5 NFL players who retired only to return to the field once again ft. Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and more

#3 - Marshawn Lynch

Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch

Marshawn Lynch spent the first three seasons of his career with the Buffalo Bills. During his fourth year, he switched teams to the Seattle Seahawks, where he elevated his game. He was selected to four consecutive Pro Bowls while helping the Seahawks win two conference titles and a Super Bowl ring.

Lynch retired at the conclusion of the 2015 season and spent a year away from football. He returned for the 2017 season, but switched teams once again to the Oakland Raiders, where he played for two more years. He then played one game for the Seahawks in 2019 before permanently retiring.

#2 - Tom Brady

Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady wins Super Bowl LV

Tom Brady announced his retirement during the 2022 NFL offseason. He changed his mind less than six weeks later and decided to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for at least one more year ahead of the 2022 season.

Brady never missed a game, or even an offseason workout, during his apparent retirement, but it still qualifies as coming back after announcing it. His career will go down as the greatest of all time, regardless of what he does for the remainder of it.

#1 - Brett Favre

Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre

Brett Favre spent the first 17 seasons of his career with the Green Bay Packers, where he won a Super Bowl ring and two conference titles. He also won three consecutive NFL MVP awards, the only player in NFL history to do so.

Favre announced his retirement following the 2007 season, but was unretired prior to the start of the 2008 season to play for the New York Jets. He retired again following one season, but was once again unretired before the start of the next year to play for the Minnesota Vikings. He spent two seasons there before retiring for good.