Peyton Manning
Nobody thought that Manning would play anywhere except in Indianapolis. But the NFL is an unforgiving landscape for every player regardless of their reputation. He suffered a terrible neck injury in 2011 that came out of nowhere. The Colts immediately tanked the season without their star quarterback.

However, it also gave them a unique, unexpected opportunity. Stanford’s Andrew Luck fell into their laps and they sent Manning to the Denver Broncos. It’s safe to say that Manning’s injury changed the course of the entire franchise. He didn’t complain though because he won another Super Bowl ring in the Mile High City (via Sportscasting).