with Seattle, and he was the lead blocker for Chris Warren and Ricky Watters before retiring in 2000.

Montgomery was a University of Houston defensive tackle, who stayed in that same city for his first seven seasons with the Oilers. He started the final three of those years, amassing 13½ sacks and 211 tackles. He played just seven games with the Seahawks after the trade. In July 1997, he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), which causes progressive loss of voluntary muscle function. Montgomery succumbed to the condition in June 1998, less than a year after his diagnosis.

(Part Two) February 24, 1997:

Oilers acquired: Fourth- and sixth-round picks in the 1997 NFL Draft

Falcons acquired: QB Chris Chandler

Similar to the Jim Everett situation a decade before, the Oilers, who were now located in Tennessee, traded away a quarterback for draft picks (although these were quite a bit lower than the ones in the Everett deal). The fourth-round pick was used on Derrick Mason, a Michigan State wide receiver. Mason served as a reserve for his first three seasons while the team transitioned from the Oilers to the Titans, but he did have two catches in the loss to the Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV. He took on a bigger role in the offense in 2000 and responded with Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections after totaling 895 yards and five touchdowns as a receiver, plus a career-high 1,132 yards on kick returns and a league-leading 662 yards and a score as a punt returner. Mason reached the 1,000-yard mark in each of his final four seasons with Tennessee, including a career-high 1,303 in 2003, when he was named to his second Pro Bowl. Overall, he ranks fifth in team history with 453 receptions, and he is sixth with 6,114 yards and 37 touchdowns.

Mason signed with the Ravens in 2005 and the 2008 AFC Championship Game participant had at least 1,000 yards in four of his six seasons in Baltimore. He is the franchise’s all-time leader with 471 catches and 5,777 yards, and he sits third overall with 29 scores. Mason signed with the Jets in 2011, but he was traded to the Texans midway through the season. He retired with the Ravens after signing a one-day contract in June 2012. The sixth-rounder was part of a package sent to the Saints, allowing the Oilers to get another fourth-round pick and select Pratt Lyons. The former Troy University defensive end had 52 tackles and 4½ sacks in two seasons with the Titans. He retired after injuring his neck in an August 1999 car accident.

Chandler, like Everett, had individual success with his new team, earning back-to-back Pro Bowl selections in his first two years with Atlanta. Unlike Everett, Chandler led the Falcons to the most important game in their history. He threw for 340 yards and three touchdowns in an overtime win over the Vikings in the 1998 NFC Championship Game. However, he tossed three interceptions as the Broncos won their second straight NFL title with a 34-19 win in Super Bowl XXXIII. Chandler was drafted by the Colts in 1988 and played for seven teams in 17 seasons. He played with the Oilers during their final two seasons in Houston, but he had his best years with the Falcons. Over his five seasons in Atlanta, Chandler ranked fourth in team history with 13,268 passing yards and tied for third with 87 touchdowns. After two seasons with Chicago and one with the Rams, he retired in 2004. Chandler was also an excellent golfer, and he won the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship in 2007, dethroning Rick Rhoden, a former professional baseball pitcher who was a six-time champion.

(Part Three) April 19, 1997:

Oilers acquired: First-, third-, fourth- and sixth-round picks in the 1997 NFL Draft

Chiefs acquired: First- and fourth-round picks in 1997

The Oilers selected University of Miami defensive end Kenny Holmes with the 18th pick in 1997. Holmes spent his first four seasons in Tennessee, amassing 21½ sacks and seven forced fumbles. The All-Rookie Team member was also a starter throughout the 1999 playoffs, totaling six tackles and two sacks in four games as the Titans reached Super Bowl XXXIV. Holmes signed with the Giants and had 17 sacks in three seasons before retiring in 2003. After his playing career, he was a defensive line coach for his high school in Vero Beach, Florida, before holding the same position in college with New Mexico Military Institute, San Diego, Idaho, and Florida International. The third-round pick was Scott Sanderson, a 1996 All-American tackle at Washington State. Sanderson spent his first four years with the Titans, mostly as a reserve and on special teams, and he did not play in the 1999 playoff run to the Super Bowl. He spent one year each with the Saints and Bears before he retired in 2002. The fourth-round selection was traded as part of the Pratt Lyons deal with the Saints that was mentioned in the previous item, and the sixth-rounder became Dennis Stallings, an Illinois linebacker who played 28 games on special teams in two seasons with the Titans before retiring in 1998.

Although tackles Orlando Pace (first overall) and Walter Jones (sixth) were selected higher, arguably the best player to come out of the 1997 NFL Draft was Tony Gonzalez, a 1996 All-American tight end from Cal. Despite making the All-Rookie team, Gonzalez was the backup to Ted Popson on a 13-3 Chiefs squad that lost in the Division round to the eventual champion Broncos. Once he became a starter, Gonzalez quickly emerged as one of the best tight ends in the NFL. During his 12 seasons in Kansas City, he earned 10 Pro Bowl and five All-Pro selections, reached the 1,000-yard mark in a season four times, and led the league with 102 receptions in 2004. His totals of 916 catches, 10,940 yards, and 76 touchdowns are all the best in Chiefs franchise history by wide margins.

Gonzalez was traded to Atlanta in 2009, where he was selected to four Pro Bowls in five years and was named an All-Pro for the sixth time in 2012. He had 78 yards and a touchdown in the NFC Championship Game that season, but the Falcons fell to the 49ers, 28-24. Gonzalez ranks in the top 10 in every major receiving category with Atlanta as well. The marks set in his 16-year NFL career are near the top among all receivers, including 1,325 catches (third on the all-time list), 15,127 yards (sixth), and 111 touchdowns (eighth overall and second to Antonio Gates’ 116 among tight ends). After his 2013 retirement, Gonzalez was an NFL studio analyst with CBS for three years, and he is now in his fourth season in the same role for FOX. He was selected for both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the NFL’s 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019, and he even tried his hand at acting, most notably on the CBS crime-solving series NCIS.

Kansas City used the fourth-round pick to pair up Gonzalez and his college quarterback, Pat Barnes, since the pair both had success under Cal head coach Steve Mariucci. The plan did not work, as Barnes never got on the field for the Chiefs or Raiders in his first two seasons. After two years with the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe, he got on the field for one game with the 49ers but did not attempt a pass. Barnes spent one year each with the original XFL’s San Francisco Demons and two with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers, with a failed tryout with the Browns in between. He retired in 2003.

Assessment: None of the teams had horrible takeaways from this set of trades. Seattle selected Kendall, who was a solid offensive lineman for five years. Atlanta added Chandler, who was the final offensive piece to get the team to the Super Bowl. Tennessee acquired a superstar running back (George), a starting wide receiver (Mason), and a respected pass rusher (Holmes), all of which enabled their team to come within one yard of a title. However, even though he never led Kansas City past the Division round, Gonzalez became arguably the best tight end in NFL history and set every team receiving records. KANSAS CITY

9. June 7, 2006:

Titans acquired: A fourth-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft

Ravens acquired: QB Steve McNair

Tennessee used the 2007 pick on Chris Davis, a wide receiver from Florida State. Davis posted 299 punt return and 156 kick return yards, with the Titans, but he had just seven catches in three seasons. He split the 2010 season between the Bengals’ and Giants’ practice squads, and he also had a failed tryout with the United Football League’s Hartford Colonials. Davis played two years with the UFL’s Omaha Nighthawks, one with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes, and two each in the Arena Football League and the National Arena League before retiring in 2015.

McNair was an Alcorn State product who was a Heisman Trophy finalist and also earned the Walter Payton Award as the best offensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision in 1994. The Oilers drafted him third overall the following year and he quickly became one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the NFL. The three-time Pro Bowler had three touchdowns against the Jaguars in the 1999 AFC Championship Game and threw for 214 yards in Super Bowl XXXIV. However, the Rams stopped wide receiver Kevin Dyson at the one-yard line to preserve a 23-16 over the Titans. “Air McNair” had his best season in 2003, when he posted 3,215 yards and a career-high 24 touchdowns and was voted the NFL’s co-MVP along with Peyton Manning. Tennessee’s 12-4 season ended with a loss to Pittsburgh in the AFC title game. McNair’s Titans tenure came to an end in 2005. Despite being selected to the Pro Bowl, he missed eight games the previous year with a back injury. Rather than let him rehab at the team facilities, Tennessee locked him out, leading to a grievance in which it was determined that the team violated its contract.

After the trade McNair led the Ravens to a 13-3 record in his first year before his new team fell to the Colts in the Division round. He played just six games in 2007 and retired after the season. The 36-year-old McNair died tragically at the hands of Sahel “Jenni” Kazemi, his 20-year-old mistress. After he put his children to bed on July 4, 2009, he drove to Kazemi’s apartment in downtown Nashville. McNair fell asleep on the couch, and Kazemi shot him four times and then turned the gun on herself.

Assessment: McNair only spent two years with Baltimore, but he led his team to a 13-3 record. Davis was never able to crack Tennessee’s lineup. RAVENS

10. April 14, 2016:

Titans acquired: A first-, two seconds, and a third-round pick in 2016, plus first- and third-rounders in 2017

Rams acquired: First overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, plus fourth- and sixth-rounders

The Titans traded the 2016 first- and third-round picks to the Browns to move up to the eighth spot, where they drafted Jack Conklin, a tackle from Michigan State. Conklin was an All-Pro and was selected to the All-Rookie Team in 2016. He missed seven games in 2018 after having surgery to fix a torn ACL, as well as a concussion he suffered in Week 9. Despite starting 57 games over four seasons, Conklin was released by the Titans and signed with the Browns in March 2020. The other picks in the deal with Cleveland turned into Leshaun Sims and Kalan Reed. Sims was a Southern Utah cornerback who had two interceptions and 115 tackles in four seasons with the Titans before signing with the Bengals in 2020. Reed was a Southern Mississippi cornerback who was “Mr. Irrelevant” in the 2016 NFL Draft. He has appeared in just seven games and may never play again after suffering a neck injury during a 2019 preseason game as a member of the Seahawks.

Tennessee turned the two second-round picks into Austin Johnson and Derrick Henry. Johnson was a former Penn State defensive tackle who started just 13 games in four seasons with the Titans. He signed with the Giants in March 2020. Meanwhile, Henry has become one of the best running backs in the NFL. A former high school and college All-American, Henry won the Heisman Trophy, as well as the Walter Camp (best player, as voted on by coaches and sports information directors), Maxwell (best all-around player), and Doak Walker (top running back) awards in 2015. He has exceeded expectations in the NFL, rushing for 3,833 yards and 38 touchdowns in four seasons and scoring on an electrifying 99-yard touchdown run against the Jaguars in 2017. Henry seems to be getting better with each season. He led the NFL with 1,540 yards and 16 scores in 2019, including 896 yards over the final six games. Henry also ran for 446 yards in three playoff games, and he was a big part of the Titans reaching the AFC Championship Game. Tennessee rewarded him with a four-year, $50 million contract in July 2020, and he leads the NFL in rushing yards through 12 games this season.

The Titans selected Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith with the 2017 picks. In the first round, the Titans took Davis, a three-time All-MAC selection and 2016 All-American at Western Michigan. With Henry in the backfield, Tennessee has placed a heavy focus on the running game, but David is arguably the team’s best receiver. He set career highs with 65 catches, 891 yards, and four touchdowns in 2018 and has 142 receptions in three years. Smith, a tight end from Florida International, was selected in the third round. His numbers have improved every year, and he posted a career-best 35 catches and 439 yards in 2019.

The Rams’ trade with their Super Bowl XXXIV opponent centered around the top overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. St. Louis bypassed Carson Wentz and took Cal quarterback Jared Goff, who has been selected to a pair of Pro Bowls and led Los Angeles to Super Bowl LIII. Goff is entering his fifth season and has 14,219 yards (sixth in team history) and 87 touchdowns (seventh). Los Angeles traded the fourth-rounder, giving the Rams an extra pick, which resulted in the selection of Pharoh Cooper, Mike Thomas, and Temarrick Hemingway. Cooper was a South Carolina wide receiver who has been primarily a return man in the NFL. He earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro status after amassing 932 kick and 399 punt return yards in 2017. Cooper spent 2½ years with the Rams, one year with the Cardinals, and one game with the Bengals. He signed with the Panthers in March 2020. Thomas was a Southern Miss wide receiver who had just 10 receptions in his four-year stint with the Rams, while also suffering a groin injury and receiving a four-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs in 2017. Thomas signed with the Bengals in March. Hemingway was a former South Carolina State tight end who has been primarily a special teams player in 13 games with the Rams and Broncos. He is currently with the Panthers, where he spent all of 2019 on the practice squad.

Assessment: The deal boils down to the two stars for their respective sides, Goff and Henry. Goff is also a leader who has improved every season and led his team to the Super Bowl. Henry is a bruiser who has the ability to take over games and was the offensive catalyst on a team that reached the AFC Championship Game in 2019. PUSH

All NFL statistics and awards courtesy of profootballreference.com

Next: Washington Redskins

Writer

-By: Kevin Rakas