Should I Stay or Should I Go: 10 Superstars on Their Way out
Kobe Bryant announced his retirement, but is it the right call? Peyton Manning hasn't made a similar declaration, but maybe he should.
Ten huge superstars could be on the way out within the next year or so. For each, what is the right call? Should they stay, or should they go?
Obviously, retirement is a personal decision influenced by many factors, most likely unbeknownst to the sports population at large. Still, isn't it better to see athletes go out on their own terms and not be forced out due to other circumstances?
These athletes are stars. History will remember them as some of the greatest ever. No one wants to see their legacies clouded by a farewell that lasted too long or a final season marred by defeat.
As long as these athletes can still play at an elite level (hey, Tim Duncan), they should play. However, if their performance is noticeably declining, it might be time to hang it up.
Remember, this is not "Will they or won't they?" This is "Should they?" Here are the answers for 10 athletes, though some conclusions were easier to draw than others.
Kobe Bryant
1 of 10
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has been playing in the NBA since he was 18 years old. Almost two decades later, at age 37, the Black Mamba has decided to hang it up.
Bryant announced in November he would retire following the 2015-16 season. It all started in April 2013 with a ruptured Achilles.
Though Bryant rehabbed and returned (briefly) the following season, he has experienced a plethora of injuries since then, including shoulder and knee issues. Bryant played just six games in the 2013-14 season and 35 in 2014-15.
Although he has been a regular presence for the Lakers in this 2015-16 season, Bryant feels his body has had enough. He wrote for the Players' Tribune, in part, "This season is all I have left to give. My heart can take the pounding. My mind can handle the grind. But my body knows it's time to say goodbye."
Fair enough, and that is certainly his decision to make.
Stay or go? Go
Charles Woodson
2 of 10
Longtime Oakland Raiders defensive back and likely Hall of Famer Charles Woodson is 39 years old. He was drafted in 1998, the same year as Peyton Manning.
He has at least one interception in each of his 18 years as a pro, joining only one other player, Hall of Famer Darrell Green, as noted by Mike Florio of NBC Sports. In 2015, Woodson has five interceptions through Week 13 despite a nagging shoulder injury.
He missed just one snap after the initial injury, a dislocation of his shoulder. Surely a boss like that has a lot left in the tank. It's like Woodson said in 2014, per Levi Damien of SB Nation, "I feel like I have a lot of football left." Sure looks like it.
Despite his continued toughness and solid play, Woodson is coming off back-to-back one-year deals. The possibility of him retiring after 2015 or signing elsewhere remains in play, at least from a contractual perspective.
Stay or go? Stay
Manny Pacquiao
3 of 10
Manny Pacquiao is a legendary boxer in his home country, the Philippines, and has achieved wide international fame as well. As Dan Rafael of ESPN.com writes, he is the "only fighter in boxing history to win world titles in eight weight classes."
Also, according to Rafael, promoter Bob Arum said Pacquiao will retire from boxing after his next scheduled fight in April 2016. Though Pacquiao himself hasn't made a formal announcement, it is public knowledge he has political aspirations in the Philippines.
Per Rafael, Arum said, "We talked very seriously, and he said, 'Bob, hopefully, by the middle of May I will have been elected senator in the Philippines, and at that point I cannot engage in boxing because I need to focus on the senate and I have to be in attendance.'"
Look, boxing is a tough, brutal sport. If Pacquiao in his late 30s does decide to hang it up for another career he is passionate about, good for him.
Stay or go? Go
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Ronaldinho
4 of 10
Ronaldinho is a Brazilian football legend. The midfielder won FIFA's Player of the Year Award twice in 2004 and 2005. He is a World Cup champion and played with a young Lionel Messi at FB Barcelona when Messi's greatness was only in its infancy.
Ronaldinho's peak is certainly behind him, however, and at 35 years of age, his eventual retirement has become a topic of discussion.
The footballer was left off the national team for the 2014 World Cup, and Brazilian club Fluminense released him in September.
Still, his brother and agent, Roberto Assis, refutes claims Ronaldinho is considering retirement. Assis told Brazilian newspaper Folha De S. Paulo (via ESPN FC), "Are you crazy? No chance, you'll have more surprises yet. … He has an advantage over many others in that he has never suffered from a serious injury. And while he still has that spark then great."
There are reports he might consider playing for an amateur team in California, but that just seems like a step back.
Stay or go? Go
Tim Duncan
5 of 10
San Antonio Spurs big man Tim Duncan was drafted in 1997. He is 39 years old. He signed a two-year contract extension in July worth $5 million in 2015-16 including a player option for 2016-17.
So, he's signed, but the door is also open for him to retire after this season. Then again, why would he? Duncan averaged 17.9 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks during the 2015 postseason. Per Basketball Reference, he ranked 12th in the league in player efficiency rating during the 2014-15 regular season.
His 2015-16 numbers have dipped a little, though keep in mind the small sample size:
- 2014-15 regular season: 13.9 points per game, 9.1 rebounds, 2.0 blocks
- 2015-16 regular season (through December 8): 9.7 points per game, 8.9 rebounds, 1.7 blocks
Also, he was named Defensive Player of the Month in November by ESPN Stats & Info. No big deal.
Perhaps Duncan will retire if the Spurs win a championship this season, but frankly, it's impossible to say he should, given his continued high-level performance.
Stay or go? Stay
P.S. Shoutout to Manu Ginobili, who has been a key component of the Spurs dynasty and will likely/maybe/probably retire at the end of the current season.
Jaromir Jagr
6 of 10
In May 2014, NHL right wing Jaromir Jagr announced his retirement from international hockey (though he later reneged on that to play at the 2015 world championships).
In October 2014, Jagr told NJ.com (via SI.com), "I love the game. What I want to tell you is I don't know if it's going to be the last year in the NHL. If I stay healthy, it's not going to be my last year in hockey. I want to play until 50, maybe more."
Jagr later clarified he thinks it would be tough to play in the NHL until age 50, but his recent performance might beg to differ. At age 43, Jagr is playing under a one-year deal with the Florida Panthers and has tallied eight goals and 20 points through Dec. 8. As of early December, he was leading his team in scoring.
Adam Gretz of CBS Sports wrote, "He is also still playing at an All-Star level even though he is 43 years old. Put all of that together and you have a guy that is one of the leading vote-getters in the 2016 All-Star fan vote."
Like Duncan, Jagr is an athlete who seemingly defies the laws of time. He said he'll play as long as he's healthy, and, save a minor hiccup in October, he seems to be.
Stay or go? Stay
David Ortiz
7 of 10
In November, Red Sox slugger David Ortiz announced the 2016 MLB season will be his last. He said in a video for the Players' Tribune, via Ian Browne of MLB.com, "Every single one of us, athletes-wise, we run out of time at some point. Life is based on different chapters and I think I'm ready to experience the next one in my life."
The nine-time All-Star made his major league debut in 1997. Over 19 big league seasons, he has put together one of the best careers ever by a designated hitter, tallying over 500 home runs and posting a career line of .284/.378/.547.
By all accounts, it seems like Big Papi has still got it, even at age 40. He smashed 37 long balls and drove in 108 runs in 2015.
Certainly this is Papi's decision to make, and the sports world will respect his desire to move on. However, the idea that he has "run out of time" certainly doesn't hold water, at least not yet.
Stay or go? Stay
Roger Federer
8 of 10
Talk of Roger Federer's decline started in earnest in 2013 amid injury issues. Howard Bryant of ESPN wrote, "There have been numerous hints over the past year suggesting that the erosion of the majestic Roger Federer has unfortunately arrived."
Federer, who has won 17 career Grand Slams, won zero in 2014 and 2015. He did, however, tally three second-place finishes, two at Wimbledon and one at the U.S. Open.
In October, Federer touched on retirement with reporters, "At this moment I have no plans to stop, and I hope to return after 2016 in Rotterdam. But certainly at my age there may come a time when it's over," per Kit Isaiah Bernal of the International Business Times.
In December, Federer announced a new coach for the 2016 season, indicating the 34-year-old has no immediate plans to hang it up. Novak Djokovic may have been his kryptonite in 2015, but Federer is still one of the world's best.
Stay or go? Stay
Side note: Retirement chatter also swirled around Rafael Nadal after a disappointing 2015 season, but at 29 years of age, he definitely should not throw in the towel.
Peyton Manning
9 of 10
Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is 39 years old. He was drafted in 1998, and his storied quarterback career will go down as one of the best of all time.
In September, when asked by Evan Doherty of Yahoo Sports if he planned to retire after the season, Manning said, "I don't have those thoughts. I think about playing football to the best of my ability in 2015," per Frank Schwab of Shutdown Corner.
Unfortunately, injuries and performance criticism have nagged the QB in 2015, and it looks as if the end might be near. In August, Manning revealed he hasn't had any feeling in his fingertips since a series of 2011 neck surgeries.
As the season got underway, the narrative became about the Broncos' success despite the performance of their QB under a new offensive system. Manning's passer rating sits at 67.6 over nine starts; that figure was 101.5 in 2014. He has also been sidelined since November with plantar fasciitis.
Manning is one of those widely liked guys. No one wants to see injuries dramatically affect his life after football, even though many would probably like to see him win another Super Bowl. Still, he did say he's focused on performance. All things considered, it's tough to make a case for his continued play in 2016 if he doesn't improve.
Stay or go? Go
Tiger Woods
10 of 10
Tiger Woods has won 14 majors. He is one of the greatest golfers ever. However, the 39-year-old just hasn't been the same in recent years.
He has dealt with continuous injury issues since 2010. He hasn't won a major since the 2008 U.S. Open, and in June, he shot the worst round of his career—an 85 at the Memorial Tournament.
Speculation regarding Woods' eventual retirement has abounded for years, but Woods himself opened up about it in a December interview with Lorne Rubenstein of Time.
When asked if injuries might push him to retirement, Woods said, "Put it this way. It's not what I want to have happen, and it's not what I'm planning on having happen. But if it does, it does. I've reconciled myself to it. It's more important for me to be with my kids."
Woods plays a game that, unlike most professional sports, generally allows for players to achieve success past the age of 40. He certainly has the drive and desire left, and the only thing that remains to be seen is if the injuries will do him in. He shouldn't give up, not yet.
Stay or go? Stay
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