Legendary players in weird uniforms

Berra's memorable career was filled with entertaining moments, particularly in 1965 when the Mets hired him as a coach. But he also caught four games early in the season. This came one year after his ill-fated season managing his beloved Yankees. Berra, though, was on the Mets coaching staff for seven seasons before managing the team for four, but it still took time to accept him in that uniform.

Boston Red Sox fans may never get over fan favorite Wade Boggs wearing a Yankees jersey and still probably have nightmares of him riding that horse after New York's 1996 World Series title. However, Boggs in a Devil Rays uniform for the final two years of his career just seemed weird. Though his time with Tampa Bay was memorable — first homer in franchise history in 1998 and 3,000th career hit in '99 — Boggs didn't look right in any uniform other than that of the Red Sox. 

It was tough for Boston fans to see Bourque playing with another team when he was dealt to Colorado during the 1999-2000 season, which began as his 21st with the Bruins. However, the Beantown fans, with their team floundering, understood Bourque's request to play for a Stanley Cup contender. The next season, Bourque finally hoisted the cup — while posting 52 assists — as the Avalanche claimed their second title.

A four-time Vezina Trophy winner and three-time Stanley Cup champion in 21 seasons with the New Jersey Devils, Brodeur actually ended his playing career with St. Louis in 2014-15. Abandoned in free agency, Brodeur eventually signed with the Blues in December 2014. That run lasted only seven games with a 3-3-0 record and 2.87 goals-against before Brodeur announced his retirement in January 2015.

The former Heisman Trophy winner's success came with the Houston Oilers, but Campbell's career ended with the New Orleans Saints. Campbell, the bruising running back who was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1978 and MVP in '79, saw his stint in Houston end when he was traded to the Saints during the 1984 season. Sharing backfield time with fellow Heisman winner George Rogers, Campbell recorded 190 yards in eight games with New Orleans in '84 and 643 yards with one touchdown the next season before retiring prior to the 1986 campaign.  

Dorsett might have looked out of place wearing a Denver Broncos uniform in 1988, but he actually played well in the Mile High City. The Cowboys' all-time rushing leader with 12,036 yards when he was dealt to Denver in June of that year, Dorsett ran for 703 yards and five touchdowns while playing in every game and starting 13 for the Broncos. However, a knee injury suffered in training camp the next season forced Dorsett to retire after 12 years in the NFL.

Nobody has played more games (1,039) in a New York Knicks uniform than Ewing. However, the 11-time All-Star and Hall of Famer ended his 17-year career with stops in Seattle and Orlando. He failed to average 10 points per game while playing a season each with the SuperSonics and Magic. Ewing finally called it a career after the 2001-02 campaign.

Most Green Bay Packers fans couldn't stand to see Favre in a Minnesota Vikings uniform for the final two years of his career, but that wasn't the strange part. It was his one-year stint with the New York Jets, who acquired him from the Packers in 2008 after Favre called off his retirement and experienced a falling out with the Packers' brass. The Jets went 9-7 in 2008 with Favre starting every game. Then he closed his final two seasons in Minnesota, where the jersey might have been weird, but he looked like his old self in '09.

Sure, the Great One in a Los Angeles Kings sweater was odd at first, but hockey's best of all time suiting up for the Blues during the 1995-96 season never looked right. Acquired in February, Gretzky played in 18 games, recording eight goals with 13 assists for a St. Louis team that lost in the Western Conference semifinals. Gretzky looked slightly better in a New York Rangers uniform over the next three years.

Playing with the Mariners made Junior a superstar, and the following stint in Cincinnati allowed him to follow in his dad's footsteps. Before closing his Hall of Fame career with two final seasons in Seattle, there were 41 games and a postseason appearance with the Chicago White Sox in 2008. Though Griffey looked a little odd wearing the South Siders' colors, he helped the White Sox to a victory in Game 163 against Minnesota and its only postseason berth since winning the World Series in 2005.

With the Immaculate Reception and four Super Bowl titles, Harris is synonymous with the Pittsburgh Steelers. That's why it was strange to see him finish his career in rather pedestrian fashion with the Seattle Seahawks in 1984. After being released by the Steelers following a contract holdout, Harris landed in Seattle needing 363 yards to become the NFL's all-time leading rusher. However, he gained just 170 on 68 carries and was cut by Seattle after eight games, thus ending his NFL career.

A member of the New England Whalers when the WHA folded, Howe returned to the NHL when that team, renamed the Hartford Whalers, joined the league in 1979-80. Howe, back in the NHL though not in his familiar Red Wings sweater, ended his final season at age 52. He was still productive with 15 goals and 26 assists while playing all 80 games for the Whale, but he never looked quite right.

Jackson became a star with the Oakland Athletics, a World Series hero who got his own candy bar with the New York Yankees and even earned a big screen role with the California Angels. So what about that 1976 season in Baltimore? Jackson, who missed the first 16 games that year because he wanted more money after the A's traded him, hit 27 home runs with 91 RBI for the Orioles. He also stole a career-best 28 bases, but Baltimore failed to reach the postseason. Jackson became a free agent, and his memorable career with the Yankees began shortly after.

Johnson was named to seven Pro Bowls during his 12-year career with the Houston Texans. He owns all their receiving records, but when he was no longer Houston's go-to wideout, Johnson moved on. He played his final two seasons with Indianapolis and Tennessee, respectively. Neither seemed a good fit for Johnson, who in his final campaign with the Titans in 2016 caught nine passes and two touchdowns in just eight games.

As odd as it was to see Jordan wearing a Birmingham Barons minor league baseball jersey following his first retirement from the NBA, it was more shocking to have him back in the league playing for someone other than the Chicago Bulls. That was the case, however, after Jordan's second retirement when No. 23 suited up for the Washington Wizards in his final two seasons. Jordan had his moments in Washington, but things — and the look — obviously weren't the same.

An 18-year career in Utah running with John Stockton made Malone a Hall of Famer. The only thing missing was a championship ring, so he signed on with the Los Angeles Lakers for his final season in 2003-04. Despite missing 39 games with a knee injury, Malone helped the Lakers reach the Finals, where they lost to Detroit, thus ending his quest to win an NBA title. 

Still popular among fans in New York from his days with the Giants before their move west, Mays returned to the Big Apple with the Mets via a trade from San Francisco during the 1972 season. Though Mays' numbers with the Mets during his 1.5 years in Queens weren't great, he helped them reach the 1973 World Series but still never looked the part with that club.

Though Modano is from suburban Detroit, it still looked strange to see the American hockey great play his final 2010-11 season in a Red Wings sweater. A household name in Minnesota and Dallas, Modano spent 20 seasons with the North Stars/Stars franchise and remains the organization's leader in games (1,459), goals (557), assists (802) and points (1,359). The top scorer among all U.S.-born players, Modano scored in his first game with Detroit but finished with just four goals and 11 assists in 40 games.

Things didn't end smoothly in San Francisco for the four-time Super Bowl champion, and though he looked different in a Kansas City Chiefs uniform for his final two seasons, Montana was solid to the end. He overcame an injury in 1993 to lead the Chiefs to the AFC championship game in his first season with Kansas City. They made the playoffs in '94, but Montana announced his retirement in San Francisco following that season.

"Broadway Joe" was the nickname Namath earned during his 12 years with the New York Jets that made him a Hall of Famer. "Hollywood Joe" never materialized, as Namath's one season with the Rams in 1977 was a bust. With his body worn down, Namath split his four starts while throwing three touchdowns and five interceptions. However, he lost his job and spent the rest of his final NFL season on the bench. 

Olajuwon playing any place else but Houston just didn't seem to make sense — not after he led the Cougars to back-to-back NCAA Tournament title game appearances in the early 1980s and was an MVP, 12-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion with the Rockets. But The Dream was traded to Toronto for his final 2001-02 season after shunning an offer from the Rockets. Olajuwon averaged a career-low 7.1 points during his swan song for Canada's team.

O'Neal helped make the Orlando Magic a serious contender, turn the Lakers back into a dynasty and give the Miami Heat their first NBA championship. Those are the uniforms that fit Shaq Diesel best — not those during the final stretch of his career when stops in Phoenix, Cleveland and Boston made O'Neal look like he was going to a costume party.

Orr endured a relatively sad end to his Hall of Famer career. After 10 seasons as an iconic defenseman with Boston, Orr, dealing with knee issues, hoped to re-sign with his beloved Bruins but stayed out of the negotiations, leaving agent Alan Eagleson to do the work. Duped by Eagleson, Orr ended up in Chicago for his last three seasons but saw action in just 26 games and missed 1977-78 before retiring after the next campaign.

Parish's career began with Golden State and ended with Chicago, but his 14 seasons in Boston (nine-time All-Star, four-time NBA champion) are what made him a Hall of Famer. There were also two seasons with Charlotte that followed his time in Boston. Parish played 155 games for the Hornets before one final run with the Bulls in 1996-97, but if he's not wearing the Boston green and white, then he's not really The Chief. 

When Rice moved across the bay to play for the Oakland Raiders in 2001, it took some time to digest after his historic 16 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. But Rice produced a pair of 1,000-yard receiving seasons with the silver and black. It's when the Raiders traded him to Seattle during the 2004 campaign that the look didn't quite work while catching 25 passes in 11 games. The next season Rice signed a one-year deal with Denver but later opted to retire before playing a regular-season game with the Broncos.

Rose is forever a Cincinnati Red, and fans also grew to appreciate his time with the Philadelphia Phillies, who won the World Series with him in 1980. He also donned a Montreal Expos uniform for 95 games in 1984. He collected his 4,000th hit with the Expos, but Rose playing north of the border seemed unpatriotic. Order was restored to the baseball universe when he was traded back to Cincinnati in August of that season.

Ruth began his career in Boston and ended it there, although with a different team. A shadow of the legend he became, the Bambino was lured to Boston to play for the Braves in 1935 with the promise of owning a share of the team while also serving as assistant manager. None of it worked out, as Ruth hit .181 and clubbed his final six homers in just 28 games for the Braves before announcing his retirement in June. He never managed in the majors.

Simpson became a Hall of Famer for what he did in nine seasons with Buffalo, but finishing a stellar career in his hometown of San Francisco was nothing special. Juice ran for 1,053 yards and totaled six touchdowns in those two seasons with the 49ers before leaving football for the screen and an off-field life he's more known for.

Already the NFL's all-time leading rusher but in the twilight of his career, Smith signed with the Arizona Cardinals for the 2003 season, looking to squeak out a little more of the NFL life. While Smith was popular in the desert and gained 937 yards and scored nine touchdowns in his final season, his only true fit remains as a Dallas Cowboy.

Thomas is the Buffalo Bills' career rushing leader with 11,938 yards over 12 seasons, but the Hall of Famer and four-time Super Bowl participant played his 13th and final campaign with the Miami Dolphins. A salary-cap casualty in Buffalo, Thomas landed with the Dolphins in 2000. A knee injury, though, ended his Miami tenure and NFL career after gaining just 136 yards in nine games. 

Most forget Unitas was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1955 but was released before the season or that his career ended in San Diego. In between, Unitas was a Hall of Fame quarterback for the Baltimore Colts, which is why it was unusual to see him in that Chargers uniform after the three-time MVP was traded in 1973. Unitas went 1-3 as a starter for San Diego and lost his job to future fellow Hall of Famer Dan Fouts.

Wade stayed away from South Beach twice in the last two seasons, but in the end he returned to where he belongs. His one season with the Chicago Bulls in 2016-17 wasn't bad, but even in front of his hometown fans, Wade didn't look right. He started last season with buddy LeBron James in Cleveland, but after 46 games he was back in Miami, where he's won three titles.