Cut! These 30 great NFL players were released by their teams

Todd Gurley may have been a surprise cut by the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday afternoon, but he can take solace in being far from the only great player who’s been served his walking papers. Here’s a look at 30 of the best NFL players who have ever …

Todd Gurley may have been a surprise cut by the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday afternoon, but he can take solace in being far from the only great player who’s been served his walking papers.

Here’s a look at 30 of the best NFL players who have ever been released by their teams. There are a few Hall of Famers among the bunch, starting with …

1. Peyton Manning

(Getty Images)

A degenerative neck injury forced Manning to the sidelines for the 2011 season and with Andrew Luck being the can’t-miss prize of the the 2012 draft, the writing was on the wall. Manning and Colts owner Jim Irsay conducted one of the most civilized press conferences after a release in NFL history and the classy Manning was rewarded for it by a great coda in Denver that ended with a Super Bowl title.

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