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NFL trade deadline day is upon us, meaning that today is the last chance contending teams have to patch roster holes. We've seen teams aggressively pursue deals in recent weeks, with the Bears acquiring Jeffery Simmons, the Jaguars acquiring Jessie Bates III and Jordan Davis, and the Seahawks acquiring Quenton Nelson, to name a few, but those deals don't guarantee anything.
Heck, last year we saw the Colts trade two first-round picks for Sauce Gardner and miss the playoffs entirely, so truly, nothing is guaranteed. With that being said, here's a look at what each of the last five Super Bowl winners did at the trade deadline. Those freaking out about a lack of activity from their favorite team in contention might be able to calm down after looking back at recent history.
The Seattle Seahawks made an under-the-radar deal with the New Orleans Saints, acquiring receiver and return specialist Rashid Shaheed for a couple of Day 3 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. They refrained from making a splash, but filled a need, and Shahid excelled, particularly in the playoffs. He kicked off their run to the Super Bowl by returning the opening kickoff in the NFC Divisional Round against the 49ers for a 95-yard touchdown, and he even recorded a 51-yard reception in the NFC Championship Game against the Rams to get their offense going.
Shahid was often overshadowed by Jaxon Smith-Njigba in terms of receivers, but gave Sam Darnold a dependable deep threat and made the Seahawks incredibly dangerous on special teams. Sometimes, even the smaller deals involving Day 3 picks can play huge dividends in a Super Bowl run.
Those Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings fans freaking out about their franchise's lack of activity, at least for now, can look back at 2024 and breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that the Philadelphia Eagles did absolutely nothing. Forget minor deals, they didn't make a single trade. They did acquire Jahan Dotson close to the start of the regular season, but that doesn't count.
And the Eagles dominated anyway, going 12-1 after a middling 2-2 start to begin their year, and then winning four playoff games, three of them by multiple scores en route to a Super Bowl title. They outscored the opposition 95-45 in the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl. Sometimes, contending teams don't need additional help.
The Kansas City Chiefs made perhaps the most underwhelming trade on paper in 2024, moving down from the sixth round to the seventh round in order to acquire Mecole Hardman. The Chiefs needed a receiver and went the familiar route, rescuing Hardman, a player who had spent the previous four years with Kansas City, from a rough situation with the New York Jets.
Hardman was nothing more than a depth option for the Chiefs down the stretch of that year, and he didn't do much of anything in Kansas City's first three playoff games (he didn't even record a single reception in the AFC Championship Game), but the Chiefs might not have won the Super Bowl without him. Hardman had three receptions for 57 yards, but his three-yard touchdown in overtime iced the contest. Trading down from the seventh round to the sixth round played a larger role in a Super Bowl win than even Chiefs fans could've imagined.
Say what you want about Kadarius Toney off the field, but on it, he certainly helped the Chiefs win Super Bowl LVII. Not only did he catch a touchdown pass in that Super Bowl, but he also returned a punt for 65 yards, positioning the Chiefs to score another touchdown in a three-point victory. That made parting with a Day 2 and 3 draft pick to acquire him more than worthwhile.
What makes this deadline particularly interesting is that the Toney deal wasn't the only one the Chiefs made. It's rare to see contenders trade an NFL player for a draft pick, yet the Chiefs traded from their cornerback depth, sending Rashad Fenton to the Falcons for a seventh-round pick. Fenton wasn't playing much, so this wasn't a big deal, but it still made this deadline particularly unique.
Why not save the biggest blockbuster for last? The Los Angeles Rams are a team known for going all-in, and they did just that at the 2021 trade deadline, trading a couple of Day 2 picks for Von Miller, who was on an expiring contract at the time. That's the definition of going for it, and the Rams were rewarded in a huge way. Miller had five sacks in eight regular season games and four sacks in four playoff games, including two in the Super Bowl. He was undoubtedly one of their best players once he set foot in the Rams' building.
The Miller trade is one of the greatest deadline deals and overall trades in NFL history. It's rare for such a blockbuster to lead to immediate results like this midseason.
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