“Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.”
Saying goodbye to the game that you have loved ever since you were a little boy or girl is never easy. It does not matter if you are a high school athlete or a 5-time NFL MVP, hanging your cleats up for the last time is never an easy task.
Unfortunately, we are witnessing the beginning of the end to two iconic athletes who have been performing at an elite level for the entirety of their careers. Peyton Manning and Kobe Bryant are two of the best to ever play their respective sport.
Manning is a 5-time NFL MVP, 14-time pro bowler, and is the NFL all-time leader in career touchdown passes and passing yards. However, Manning’s 18th year in the NFL should certainly be number 18’s last.
Manning has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL for almost two decades now, but his performance is going downhill quite rapidly. Manning leads the league with 17 interceptions and is currently recovering from a torn plantar fascia in his right foot. Manning’s replacement, Brock Osweiler, is playing extremely well in his absence leading to speculation that Manning might have already played his last game in the NFL.
Whether Manning plans to return this year or not, this season should certainly be his last. His age has finally caught up to him. It is tough to watch one of the best players to ever play the game perform this poorly.
Kobe Bryant is another iconic athlete who finally announced that this season would be his last. Kobe is in his 20th season in the NBA, he is a 5-time NBA champion, 17-time all-star, and is the 3rd highest scorer in NBA history. Bryant is averaging 15.8 points per game this season, which is nearly 10 points below his career average.
Bryant made the right decision by deciding to retire at the end of the season simply because he is just a reflection of his former self. He hasn’t played a full season since the 2012-13 campaign.
It is quite evident that father time has caught up to two of the all-time greats. We will remember these icons not for the players they are now, but for everything they have accomplished throughout their career. With that said, it is time for Bryant and Manning to move on and walk away from the game they love before the game walks away from them.
