The NFL Needs an Age Limit

When thinking of players that stuck it out and benefited from hanging on to the end of their career, two athletes come to mind. First and foremost is former MVP Rich Gannon, quarterback for the Oakland Raiders, and the second would have to be Michael Strahan.

I feel that a player, who is a veteran player and wins a championship, should retire on the top. Why not go out as a champion. Football is a dangerous sport; almost any player has a chance of permanently injuring another player.

If you have played hard all your life, and you finally worked with a team, (chemistry builds championships), and you win one, go out as the best.

At the same time though, two is always better than one! Just remember the older the body, the more susceptible you are to being injured.

I hope, for Bret Favre's sake, that whereever he goes, there is a good O-line to protect his old ass.

With that in mind, I personally think athletes who announce there retirement, only later to renege, is pretty unfair to up-and-coming athletes, as well as to the fans, who want to see their teams build and grow for new generations.

It is also a safety issue. No one wants to see a superstar, a future Hall of Famer, or record holder getting seriously hurt, simply because he (or she) wanted to hold on to the glory for just a little bit longer.

An athlete's family, an athlete's health/stamina, and money are all factors in choosing when an athlete retires. Maybe there should be an age limit in full-contact sports, or maybe professional athletes could hold "old-ass interventions," and be like "Brett, we know you have a problem. We know you don't think you're old, but we assure you, you are indeed too old to play. Wanna coach or commentate, or something? Cable companies love to give retired players their own sports talk show."

Bottom line, old players won't leave because they think that we need them. We appreciate them, we need the game, and with that comes all the changes that come along with the game. Out with the old in with the new.

GO RAIDERS!!!!