My late grandfather was a great physician. He loved his work and his patients loved him. Even as he neared and surpassed retirement age in the early 2010s, he could never quite give it up. He would retire, we’d throw him a retirement party, and shortly thereafter he would go back to work part-time. I jokingly compared him to the Hall of Fame quarterback of my favorite football team who had recently and famously came out of retirement twice to run it back with the Jets and Vikings.
Over a decade later, the football universe is experiencing the shock waves of another failed retirement by an all-time great. Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. continues to challenge the old adage that “Father Time is undefeated” by coming back for his twenty-third NFL season at age 45. That means he’s been an NFL quarterback for more than half of his life, if you’re doing the math. We’ve seen this before with the greats: Brett Favre, Sugar Ray Leonard (about a million times), and of course, Michael Jordan highlight a long list of athletes who have decided that full-time golfing and cigars aren’t the life for them just yet. [1]
So why come out of retirement? There tends to be a common thread that links the unretirees: they’re all great at their craft. As shocking as it was to see Tom Brady come back only 40 days after calling it quits, it would be even more shocking to see Sage Rosenfels (he is the same age as Tom, after all) announce a comeback tour. Speaking as someone who had a *fine* high-school basketball career, it was hard for me to say goodbye to the hardwood after dedicating 12 years of my life to honing my skills. Imagine being one of the very best at something, and deciding, in the prime of your life, that it was time to walk away. There has to be a hit to the ego, for one. For years, fans fawn over you and watch your every move, especially in the age of social media. And to lose that attention to some upstart kid (looking at you Justin Herbert and Josh Allen) has to hurt just a smidge. On another note, maybe life at home with the wife and kids isn’t as fulfilling as imagined, and there is still a competitive itch that must be scratched. That’s why intramural sports are so popular at universities; washed-up athletes from the days of yore are still trying to relive their glory days (speaking from experience).
Possibly most accurately, though, is that it is as simple as recognizing there is more left in the tank and it would be a damn shame to leave it untapped. In fact, guys like MJ and Brady were God’s gift to the sports world for years, why not continue giving that gift?
The question that has permeated my mind along with why the great ones come back, is, what does coming out of retirement say about someone?
Without the privilege of being inside the mind of Sugar Ray or Brett (not sure I’d want to even if I had an invite), I have some ideas on what the act of unretiring says about someone. Let’s start with negativity and criticism.
1. They are addicted to their career.
It’s one thing to love what you do, it’s completely another to not be able to live without it. The impression I get from Tom Brady coming back is that he couldn’t live without the grind, camaraderie, and thrill of an NFL season given how it took him a whole 40 days to announce his comeback. As a fan of parity, I was more interested in the most successful QB ever (he has more Super Bowls by himself than any NFL franchise) staying retired and propagating avocado ice cream and no-carb diets to the American people, taking his beautiful family to Mexico three times a year, and coaching high school football. But hey, I’m not the GOAT at anything so what do I know?
2. They live for the affirmation of others.
This is true of all humans, really. Have you ever met someone who doesn’t want to be affirmed and praised? This trait is even more accentuated when you’re an American icon in the age of social media. Although life in the spotlight is difficult, it’s also addicting and there has to be a certain loss of self that happens when the spotlight is turned off.
3. They’re too influenced by other's opinions and can't make their own decisions.
Harsh, right? The world tells you that you “should” retire at a certain age and skill level and that retirement is the goal. Ever realize that the people telling you that retirement age is x and the goal is y are not retired yet? The great ones know their bodies and abilities better than anyone else; they should learn to listen to themselves.
Now for some positivity.
1. They have a supportive family and network.
This one is obvious with Tom Brady. If Gisele wasn’t behind him coming back, you can bet your bottom dollar Tommy would keep his ass at home with her and the kids. It’s no secret Gisele has wanted him to retire for some time now to protect his body and mind, but she’s clearly a supportive wife who has her own aspirations and can appreciate his.
2. Their career is the best place for them to use their gifts.
Michael Jordan was fine at baseball (better than people will have you believe), but he never made it above AA, and wasn’t making the big leagues. He and the sports world were better served by him pouring his greatness back into basketball and bring sold-out crowds to the United Center on freezing Tuesday nights in January.
3. They love what they do and are GREAT at it.
This one is obvious. If you hate your job and suck at it, please don’t unretire. Stay in Arizona and golf. In truth, there is a certain peace and joy that comes from doing something you love and doing it well; we’ve all experienced this, even if it’s the small euphoria you experience performing your favorite hobby.
I would like to think that more often than not, coming out of retirement sheds a positive light on someone rather than a negative one. But Tom Brady’s resurrection tour causes us to ponder what we live for and what gets us out of bed in the morning. Is it yourself, your success, and your image? Or is it doing good and using your gifts as they were meant to be used? I know what drove my grandfather to unretire multiple times. I hope Tampa Tommy can say the same.