The possible retirement of Drew Brees is a reminder to all that no matter how great a player is there comes a time for it to end. Both the player and the fans must grieve in this moment.
One thing I disagree with completely is when a journalist says a player that enjoyed a long successful career and played well passed their prime deserves to go out “better”. What does that even mean? The game doesn’t owe any player anything.
If you played 2001-2020 like Brees you have enjoyed every experience the NFL has to offer. At least Brees has a ring. Guys like Tony Gonzalez don’t say they deserved better and the media doesn’t say he deserved better or a ring.
We praise athletes for what they accomplish not for what they deserve. Congratulations to Brees on a brilliant career and his future in the HOF. To say he deserved to go out “better” is an insult to the players who are better at this point and to Brees and his career.
Every player wants to be known for earning what they get. Don’t cheapen the experience by saying he deserved better because guys like Brees are thinking I wish I had more to give but I left it all on the field.
Careers that ended like Manning and Elway are not the norm. Very few go out on top being carried off the field. We have to stop expecting that. Most great athletes like Montana, Jim Kelly, and even the great Michael Jordan didn’t want a pity party or a ring given to them.
They would have wanted to earn it, to take it from the other team. So no matter how sad you are when a great hangs up his jersey for the last time don’t say they deserved to go out better just remember they did what they did better for longer than most could dream! #Greatness
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