5 former Vikings greats who ended their careers with another team
By Nik Edlund
Randy Moss (San Francisco 49ers)
Randy Moss is arguably one of, if not, the greatest player to ever wear purple. He was a unique vertical threat, who in his heyday, simply couldn’t be covered. It didn’t matter if he was double or triple-teamed, Moss was usually the one who came down with the football. He was a rare talent that only comes around once in a generation.
Moss fell to the Vikings in the 1998 Draft after there were some major concerns about his character and overall maturity. He proved every team wrong for passing on him and had one of the greatest rookie seasons in NFL history with 69 receptions for 1,313 yards and 17 touchdowns. He tore up the league with the Vikings for the next six seasons before wearing out his welcome.
He was traded to the Raiders in a deal that still makes many Vikings fans ill. He spent two years there before catching on with the Patriots for three seasons. He made a brief return with the Vikings in 2010, but that only lasted a month as he clashed with head coach Brad Childress. Moss finished that season with the Tennessee Titans. He then retired for a year before playing one final season with the San Francisco 49ers.
By the time Randy Moss joined the 49ers Vikings fans were pretty used to seeing him in different colors since it was his fifth team. Still, not seeing that 84 in purple or white never sat well and thankfully he retired as a Minnesota Viking and joined the Ring of Honor where he definitely belongs.