Morgan Ragan: Just Say No to Comebacks

By: Morgan Ragan

Some athletes don't know when to call it quits and just retire from the sport they love.

Some retired athletes just don't know how to say "NO" to a comeback.

Former NBA all-star Tracy McGrady retired after 16 seasons last year. In an email exchange with an NBA insider, he confirmed he's currently working out with Kobe Bryant in hopes of seeing whether his body could handle an NBA comeback next season.

Here are three athletes who should've just said no to a comeback:

1. Michael Jordan

He was the best basketball player in the world and probably the greatest of all-time. After retiring from the Bulls in 1993, Jordan made a comeback to the NBA in 1995. He made his second retirement in 1998 after winning three more NBA Championships.

Retiring on a high wasn't enough for Jordan and he made the mistake of a second comeback to the NBA in 2001 where he joined the Washington Wizards and was nothing like the Jordan people once knew.

2. Brett Favre 

Super Bowl champion Brett Favre retired from the NFL in 2008. There were talks of his retirement as early as the 2006 season. Favre didn't want to play anymore and told the media he was capable of still playing but didn't think he really wanted to anymore.

Months after retiring Favre filed for reinstatement with the NFL and played for three more season (New York Jets: 2008 and Minnesota Vikings: 2009-2010). He put some big numbers up for a comeback but father time and injuries caught up to him and he didn't even play his final game of his career due to a concussion.

3. Muhammad Ali

In 1979 the greatest boxer alive retired. After 59 fights and only three defeats, Ali finished as none other than the best.

He returned from retirement a year later at 38 years old. He lost back-to-back fights to Larry Holmes, who gave him his first ever TKO. He lost one more fight to Trevor Berbick and retired in 1981 finishing his overall career 56-5.

JUST SAY NO:

Not all comebacks are terrible but if you have the opportunity to end your career on a high note, do it!