35 Professional Athletes Who Played Too Long
Many children start playing soccer when they are four years old. They can play tee-ball at five, basketball and football at six, and by the time they are seven, they may be playing hockey too. If they are talented enough, they will continue playing their favorite sport in high school and, if they are really lucky, college. Some kids might even get a full paid scholarship to play sports at the collegiate level.
For the majority of student-athletes, their athletic careers will end the moment they graduate from college. But for the select few that end up making it to the professional level, their careers are just beginning. For the top player in football, they could be playing for another 10 years before retiring. For baseball or hockey, it could be even longer. If it is basketball, the top players are looking at a career of 15 to 20 years.
If you add it all up, that means that when an elite NFL player turns 40, he has likely been playing football for close to 34 years. Between all the two-a-days, off-season workouts, mid-week practices, bus rides and flights for road games, he has done nothing but lived and breathed football. He has broken bones and bled for his teammates. He has fought through excruciating pain to stay in games because he knows that the fans will not understand if he misses playing time. He has become used to playing in front of 60,000+ screaming fans that either love him or hate him. He is addicted to the game and giving it up is not an easy call.
So how does he leave the game behind him and fill the void that is going to eat at him for the rest of his life? How can a man walk away from a game that he has given his life for?
Many professional athletes run into this predicament as their careers come to an end and most of them make the right decision, even if it hurts them to make it, to retire on a high note. Then there are those athletes that cannot let go and end up spending their last couple years struggling to play at the highest level. Those are the players we are here to discuss today. Here are 35 athletes who waited too long to retire.
35) Dikembe Mutombo, C, NBA
- Year: 2008-09
- Age at Retirement: 42
- Team: Houston Rockets
- Final Season (Avgs): 9 Games, 38.5 FG%, 1.8 Pts, 3.7 Reb, 1.2 Blk
34) Jason Giambi, DH, MLB
- Year: 2014
- Age at Retirement: 43
- Team: Cleveland Indians
- Final Season: 26 Games, 0.133 Avg, 3 R, 8 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 12 K, 9 BB
33) Ed Reed, S, NFL
- Year: 2013
- Age at Retirement: 35
- Team: New York Jets
- Final Season: 14 Games, 27 Tackles, 3 Int
32) Chipper Jones, 3B, MLB
- Year: 2012
- Age at Retirement: 40
- Team: Atlanta Braves
- Final Season: 112 Games, 0.287 Avg, 58 R, 111 H, 23 2B, 14 HR, 62 RBI, 51 K, 57 BB
31) Karl Malone, PF, NBA
- Year: 2003-04
- Age at Retirement: 40
- Team: Los Angeles Lakers
- Final Season (Avgs): 42 Games, 48.3 FG%, 13.2 Pts, 8.7 Reb, 3.9 Ast, 1.2 Stl, 0.5 Blk
30) Alonzo Mourning, C, NBA
- Year: 2007-08
- Age at Retirement: 37
- Team: Miami Heat
- Final Season (Avgs): 25 Games, 54.7 FG%, 6.0 Pts, 3.7 Reb, 1.7 Blk
29) Frank Thomas, DH, MLB
- Year: 2008
- Age at Retirement: 40
- Team: Oakland A’s
- Final Season: 55 Games, 0.263 Avg, 20 R, 49 H, 6 2B, 5 HR, 19 RBI, 44 K, 28 BB
28) Jerry Rice, WR, NFL
- Year: 2004
- Age at Retirement: 42
- Team: Seattle Seahawks
- Final Season: 17 Games, 30 Rec, 429 Yds, 3 TD
27) Randy Moss, WR, NFL
- Year: 2010
- Age at Retirement: 35
- Team: San Francisco 49ers
- Final Season: 16 Games, 28 Rec, 393 Yds, 5 TD
26) Steve Carlton, LHP, MLB
- Year: 1986-1988 (Final 3 seasons)
- Age at Retirement: 43
- Team: Five Teams (Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Minnesota Twins)
- Final Season: 68 Games, 15-29, 5.72 ERA, 216 K, 177 BB, 1.651 WHIP
25) Chauncey Billups, PG, NBA
- Year: 2013-14
- Age at Retirement: 37
- Team: Detroit Pistons
- Final Season (Avgs): 19 Games, 30.4 FG%, 3.8 Pts, 1.5 Reb, 2.2 Ast
24) Omar Vizquel, INF, MLB
- Year: 2012
- Age at Retirement: 45
- Team: Toronto Blue Jays
- Final Season: 60 Games, 0.235 Avg, 36 H, 13 R, 5 2B, 7 RBI, 17 K, 7 BB
23) Dan Marino, QB, NFL
- Year: 1999
- Age at Retirement: 38
- Team: Miami Dolphins
- Final Season: 11 Games, 204-369 (55.3%), 2,448 Yds, 12 TD, 17 Int
22) Steve Nash, PG, NBA
- Year: 2013-14
- Age at Retirement: 39
- Team: Los Angeles Lakers
- Final Season (Avgs): 15 Games, 38.3 FG%, 6.8 Pts, 1.9 Reb, 5.7 Ast
21) Emmitt Smith, RB, NFL
- Year: 2004
- Age at Retirement: 35
- Team: Arizona Cardinals
- Final Season: 15 Games, 937 Yds, 9 TD, 15 Rec, 105 Yds
20) Gary Payton, PG, NBA
- Year: 2006-07
- Age at Retirement: 38
- Team: Miami Heat
- Final Season (Avgs): 68 Games, 39.3 FG%, 5.3 Pts, 1.9 Reb, 3.0 Ast
19) Dave Winfield, OF, MLB
- Year: 1995
- Age at Retirement: 43
- Team: Cleveland Indians
- Final Season: 46 Games, 0.191 Avg, 11 R, 22 H, 5 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 26 K, 14 BB
18) Deion Sanders, CB, NFL
- Year: 2005
- Age at Retirement: 38
- Team: Baltimore Ravens
- Final Season: 16 Games, 27 Tackles, 2 Int, 1 FF
17) Roger Clemens, RHP, MLB
- Year: 2007
- Age at Retirement: 44
- Team: New York Yankees
- Final Season: 18 Games, 6-6, 4.18 ERA, 68 K, 31 BB, 1.313 WHIP, 6.2 K/9
16) Shaquille O’Neal, C, NBA
- Year: 2010-11
- Age at Retirement: 38
- Team: Boston Celtics
- Final Season (Avgs): 37 Games, 66.7 FG%, 9.2 Pts, 4.8 Reb, 1.1 Blk
15) Chris Chelios, D, NHL
- Year: 2009-10
- Age at Retirement: 48
- Team: Atlanta Thrashers
- Final Season: 7 Games, -2, 5 Shots
14) Willie Mays, CF, MLB
- Year: 1973
- Age at Retirement: 42
- Team: New York Mets
- Final Season: 66 Games, 0.211 Avg, 24 R, 44 H, 10 2B, 6 HR, 25 RBI, 47 K, 27 BB
13) Brett Hull, RW, NHL
- Year: 2005-06
- Age at Retirement: 41
- Team: Phoenix Coyotes
- Final Season: 5 Games, 1 Ast, 1 Pt, -3
12) Joe Namath, QB, NFL
- Year: 1977
- Age at Retirement: 34
- Team: Los Angeles Rams
- Final Season: 4 Games, 50-107 (46.7%), 606 Yds, 3 TD, 5 Int
11) Martin Brodeur, G, NHL
- Year: 2014-15
- Age at Retirement: 42
- Team: St.Louis Blues
- Final Season: 7 Games, 3-3, 17 GA, 169 SA, 152 SV (89.9%), 1 SO
10) Patrick Ewing, C, NBA
- Year: 2001-02
- Age at Retirement: 39
- Team: Orlando Magic
- Final Season (Avgs): 65 Games, 44.4 FG%, 6.0 Pts, 4.0 Reb, 0.7 Blk
9) Randy Johnson, LHP, MLB
- Year: 2009
- Age at Retirement: 45
- Team: San Francisco Giants
- Final Season: 22 Games, 8-6, 4.88 ERA, 86 K, 31 BB, 1.333 WHIP, 8.1 K/9
8) Jeremy Roenick, C, NHL
- Year: 2008-09
- Age at Retirement: 39
- Team: San Jose Sharks
- Final Season: 42 Games, 4 Gl, 9 Ast, 13 Pts, -1, 24 PIM
7) Grant Hill, SF, NBA
- Year: 2012-13
- Age at Retirement: 40
- Team: Los Angeles Clippers
- Final Season (Avgs): 29 Games, 38.8 FG%, 3.2 Pts, 1.7 Reb, 0.9 Ast
6) Johnny Unitas, QB, NFL
- Year: 1973
- Age at Retirement: 40
- Team: San Diego Chargers
- Final Season: 5 Games, 34-76 (44.7%), 471 Yds, 3 TD, 7 Int
5) Nolan Ryan, RHP, MLB
- Year: 1993
- Age at Retirement: 46
- Team: Texas Rangers
- Final Season: 13 Games, 5-5, 4.88 ERA, 46 K, 40 BB, 1.417 WHIP, 6.2 K/9
4) Gordie Howe, RW, NHL
- Year: 1979-80
- Age at Retirement: 51
- Team: Hartford Whalers
- Final Season: 80 Games, 15 Gl, 26 Ast, 41 Pts, +9, 42 PIM, 16.0 S%
3) Michael Jordan, SG, NBA
- Year: 2002-03
- Age at Retirement: 39
- Team: Washington Wizards
- Final Season (Avgs): 82 Games, 44.5 FG%, 20.0 Pts, 6.1 Reb, 3.8 Ast, 1.5 Stl
2) Rickey Henderson, LF, MLB
- Year: 2003
- Age at Retirement: 44
- Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
- Final Season: 30 Games, 0.208 Avg, 7 R, 15 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3 SB, 16 K, 11 BB
1) Brett Favre, QB, NFL
- Year: 2010
- Age at Retirement: 41
- Team: Minnesota Vikings
- Final Season: 13 Games, 217-358 (60.6%), 2,509 Yds, 11 TD, 19 Int