Some quarterbacks ask for a trade, and everyone shrugs. Others? Well, they turn the whole thing into a soap opera worthy of primetime.
From cryptic interviews to social media unfollows, these quarterbacks didn’t just request a trade—they made sure the world knew it was messy. Whether it was bruised egos, blindsided teammates, or dragged-out drama, these exits left a trail of awkwardness behind them.
12. Josh Rosen
Rosen didn’t exactly ask out loud, but after one season and the Cardinals drafting his replacement, the tension was thick. His “I just want to be somewhere I’m wanted” vibe made things incredibly uncomfortable.
11. Carson Palmer
Palmer gave the Bengals an ultimatum: trade me, or I’ll retire. When you threaten to quit football entirely rather than keep playing for your team, that’s pretty awkward.
10. Deshaun Watson
Before his legal troubles dominated headlines, Watson had already made waves by leaving Houston. The organization crumbled while he iced them out with passive-aggressive silence.
9. Eli Manning
Eli got drafted and immediately said, “No thanks.” Refusing to play for the Chargers before he even took a snap made things weird from the jump.
8. Jay Cutler
Cutler was offended when the Broncos dared to explore other QB options, and suddenly it was all over. His moody trade demand and cold goodbye left Denver in total disarray.
7. Jimmy Garoppolo
Jimmy G never publicly demanded a trade, but his team treated him like a lame-duck quarterback for two years straight. The lingering awkwardness made every press conference feel like a breakup that hadn’t officially happened yet.
6. Russell Wilson
Russ went from “Go Hawks” to floating a list of teams he’d accept a trade to—while still technically denying he wanted out. That’s like saying you’re not breaking up but listing your next four girlfriends.
5. Kyler Murray
Murray unfollowed the Cardinals on social media, scrubbed his accounts, and let his agent do the talking. It was a new-age awkward breakup, complete with subtweets and vague Instagram captions. And then he didn’t even leave.
4. Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers played the will-he-or-won’t-he game for years before finally getting his wish. Between cryptic interviews and offseason drama, he made it all feel like a drawn-out relationship standoff.
3. Matthew Stafford
Stafford spent over a decade in Detroit quietly carrying the franchise, but his trade request was a polite mic drop. It wasn’t loud or messy, but it still left fans wondering if the Lions had done enough to keep him happy.
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2. Baker Mayfield
Once the Browns started flirting with Deshaun Watson, Baker took to social media with a goodbye note before anything was official. Then he asked for a trade and got ghosted by the team, turning the whole thing into a cringey breakup text with no reply.
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1. Brett Favre
No one has ever made retirement/unretirement/trade drama more awkward than Brett Favre. The Packers had to beg him to leave after he changed his mind five different times.
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