How many athletes stayed elite until they retired?

[GSP_37]

Barry Bonds. I don't think he got a chance to follow up on the 73 HR season.

EDIT: I was wrong. Bonds did play a few seasons after breaking the HR season record, but even his last two seasons hitting .270 wasn't bad compared to others aging out.

 

[haysus31]

Since you mentioned Bonds I guess we can include Clemmons. He pitched into his 40s I think

 

['Rocky']

Brady was not elite and neither was Jordan when they retired lmao

Both clearly declined

Brady was never elite. Lmao

 

[Croaker]

Brady was never elite. Lmao

Elite game manager, the best game manager of all time. I give credit where it is due.

 

[Lethal_Striker]

David Ortiz had a .315 BA, 38 HR and 127 RBI in his final season.

Ray Lewis won a Super Bowl in his final season.

John Elway won back-to-back Super Bowls in his final 2 seasons.

 

[Morning Star]

Koufax's last season he won the CY Young, finished 2nd for MVP (rarely given to a pitcher since they only play every 5th game), had the NL Triple Crown of pitching (Best ERA, # Wins, # of Strikeouts), had the best single season ERA and # of wins of any season of his career.

 

[Croaker]

David Ortiz had a .315 BA, 38 HR and 127 RBI in his final season.

Ray Lewis won a Super Bowl in his final season.

John Elway won back-to-back Super Bowls in his final 2 seasons.

lol

The exposure of ignorance is insane with these questions

John Elway was a fucking husk of himself in his last season

 

[haysus31]

Elite is not winning it all and calling it a career. That being said everyone wishes to go out like Elway Payton ray lewis etc. Maybe it's better than being elite to go out a champion in your last game.

 

[Rusty Trombone]

#1 is probably Caitlyn

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/a9/1b/fe/a91bfea9a332359ff97d1f2cf51f5908.png

 

[armbarforhire]

Payton Manning's injuries caught up to him that last year. Luckily that defense carried them to the super bowl. Von Miller was the game MVP that superbowl. Payton was able to retire and go out on top. Something rare

if I remember he actually had a pretty bad game.

 

[armbarforhire]

Jordan for his first 2 retirements. I think third one disqualifies him from this thread.

 

[Corona]

Not sure how you can objectively think that.


His championship season he throws 40 tds and the season after he threw 40. The last season his entire team was fucked. Multiple coaches said he still threw the ball as hard as ever.

Jabrady was a fringe top 10 qb in the league his last season. He was sailing balls into the dirt and missing guys by a mile all season. The most telling part of him being out of his prime was his inability to motivate his defense like he did the majority of his career.

 

[iwannabeadored]

Jabrady was a fringe top 10 qb in the league his last season. He was sailing balls into the dirt and missing guys by a mile all season. The most telling part of him being out of his prime was his inability to motivate his defense like he did the majority of his career.

Lol you didn’t watch games team was injured. He’s by the best 44/45 year old qb ever

 

[Corona]

Lol you didn’t watch games team was injured. He’s by the best 44/45 year old qb ever

Cool this thread isn’t about being the best 44/45 year old athlete ever. Everyone is injured in the nfl. This thread is about being elite when they retired. Mahomo, Allen and Burrgoat were the only “elite” qbs in jabradys last season. Brady was in the same tier as Dak, Cousins and maybe goof in his last season.

 

[Jonathan Utah]

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was still damn good when he retired.

 

[therealdope]

Ray Lewis won a Super Bowl in his final season.

Go back and watch him that last season.

He was burned badly, many times the last couple of years. He dropped off fast. He would make some smart plays but he was clowned a lot at the end. I'm pretty sure the Ravens had better LBs on the bench and he was out there for the leadership.

 

[therealdope]

If you know anything about boxing, you know Marvin Hagler didn't lose that last fight. At worst, it was a draw.

He finished a champ in my book.

 

[Rationality]

Tom Brady holds nearly every significant passing record especially in the playoffs.
When he finally had a great WR he set the all time single-season passing TD record. The other greats had way better receivers to target on average.
HIs second to last season he won a SB and should've been league MVP.
His last season he was a few yards and minutes short of reaching another SB.
You haters really look dumb.....

 

[Rationality]

Cool this thread isn’t about being the best 44/45 year old athlete ever. Everyone is injured in the nfl. This thread is about being elite when they retired. Mahomo, Allen and Burrgoat were the only “elite” qbs in jabradys last season. Brady was in the same tier as Dak, Cousins and maybe goof in his last season.

He beat Rodgers, Brees and Mahomes in order to win the SB at age 44.

 

[Corona]

He beat Rodgers, Brees and Mahomes in order to win the SB at age 44.

Those games were two seasons before he retired and those wins were largely thanks to his defense. But Brady definitely did motivate them like he was in his prime.