9 Athletes who Need to Retire Already

​Tyler Salk

It’s all over bro…. Wait, he’s too old to call bro. You’re done dude… too old for that too. For certain players, the only thing you can call them is a washed up has-been. Some players used to be good, but they’ve lost their talent over the years. With Alex Rodriguez recently saying that he was not going to make a comeback, it had me thinking, who out there needs to call it quits?

Here are 9 athletes who need to retire already!

​David Wright
New York Mets
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David Wright used to be a superhero. He was Captain America. Now… he can’t even keep himself safe. Doctors advise him to stay off the field. During his limited playing time, the seven time all star is only risking his health. He is a player that used to be so much fun to watch, someone impossible not to like. He might be Wright, but for his long-term health, it is wrong to keep playing.

​Adam Vinatieri
Indianapolis Colts

I can’t knock his leg, the guy can still get the job done. In a year riddled with missed extra point attempts, Vinatieri was perfect. But man, this guy is old. At 44 years old, he is the oldest player in the NFL. Helping Brady win his first few Superbowls, he has been around for a long time. Just like with Peyton, there is going to be a rapid decline in his ability. He is a future hall of famer, and should hang up his cleats before he needs a hip replaced.

R.A. Dickey
Toronto Blue Jays

A knuckleballer with only three noteworthy seasons, Dickey is in my opinion one of the most overrated players in baseball. The 42 year old did not find his form until his age 35 season. Since winning the Cy Young award with the Mets, Dickey has been average at best, to below average. His era increased by half a run this past season, bringing his career era to above 4. The rebuilding Braves brought him in to pitch this season, but he isn’t going to accomplish much.

​Nate Robinson
Delaware 87ers

Was Nate Robinson ever the best player? No. But at 5’9” he carried with him the image of being an underdog who was exciting to watch. Already the third player on this list who’s prime was played in New York, Robinson is a three-time slam dunk champion. After ten years of playing in the NBA, and a brief stint in Israel, Robinson is attempting to make a comeback through the d-league. At 32 years old, Robinson does not have a lot more developing he can do. Give the younger guys a shot. It was a fun career. Past tense. Was.

Jaromir Jagr
Florida Panthers

Making his NHL debut at only 18 years old, Jagr has been in the league since 1990. Let’s do some math here. That was twenty-seven years ago. A nine-time all star, Jagr has definitely earned that time in the league. Shooting at the lowest percentage of his career, maybe the problem is he just can’t play at a top level anymore.

Tiger Woods
PGA Tour

The most prominent golfer of my lifetime, Tiger Woods was the best. With a fourteen year streak of winning over one million dollars on the course, Tiger was simply dominant. He just isn’t the same guy anymore. He isn’t even close to it. Tiger’s last PGA win was in 2013. His health has kept him out of some of the top events. Tiger, you can still make money off of sponsorships, but golf? Maybe it’s time to start playing for fun.

Bronson Arroyo
Cincinnati Reds

Remember that name? Twenty-seven years old at the time, Bronson Arroyo was a part of the 2004 Red Sox team that helped break the curse. A one time all star, Arroyo’s numbers were never elite. However, for ten straight seasons he started over thirty games, being one of the most reliable pitchers to make a start. Recent fortunes have changed that, with Bronson not throwing a major league pitch since 2014. Now 39 years old, Arroyo is attempting to break camp in the majors with the Reds. If any team is desperate enough for pitching, it might be the Reds, but two years off is not going to work in his favor at that age.

Johnny Manziel
NFL Free Agent

The youngest person on this list, it isn’t hard to argue that his career has been the most embarrassing. From partying, to partying, to partying, Johnny cannot get his act together. The guy has had so many chances, but he isn’t mature enough for the league. Johnny Football should be called Johnny Eightball. He needs to stay out of the spotlight until he is clean. That won’t come if he’s trying to get back into the league. Mr. Eightball, get help.

Tim Tebow
New York Mets farm system

Johnny was the youngest athlete on this list, Tebow is the worst athlete. Tim Tebow is not a good football player. During his time with the Broncos, he won games by running. A quarterback who can’t throw? Maybe he’s better off playing baseball. A publicity stunt, Tebow has no career playing professional sports. He seems like a great guy, but not a professional athlete. It’s time to call it quits.

Who else needs to retire already? 

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