Fast Five: NFL legends' cardboard cameos on different teams

Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady (@NFL graphic)

Fast Five is new department here on The Buzz -- a quick list under a single topic. Five items that could have a common tie, fit a theme, be fun for a starting collector, or be a new way to add to a stash that might already seemingly include everything when it comes to cardboard. For some of you, it's probably common sense. For others of you out there, it's something to think about.

This time? Five Pro Football Hall of Famers in uniforms you might not remember ... now that Tom Brady is headed to Tampa Bay, according to NFL.com. You won't find him on new NFL cards in packs just yet ... but there will be plenty to come.

A SHORT STOP
The Card: Jerry Rice 2005 Fleer Ultra
We all remember Jerry Rice as a bit of a babyface San Francisco 49er or as a bit of a heel on the Oakland Raiders, but the last 11 games this Hall of Famer played were for the Seattle Seahawks back in 2004. There, like every stop, he was a legend -- but only had 25 catches and three TDs. This card isn't alone -- and he's had other Seahawks cards released after his playing days -- but it's still an unusual sight to me. (Update: Even more unusual? His preseason stint with the Denver Broncos ... it got cardboard without him playing any games that counted.)

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JOHNNY U'S OTHER TEAM
The Card: Johnny Unitas 1974 Topps
This all-time great's final cardboard made during his career comes from a stint that definitely shouldn't come to mind first -- he made his name as a Baltimore Colt. His final season as an NFL player came as a member of the San Diego Chargers in 1973 when he played five games, throwing for just 471 yards and just three TDs. Interestingly his previous year's card also shows him as a Charger -- both being airbrushed photos. His last two Topps cards have been reprinted a couple times but it looks like there are very few other cards made beyond those showing him with the team. Of all of the players here, he's got the fewest with this team.

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THE MINISTER OF CAROLINA?
The Card: Reggie White 2001 Pacific Private Stock Titanium Dual Game-Worn Jersey Patches
This Hall of Famer returned from a one-year retirement to join the Carolina Panthers for a single season (2000) where he started all 16 games. He played eight years for the Eagles and six for the Packers -- plenty of cardboard for those -- but this stint can be found on a few cards (around 20) thanks to parallels. My money would be on one of these patch cards if I were chasing anything from this timeframe.

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RAM TOUGH?
The Card: Joe Namath 2011 Certified Mirror Blue
Broadway Joe played his last four games for the Rams out in Los Angeles in 1977 ending his Hall of Fame career with a 2-2 record that season on a team that did happen to win the NFC West. He had just three TDs and 606 yards passing that year -- not enough to get him any cardboard from Topps for that last run. He's got plenty of post-career Rams cardboard, though, with Panini America even landing a game-used jersey and working it into a number of cards -- upwards of 80 based on all of the parallels and some can even be found with ink.

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HOW 'BOUT THEM CARDINALS?
The Card: Emmitt Smith 2004 Topps
Smith appears on more than 8,000 different cards as a member of the Dallas Cowboys, but the NFL's all-time leading rusher played his last two seasons in the desert with more than 500 different cards featuring him in red and white. He started 20 of his last 25 games and had 1,193 yards and 11 TDs in that span. These cards aren't tough finds at all but there are definitely some rarer ones to chase in that mix.

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What would you want to see in a future Fast Five? Let Buzz know on Twitter or email.

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