Calling it quits was a hot topic in the NFL this past offseason. The well-documented Brett Favre drama dominated headlines for most of the summer as fans were divided in their opinions.

Some believed Favre needed to hang it up, while others were passionate about seeing more Brett-ball in the NFL. We have all witnessed the end result, as Favre prepares to orchestrate an air raid over Dolphin Stadium on Sunday afternoon with the New York Jets.

When the New York Giants lost Osi Umenyiora for the season, the team reached out to Michael Strahan in an effort to convince him to prolong his retirement plan. Unfortunately for the defending champions, Strahan declined the offer, and will be enjoying this season from the comfort of his home.

As seasons come and go, fans are forced to bid farewell to their favorite players who’ve accomplished all they could, or have decided that they couldn’t take it anymore.

This is the one player whose style was so dynamic, so forceful, and so impressive, that fans wish they could re-live the prime of their careers for the rest of eternity.

And while dealing with these emotions, fans have to justify a roster spot for that one veteran that should move on, despite that well-advertised spirit. It’s not really about their drop-off in talent, or an inability to play. It’s really about allowing the game to progress and giving a younger guy an opportunity to establish his own career.

Come Back to Me
There are so many players to choose from. Decades upon decades of the NFL as we know it today give us an absurd amount of players we wish we could see at their most prominent once again.

Ultimately, I chose to go with a position that can totally dominate and take over a game: the running back.

Fans enjoy discussions about who the best running back to ever play the game was. Little do they know that there’s only one right answer.

And that answer presents itself in the form of a Rookie of the Year, a 10-time Pro Bowl selection, a two-time Offensive Player of the Year, and a former NFL Most Valuable Player.

His name is Barry Sanders, and the NFL misses him.

With his agility, acceleration, speed, and a display of class and character no longer recognizable in the NFL, Barry Sanders is the caliber of player that doesn’t come around very often. It can be argued that Curtis Martin was just as classy throughout his Hall of Fame caliber career, however Martin never dominated to the extent Barry Sanders did.

With over 15,000 rushing yards and 109 touchdowns in his career, Sanders cut his career short unexpectedly before the 1999 season. Having lost his competitive spirit, Sanders decided that it was time to part ways with the Detroit Lions and their losing ways.

One can argue that Sanders did wrong by Detroit with such an abrupt and unexpected retirement. But the fact that he chose to end his career despite closing in on Walter Payton’s all-time rushing record signifies a man more interested in victory than individual accolades.

He didn’t extend his career with another team to pad his statistics like Emmitt Smith did.

Sanders would march for over 1,400 yards per season with no real team around him. To achieve such yardage consistently against defenses that are playing to stop the run is a feat in itself.

If fans could have Barry Sanders back for one season, all would be good in the world.

Ready for Life Without You
Picking a player for this category was a little difficult. Should it be a player that’s currently on an active roster, like Zach Thomas or Rodney Harrison?

Or should it be one of the many older guys that are playing the waiting game, hoping a team has a need for them, like Ty Law or John Lynch?

Ultimately, Brett Favre was the only player that truly embodied what this article intends to accomplish.

As a fan of the New York Jets, this decision presented a monstrous conflict of interest for me. I plan to watch every game and cheer his accomplishments with the same tenacity, passion, and fervor as always. But this is because I support the uniform, and not the player.

The arrival of Brett Favre in New York has provided for predictions varying from the most prosperous to the grimmest. An entire city quickly welcomed an aging quarterback whose legacy has transcended football. And as a Jets fan, I’m hoping he builds on that legacy with more success in the regular season.

However, I was prepared for life without the NFL’s all-time leading passer. His career achievements are well advertised. There’s no denying his spot among the greatest. And I’m definitely not in the business of deciding when a competitor should retire—but I wish he had.

Despite his age, Favre is a better option than any player on the roster. However, I was prepared to find out the hard way. The NFL is about glory and greatness, and I’d prefer for the Jets to establish their own icon rather than lease another’s.

His phenomenal stature places him in a position where he’s larger than the team. Any successes the Jets have this year will be credited to his name. And if that success results in records and championships, the organization’s name will be dragged through the depths of Hell by the media, as they claim that the Jets bought their season.

There are plenty of players whose legacies and careers have reached fans from all over. It’s amazing how the simplest of character traits and noble acts of humanity capture the hearts of football fans more than consistent play.

Who would you like to see return to glory? And which players do you wish would recognize that their better days are behind them?

Categories: Editorial
Tags: Barry Sanders, Brett Favre