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The End of the Line?
by Liam Blackburn
21/1/2010
As the post-season hurtles towards its conclusion, it is time for players, coaches and staff alike to look forward to the next season. When the Super Bowl fireworks are nothing more than smoke, everyone’s attention will turn to the draft and the next generation of NFL stars.
 But for some, 2009 will be the end. Retirement happens to every player at some point, the question is not if but when. So when is the right time to hang up the boots? It is a conundrum currently been given considerable thought by among others, Kurt Warner, Ed Reed and Isaac Bruce.
Phillip Rivers said this week that at the end of the season there is only one team that is happy and in this respect, an ideal retirement speech would be accompanied by the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Now I’m no Hollywood scriptwriter but there can’t be a better retirement story than the one Jerome Bettis played out in 2006.
The Bus decided to stay on an extra year and was rewarded with a ring in his hometown of Detroit. That year’s America’s Game didn’t need the dramatic music and the super slow-mo shots, Bettis’ story said it all. Michael Strahan is another example of a player who left at the finest moment in his career. Strahan had the stats, the Pro Bowls but the Super Bowl ring remained elusive until his final game.
This year we witnessed the swansong of Deuce McAllister and in all probability we may have seen the last of Isaac Bruce too. These two legends were seen off in fitting fashion, with both reinstated as gestures to thank the players for their hard work. McAllister took to the pitch one last time as one of the New Orleans’ captains and Bruce played a single down against the St Louis Rams after being activated for the first time in six weeks. They may not have put a ring on it like Bettis and Strahan but these tribute acts recognise a player’s fantastic contribution.
Of course, as Rivers alluded to, it can’t always end with a finale Walt Disney would have been proud of. Jamal Lewis is a case in point. The running back’s final years were plagued with injuries and he eventually limped out this season with minimal fanfare. There were no rings and no ceremonies for a player who once rushed for 2,000 yards in a season. But the end had come for Lewis and he knew it. Injuries had slowed him down and he was astute enough to realise that he couldn’t continue.
We all thought the end had come on more than one occasion for Brett Favre and after watching him for the Jets last year I honestly thought he’d gone on for one year too long as it was.
However number 4 proved me and many others wrong by performing miracles in Minnesota. Favre has shown that age can be no barrier and at 40 years of age, there is hope for the players that may believe they’ve just started their descent over the proverbial hill.
But in all truth, Favre is a freak. His durability and toughness are unparalleled and in most cases careers begin to decline in the latter stages when injuries take over, particularly in positions which require speed like running back and wide receiver.
Each individual case is different and this is why each player must consider their own circumstances when contemplating retirement. They should be considering if they achieved what they want out of the game, they should consider if they are still healthy enough to continue to perform at a high level and they should consider if like Favre, the insatiable hunger for success is still there.
Ed Reed and Kurt Warner both have the Pro Bowl appearances, both have the stats and both may have places in the Hall of Fame. Reed is missing a ring and perhaps this will be the overriding factor to lead him back to the field next year. Warner is a different case all together.
Everyone is aware of the rollercoaster ride Kurt Warner has endured during his career. He has been to three Super Bowls and has seen and achieved it all. Warner has constantly spoken of his desire to leave the game in good health and the concussion he suffered earlier this year may push the Cardinals quarterback out.
In the Cardinals last match, Warner was also levelled by a hit from the Saints’ Bobby McCray. You instantly feared for Kurt, a genuinely humble guy, who was wise enough to take his time when he suffered a concussion in week 11 against the Rams. The television cameras only reinforced the concern with pictures of his distressed wife Brenda. Brett Favre may regularly turn back the clock but the hit on Warner reminded us of the brutal nature of this sport. When players do retire it is important that they take a clean bill of health with them. So whilst the stories of Favre, Bettis and Strahan may contain a fairly tale nature, it is important that Reed, Warner and others consider the implications of another gruelling year of football.
Players are ultra competitive and their desire to play football means they want to make the most out of their careers. This trait is admirable but it can go too far, particularly if players are ignoring the signs when it comes to injuries and concussions.
This year, the concern over concussions has thankfully been publicised and hopefully players will think long and hard when deciding on their future. We all want to see greats like Reed and Warner play at the top for as long as possible but we also want them to enjoy healthy lives after the game.
You can bet the media will be full of ex-pros citing Favre’s resurgence and spouting off about how players never discover that magical feeling when they’re done but hopefully players like Reed, Warner and Bruce are old enough and wise enough to make their own decisions. I’d love to see them all return but the worrying image of Warner lay flat out with his wife desperately watching on reminded me that there is a life after the game and players must be sensible when considering retirement.
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