Which player has played for the most teams in NFL? A look at top five players

In the NFL, there are two main types of players by duration in a team: the franchise faces, those who stay with one team for a very long period of time (does not necessarily have to be their first - just ask Drew Brees), or the entirety of their careers.

Most of the players who fall under this category are quarterbacks, but other positions may also qualify.

Then there are the journeymen - those who hop from team to team. These kinds of players usually lack the intangibles needed to lead one franchise, but they are sometimes too skilled for teams to avoid.

They may be either very successful or largely unsuccessful, depending on the caliber of the individual involved.

These journeymen, however, take team-hopping to the extreme:

#5) Vinny Testaverde

Vinny Testaverde as a Patriot

In college, Vinny Testaverde was one of the most accomplished players ever, winning multiple awards, including the Heisman, as a senior. That made him the consensus No. 1 pick in the 1987 NFL Draft, but then he landed with the then-awful Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

After six seasons, he went to the Cleveland Browns, where his "journey" began. He had stints for five more teams after that, including two with the New York Jets, whom he brought to the AFC Championship Game, and he made two Pro Bowls and set a few records.

Here are the teams he appeared for: Tampa Bay Buccaneers > Cleveland Browns > Baltimore Ravens > New York Jets (2x) > Dallas Cowboys > New England Patriots > Carolina Panthers

#4) Brandon Marshall

Brandon Marshall is one of the best journeymen in NFL history

Brandon Marshall may be the most well-traveled wide receiver the NFL has ever seen, playing for eight different teams, including stints with the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers where he did not play a single snap.

However, he was not as bad as initially believed. He made six Pro Bowls and two All-Pro squads with his first four teams and set the record for most receptions in a game: 21 (still standing).

Most notably, he nearly helped the New York Jets end their playoff drought in 2015-16 alongside another player who will appear on this list.

Here are the teams he appeared for: Denver Broncos > Miami Dolphins > Chicago Bears > New York Jets > New York Giants > Seattle Seahawks > New Orleans Saints (DNP) > Pittsburgh Steelers (DNP).

#3) Ryan Fitzpatrick

Ryan Fitzpatrick is one of the NFL's more popular "forgotten" players

Speaking of Brandon Marshall and the New York Jets, here is the man who almost threw them back into the playoffs in 2015.

In another world, Ryan Fitzpatrick would be just another failed NFL quarterback, but he had one thing going for him: he went to an Ivy League school (Harvard in his case). Such an unusual origin put him in a bigger spotlight than he should have, and it showed.

In his nine-team career, he was one of the most inconsistent quarterbacks in history, holding the record for most passing yards and passing touchdowns for someone without a single postseason appearance.

Here are the teams he appeared for: St. Louis Rams > Cincinnati Bengals > Buffalo Bills > Tennessee Titans > Houston Texans > New York Jets > Tampa Bay Buccaneers > Miami Dolphins > Washington Football Team.

#2) Josh McCown

Josh McCown is now the Carolina Panthers' quarterbacks coach

Josh McCown did not do much in his 12-team NFL career, not making the postseason until his late 30s, and even then only as a backup. However, he, or at least a part of him, is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

With the Arizona Cardinals, his first team, he denied the Minnesota Vikings of future Hall of Famer Randy Moss the NFC North title and a playoff spot with a walk-off touchdown to Nate Poole, turning them into Green Bay heroes and sending his jersey to Canton.

After that, he settled into a role as a mediocre starter and back for the likes of the Panthers, (where he is now the quarterback coach), Browns, Bears and Eagles.

#1) Josh Johnson

Josh Johnson has played for nearly half of all the NFL teams

If "journeyman" were an entry in a dictionary, Josh Johnson would be the perfect photographic example. The man has played at least one snap for 14 teams, almost half the entire NFL cast, and the most of all time.

Until 2022-23, he did not appear in a single playoff game, sometimes coming close, sometimes not even close.

His sole postseason appearance so far is one of the more contentious, as he came in to relieve an injured Brock Purdy, only for him to get hurt, forcing the 49ers to return Purdy to the field. He is now in his third stint with the Baltimore Ravens.