↗

2004 NFL trade deadline

The 2004 NFL trade deadline.

A chronological guide to the transactions and decisions surrounding the 2004 NFL trade deadline.

Open the full season →Every trade deadline by year

In the order it happened

The transaction timeline

The draft, major signings, trades and roster decisions are ordered chronologically. Complete draft boards, trade packages and free-agent jersey changes are embedded at the moment they happened.

  1. October · Market context

    Two veteran receivers seek new roles before the cutoff

    Jerry Rice's place in Oakland had shrunk, while Keenan McCardell's contract dispute in Tampa Bay created another attainable veteran target.

  2. October 19 · Trade

    Jerry Rice joins Seattle for one final playoff chase →

    Oakland sent Rice to Seattle for a conditional seventh-round pick, reuniting the all-time receiving leader with coach Mike Holmgren.

    The complete trade package is preserved beside this moment →

    00TradeOctober 19, 2004To SEASEARICE—To LVDraftPICKround assetJerry Rice to SeattleSEA receives Jerry RiceLV receives Conditional seventh-round pick2 original assets · 0 outcomes tracedOpen trade →

  3. October 19 · Trade

    Keenan McCardell ends his holdout in San Diego →

    The Chargers sent third- and fifth-round picks to Tampa Bay for McCardell, adding a veteran target to Drew Brees's breakout offense.

    The complete trade package is preserved beside this moment →

    00TradeOctober 19, 2004To LACLACMCCARDELL—To TB20053RDround asset2006PICKround assetKeenan McCardell to San DiegoLAC receives Keenan McCardellTB receives 2005 3rd-round pick, 2006 fifth-round pick3 original assets · 0 outcomes tracedOpen trade →

  4. After the deadline · Aftermath

    San Diego's move supports the league's biggest surprise

    McCardell stepped into a 12-win Chargers team and provided stability as Brees, LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates emerged together.