Randy Moss: Leave the NFL in the Past, It's Time to Move On

All Randy Moss has known his whole life was football. He has succeeded at every level and had a tremendous impact in the NFL. Unfortunately, the time is up for Moss. His body can no longer support him like it once did and it is time for the future Hall of Famer to move on with his life.

The 35-year-old out of Marshall has had a career that leaves him in the top five in major career statistics. In his 13-year career, he has been a member of the Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans. His career numbers include 954 catches, 14,858 receiving yards, 153 touchdowns and a 15.6 yards per catch average.

Based on stats alone, it would appear that Moss would be a decent pickup for an NFL franchise. After all, he did make seven Pro Bowls. Moss also made the NFL 2000s Decade Team based on his steady play. Some of his records include 23 touchdown catches in one season, eight games in a season with multiple touchdown catches, and being the youngest player in NFL history to record 100 receiving touchdowns. The only problem is that Moss has already given so much to the game of football, how much does he really have left to offer?

In 2006, it appeared that Moss was deteriorating with the Oakland Raiders by only catching 42 passes for 553 yards and three touchdowns. When traded to New England in 2007, he suddenly exploded and had one of the best seasons in NFL history. Moss caught 98 balls for 1,493 yards and 23 touchdowns in his first year as a Patriot. His career was revived and he was adding to his legacy as one of the great all-time receivers.

The 2010 season was a rude awakening for Randy Moss and nobody was at fault for his dull season. Moss was in his early 30s and was not the same player that New England traded for. He was shipped off to Minnesota, where he had once starred, but released after four games. He was claimed by the Titans and caught six passes in eight games. He hasn't touched an NFL field since.

Moss would be better off staying retired, unless he can truly contribute to an NFL team in 2012. His rookie season with the Vikings saw him catch 69 passes for 1,313 yards and 17 touchdowns. Moss was 13 years younger then. His body may no longer be able to support him in today's NFL. Unless he gets a fair shot with a team and can still produce, he should not pull a mini Brett Favre and come out of retirement.

It is almost sad to see elite, all-time great receivers in Randy Moss and Terrell Owens end their careers the way they are ending. Instead of celebrating what they did on the football field, we as fans are remembering their run-ins with the media and the trouble they have caused. I'm sure that I wasn't the only one a little saddened when not one of the 32 NFL teams attended Owens' workout in 2011. The more the two players hog media attention, the less the fans remember their truly remarkable careers.

Randy Moss is a top three all-time receiver in my book. When he was in his prime, he was the best in his game. Unless he can really make a difference for a football team, it would be best for him to stay retired. He is a Hall of Famer who should be remembered for scoring touchdowns. Unfortunately, as this story of his wanting to come out of retirement develops, I fear that he will become a joke and no longer respected as one of the all-time greats.