Retiring the way he did surely leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Without question, he was hurt; maybe he needed some time away to heal body and mind.
But simply retiring because football was no longer fun marked him as a dilettante. It told us that he didn’t have the fire, the zeal, the innate drive to compete and succeed that are the mark of greatness. Simply put, he was a dabbler whose innate skill and intellect allowed him to excel. He was a rare talent who could elevate everyone around him.
With him in the saddle, a bad team became a playoff contender. A good team might have won a championship, and with an elite supporting cast, he might have forged a dynasty.
As it played out, he took the money, bailed on the Colts, stayed home until he got bored, then signed up for a job for which he has no visible qualification save for his name.
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