13 Sports Stars Who Knew When to Say Goodbye

When do you know the right time to say goodbye? It's a question that countless athletes have pondered when their careers came to an end.

Sometimes, sports stars get it right. They leave on their own terms.

The focus here was bringing some of the best endings into the light. That could mean anything from procuring a final championship ring to lighting up the scoreboard with a dramatic, Oscar-worthy performance.

No matter what each one of these athletes did to pull the curtain down on his or her career, the end result was something unforgettable. The following sports stars knew exactly how to say goodbye.

Honorable Mentions

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Limiting this list to 13 athletes who knew how to say goodbye doesn't paint a complete picture. As we talked about earlier, every sport has seen a ton of great athletes walk away without a shred of remorse.

In order to maintain a level of respect, adding in an honorable mentions slide was a must.

• Jerome Bettis, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Annika Sorenstam, LPGA
• Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees
• Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens
• Ken Dryden, Montreal Canadiens
• Reggie Miller, Indiana Pacers
• Edge, WWE
• Barry Sanders, Detroit Lions
• Bobby Jones, golf
• Jim Brown, Cleveland Browns
• Shawn Michaels, WWE

John Elway

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Before Peyton Manning left Denver on a high note, there was John Elway.

Elway turned a tenuous NFL journey into back-to-back Super Bowl wins in the late '90s thanks to his tenacity, seemingly ageless arm and a passion fueled by victories.

The Hall of Fame quarterback, and current Broncos general manager, didn't leave the gridiron without making his presence felt. During his final Super Bowl win, Elway also secured himself the coveted MVP trophy.

He threw for 336 yards and one touchdown and added another score on the ground. It was a performance that marked the final chapter in Elway's phenomenal career.

What a way to go out.

Lou Gehrig

Has there ever been a farewell moment as emotional or important as Lou Gehrig's departure from the New York Yankees?

Gehrig, diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, announced his intentions to the world in 1939. That speech has been imprinted in history. To this day, reading about it—like in this feature from the New York Daily News—provides chills and an appreciation for a great human being.

The Yankees legend leaned into the microphone and let the world know exactly how he felt. "Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth."

He was right. Seventeen years in baseball resulted in 493 home runs, 1,995 RBI and a career average of .340. On the field, it doesn't get much better that his substantial body of work.

Bill Russell

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Bill Russell was accustomed to winning. He left basketball as an 11-time NBA champion, all with the Boston Celtics.

When it was time for Russell to hang his kicks up in 1969, he made sure to go out with a bang. At age 34, he logged 42.7 minutes per game. His scoring total shot down to 9.9 points per contest, but his 19.3 rebounds per game proved he was still a monster on the glass.

The NBA Finals turned out to be Russell's last hurrah. As a player-coach, he guided the Celtics to yet another title. 

Immediately after he retired, the NBA named its Finals MVP award after him. To this day, Russell's name graces the trophy that countless legends have held.

Derek Jeter

The New York Yankees captain always had a flair for the dramatic. Derek Jeter's 20-year MLB career in pinstripes was marked with significant moments—including running into the stands to catch a fly ball during the postseason and 3,465 career hits.

He defined what it meant to be a Yankee during his lengthy tenure. And when he retired, he went out in style. 

Jeter's final at-bat in Yankee Stadium could be the best in-game exit for anyone who ever rocked a set of pinstripes.

Tied 5-5 with the Baltimore Orioles, he stepped up to the dish. With another Yankee lurking around second base and one out in the game, Jeter drove the ball into right field.

It was a walk-off single that sent the New York crowd into a chaotic state.

What else is there to say? Even today, he remains a walking enshrinement of excellence.

Peyton Manning

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Peyton Manning's final season with the Denver Broncos wasn't something you'd write home about. The Sheriff struggled, throwing only nine touchdowns in 10 games of action.

He spent time nursing injuries, being replaced by a younger player—Houston Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler—while trying to push his team toward the Super Bowl.

When Manning returned to the starting lineup on January 1, 2016—against the San Diego Chargers—it came exactly at the right time.

He took on a managerial role in the playoffs, using the Broncos' ravishing defense as a crutch. The team ran the gauntlet to the Super Bowl and won with Manning under center.

Though he didn't do much in the postseason, completing just 55.4 percent of his passes for 539 yards and two touchdowns, Manning retired as a champion.

The longtime NFL quarterback left the sport he gave the better part of his adult life to with the ultimate prize in his hand.

Ray Bourque

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It took Ray Bourque 23 seasons in the NHL to achieve his dream of raising Lord Stanley's Cup. He finally realized that dream with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001.

Rick Weinberg's ESPN.com piece about Bourque's journey is a must-read for all hockey fans. It beautifully details the exact moment when Bourque realized his life mission had finally come true. "He is so ecstatic that his tears come uncontrollably as the clock ticks down to 0:00 and the celebration begins," Weinberg wrote.

Bourque remains one of the greatest defensive players in the sport's history. He spent a lifetime with the Boston Bruins and two seasons with the Avalanche, notching 19 All-Star appearances and winning countless awards along the way.

Going out with a championship never gets old, especially for a player who exudes brilliance.

Rocky Marciano

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Rocky Marciano's 49-0 record remains the gold standard for heavyweight boxers. He retired as the unbeaten heavyweight champ of the world and never returned to action.

The Rock was a knockout machine. His stocky 5'10" frame allowed him to punch with power and leverage devastating angles.

His final fight against Archie Moore in 1955 would prove to be a fitting way for him to leave the sport.

A packed house at Yankee Stadium hosted Marciano and Moore's clash. In typical bruising fashion, Marciano dropped Moore in the ninth round. That lethal punch would serve as the 43rd and final knockout of his illustrious career.

Kobe Bryant

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Kobe Bryant's final season with the Los Angeles Lakers didn't go according to plan. This was a team that won 17 games and struggled to resemble anything close to Lakers squads of the past.

But Bryant, being the ever-competitive warrior he is, played 66 games. Perhaps none was more memorable than his final outing at the Staples Center.

The night was all about Bryant. A packed house cheered his every move. He played 42 minutes, jacked up 50 field-goal attempts and scored 60 points in the process, as ESPN's box score showcased.

Bryant also carried the team to a come-from-behind victory. It was a vintage performance from the Black Mamba. One we all appreciated.

Going out on your own terms is a blessing, and Bryant did it better than almost anybody. To say we will miss his presence not only in Los Angeles but also around the world would be an understatement.

Ted Williams

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Ted Williams' final game as a member of the Boston Red Sox was similar to Kobe Bryant's last excursion with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Sox were also in a bad spot, and only 10,455 fans went to watch his last game at Fenway Park, as Tom Singer of MLB.com wrote: "They came to send the seventh-place Red Sox off to a winter's hibernation, and Ted Williams off to retirement."

It was a quiet ending for the baseball pioneer. Remember, this was a player who, despite not being part of any World Series-winning clubs, had forced his name into the record books with 521 home runs, a career batting average of .344 and a staggering on-base percentage of .482.

Williams went out the only way he knew how. The 42-year-old ripped home run No. 521 in the eighth inning. It would be his final at-bat in Major League Baseball.

Daniel Bryan

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Storybook endings aren't always the norm in sports—case in point being Daniel Bryan's retirement earlier in 2016.

Concussions forced him to leave the sport he loves so dearly after a mesmerizing climb up the ranks of WWE programming.

But Bryan's story goes so much deeper than that. By leaving the sport on his own accord, he now has a chance to open up a bigger discussion about concussions and athlete's health not only in wrestling but elsewhere.

His soaring popularity and ability to get people talking make him a go-to source for all things concussion-related. And as much as the world will miss him in the ring, Bryan went out with a chip on his shoulder. His final speech at WWE Raw was heartfelt and powerful.

Joe DiMaggio

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The year was 1951 and the New York Yankees had just completed their 18th World Series win after a 4-2 dismantling of the New York Giants.

Played between Yankee Stadium and the Polo Grounds, this series wasn't only a historic moment for New Yorkers but also marked the last time Joe DiMaggio would ever suit up for the Yankees.

DiMaggio helped push the Bronx Bombers over the Giants, registering six hits, two doubles, a home run and five RBI, per Baseball Reference.

Having your final hurrah lead to a championship has to be a special feeling. It's fortunate that a Hall of Famer like DiMaggio got to experience that in the city he called home for 13 seasons.

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan retired three times during his NBA tenure. Only one of those retirements belongs on this list.

Jordan carving up the Utah Jazz like a buttery Thanksgiving bird was commonplace in the late '90s. So when MJ leaned into a game-winning, series-clinching jumper in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals, the world knew it was bound to dance around before ripping twine.

MJ's "final" shot led the Bulls to a sixth NBA title and thrust his name further into that vortex of immortality. Jordan used that moment as a way to end his playing career—until he returned in 2001 with the Washington Wizards.

Even with his brief stint in Washington, D.C., Jordan's retirement from the Bulls represented perfection on the hardwood.

Floyd Mayweather Jr.

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Sixty years after Rocky Marciano went 49-0, Floyd Mayweather Jr. left boxing on his own terms, with the same record as his predecessor.

Both fighters lived and executed their craft in different manners. However, a constant theme they shared was dominance.

Mayweather's world title reign was far-reaching. He shot up in weight, claiming marquee victories and stacking titles along the way, as his BoxRec profile showcases. 

You might not peg him as "exciting." That's fine. Mayweather was a fighter who understood today's system, and thanks to his defensive awareness and keen punching ability, he marched his way to a perfect record.

All stats and information via Sports-Reference.com unless noted otherwise.