Blast from the Past: Old Athletes with One Last Great Performance
Who cares how old a person is? With enough will and skill, you can defy the constraints of Father Time and perform at your best.
In pro sports, all great athletes eventually waver. But sometimes, age gets pushed aside in the name of one final performance.
Next up are seven older athletes who gave us one final hurrah. From a player's final game to season-long, age-defying achievements, let's peep who retired on a proverbial high note.
John Elway
1 of 7
John Elway waited until the last two years of his luminous NFL career to capture Super Bowl titles.
At age 38, No. 7 guided his Denver Broncos to a second straight Super Bowl win. Not only did the Broncos repeat as champs, but Elway would put on a timeless MVP performance before bidding farewell to the NFL.
The 34-19 Broncos win over the Atlanta Falcons saw Elway pass for 336 yards and score two touchdowns—one through the air and one on the ground. He laid it all on the line, picking the Dirty Birds apart at every turn.
It was a storybook way to leave the only place he had called home as a pro.
David Robinson
2 of 7
David Robinson's final NBA season was nothing to write home about. The Admiral was a shell of his former self, serving as more of a veteran anchor than a statistic-driven contributor.
Before hitting the 2002-03 postseason, Robinson had suited up 67 times, averaging 11.7 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. Though effective on the glass, Robinson's production had dipped.
But it was all about the NBA Finals. Robinson laid claim to his second NBA title and did so by playing his heart out in Game 6 against the then-New Jersey Nets.
Robinson logged 31 minutes of action. That total was 4.8 more than his regular-season average. Using that extra court time, he turned in a solid performance. Robinson's 13 points, 17 rebounds and two blocks proved to be important numbers in an 11-point Spurs win.
Although Tim Duncan would go on to be named Finals MVP, Robinson would relish his final moments on an NBA court.
Michael Strahan
3 of 7
What's the best way to go out on top? Easy. By conquering an undefeated team, winning a Super Bowl and making your presence felt all over the field.
Michael Strahan achieved all of that in 2008. Apparently leading an underdog New York Giants team to dethrone the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII was on the docket for Strahan's NFL exit.
The win resulted in Strahan's first Vince Lombardi Trophy and an unforgettable one at that—can anyone say "Helmet Catch?"
A closer look at the box score saw Strahan register one sack and a pass deflection. The seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end wound up becoming a big part of the Giants' holding New England to 14 total points. Before that, New England's season low in scoring was 20 points against the New York Jets in Week 15 of the NFL season.
When he finally retired after his club beat the Pats, Strahan dubbed the Super Bowl walk-off victory "the icing on the cake," in terms of his career.
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Dominik Hasek
4 of 7
Dominik Hasek proved his NHL career was never hampered by age. Playing well into his early 40s, Hasek left the sport on his own terms.
The 2007-08 campaign was one to remember for the Dominator. In net for the Detroit Red Wings, Hasek took control of the regular-season minutes he was given.
Hasek was able to share the William M. Jennings Trophy with Chris Osgood—the Red Wings' second goaltender—thanks to his efforts.
Detroit would eventually win the Stanley Cup at the conclusion of the 2007-08 season behind Osgood alone. However, had Hasek not been in the mix, who knows if this team would have even gotten there.
Somehow, the 43-year-old managed to resemble his former Hall of Fame self whenever Detroit needed him the most.
Ted Williams
5 of 7
There aren't many baseball players out there who can compare themselves to Ted Williams.
For 19 years, Williams was the heart and soul of the Boston Red Sox. His numbers were staggering. Williams led the MLB in runs batted in four times, walks on eight occasions and batting average for six seasons.
The fact Williams was able to keep his numbers up, even at the age of 41, was perfect.
When 1960 came rolling in, it was time for the Splendid Splinter to take his final bow. For the season, he hit 29 home runs and 72 RBI, and batted .316 on the year.
His last at-bat was the culmination of a lustrous career. Williams hit a home run deep into the Red Sox bullpen and was never heard from again.
Kobe Bryant
6 of 7
Kobe Bryant gave Los Angeles Lakers fans exactly what they wanted. The Black Mamba's final dance proved to be a microcosm of Bryant's career in a span of 42 minutes.
The Lakers weren't going to let anyone touch the ball in a meaningful way besides Bryant. That became abundantly clear early on against the Utah Jazz.
Bryant shot his heart out, drilling 22 out of 50 field-goal attempts. The result of all that scoring was 60 beautiful points and a Lakers win to go along with it.
The Staples Center crowd witnessed Bryant's final moments. It was a pure throwback game of sorts for the NBA's No. 3 all-time leading scorer.
Derek Jeter
7 of 7
Derek Jeter's final at-bat in Major League Baseball ended with an RBI. Even more fitting, Jeter laced that RBI in front of the faithful supporters of Fenway Park.
Twenty years in baseball turned Jeter into a household name for the Bronx Bombers. He won five World Series titles during his tenure and registered 3,465 hits.
Despite undergoing his fair share of struggles in 2014—such as a .256 average—Jeter left baseball lacing clutch hit after clutch hit. Before his final RBI in Boston, the Yankees captain also hit a walk-off single in Yankee Stadium, driving the fans into hysteria.
One thing is for certain: There isn't a single sports fan in the New York area who will ever forget about Derek Jeter.
All stats and information via Sports-Reference.com unless noted otherwise.
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