How we "go out" is important to us. Existential questions about whether this all "really matters" aside, whether it's within our own lives or when viewing and commenting on the lives of others, "legacy" is a term that stays with us. What legacy do you want to leave behind? In the case of professional athletes, legacy seems to matter the most to the greats. LeBron James may play another 10 years of NBA basketball, but as soon as he stepped into the league and became "King James," his unwritten legacy became a major talking point.
For some superstar athletes, their legacy is partly defined by how they retired. Brett Favre will be remembered for how his Iron Man mentality kept him on the field past his expiration date. On the flip-side, Favre's old NFC North rival Barry Sanders has seen history shape his career as a "what-if?" case, because he quit the game while he was on top. In their latest list, Bleacher Report covers the 10 Best Stars Who Walked Away in Their Prime.
From Michael Jordan to Sandy Koufax, check out their picks here.
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[via Bleacher Report]
