Warren Moon: My Family Wanted Me To Quit At 44 Years Old
January 27th, 2022
A Hall of Fame quarterback who played at 44 years old told a timely tale this week on CBS Sports Radio.
Warren Moon finished the 2000 NFL season at that advanced age as a backup for the Kansas City Chiefs. Moon made a start that year, his second with the Chiefs, and had a decision to make in January.
It seems Moon wanted to keep playing. However, his family asked him to quit. Moon explained that during his two seasons in Kansas City, his family was living in Houston. They encouraged him to keep playing when he left the Seahawks and went to the Chiefs for the 1999 season, but Moon said the annual postseason family conversation changed after the 2000 campaign; his loved ones wanted him to hang it up and come home.
Moon obliged.
Yes, this chatter emerged when Moon was asked about the unclear future of Tom Brady.
Of course, it’s a very different story with Brady, who may be the best quarterback in football. He’s no backup, and he lives with his family in South Tampa, not in New England.
Like former Bucs QB Vinny Testaverde, who also played at 44 years old, Moon is blown away by how well Brady is performing rather than just admiring that he’s still on a roster. Moon sounded a bit awestruck by the amount of work it must take to physically thrive in the game like Brady does.
And that might be what drives Brady to retire, the time commitment required — all the stuff fans don’t see — for an old man to have what it takes to perform through a 22-week run to a Super Bowl.
January 27th, 2022 at 9:30 am
Your family also wanted you to stop hitting and choking them while settling sexual assault cases on the side.
That any reputable site gives this man the time of day is sad. This is overly harsh. Moon has a questionable history like many people in society. He is NOT O.J. Simpson or a convicted felon, or convicted of anything that Joe can fine. “Reputable sites,” to use your phrase, and major television networks, are giving Antonio Brown massive airtime and platforms for interviews. Joe would say that Brown’s history is far worse than Moon’s. Again, as mentioned above, Joe is sharing Moon’s take on CBS radio for obvious reasons. Wonder what you think of Ben Roethlisberger being celebrated through his final NFL games? Or Marv Albert returning to mainstream broadcasting?
January 27th, 2022 at 9:33 am
I think John Romano’s column yesterday had the best take (and from my view, most cogent) on Brady’s motivations thus far
January 27th, 2022 at 9:41 am
He’s too good to hang them up…..but, that’s his decision & we will have to live with it…..would love one more year….but if it’s not to be, let’s rebuild our Bucs.
January 27th, 2022 at 9:46 am
One more year to beat Warren Moon/Testaverde record? Oh yeah he’ll play.
January 27th, 2022 at 9:55 am
IMO Brady will not retire until he thinks that he can’t play to his standards, so it will be if he thinks last season did not meet his personal standards of play.
If that is the case he will play until he begins to embarrass himself.
Many many examples in sports.
January 27th, 2022 at 10:09 am
Respectfully, I completely disagree with you Joe, and your comparison to AB is flimsy.
Brown’s history is “far worse?” Really? If anything they’re similar, and your reasoning that the media gives AB airtime so why shouldn’t we give Moon airtime is hollow. Indeed, reputable sites shouldn’t give AB airtime, airing someone going through a mental health breakdown in public should not be fed and egged on in hopes of higher clicks. Let’s call it the Charlie Sheen factor.
Moon is free to say whatever he wants–doesn’t mean sites have to give him a platform for it. Don’t see a lot of Ray Rice in the media these days–do we? Folks can stomach abuse or assault issues as long as they don’t have to see them on video (see: Tyreke Hill).
First, Joe completely respects that you think most of these dudes with bad histories shouldn’t be promoted or celebrated. We can disagree on where that line is. Second, there’s no evidence that Ray Rice wants to be on camera anywhere. So that’s really hard to say.–Joe
January 27th, 2022 at 10:13 am
Right – however Warren Moon played when they still hit the quarterback..
January 27th, 2022 at 10:14 am
I think Tommy plays one more, he’s probably just keeping the front office on its toes so that they make the right moves to keep us competitive.
January 27th, 2022 at 10:33 am
BucBrady. Shut up you don’t know nothing about Moon !! Go talk about what big Ben done you coward!! Lol 😆 🤣
January 27th, 2022 at 10:34 am
I HOPE BRADY RETIRE NOW JUST TO WATCH YOU 😢 😭!! LOL 😆 🤣
January 27th, 2022 at 10:35 am
Excellent point
Jarhead
January 27th, 2022 at 10:42 am
Moon was a crap quarterback by then. Brady is not. Obviously the family dynamic is completely different too. Moon probably felt an obligation due to his noted behaviors. Brady has no such issues.
January 27th, 2022 at 11:11 am
Steve007. Yall need to leave Moon alone about something you don’t even know about. He found not guilty but I get how some of you white people think when it comes to black man getting a not guilty verdict . But when it comes to white people getting a not guilty verdict it’s all good he’s innocent because of not guilty verdict !!
January 27th, 2022 at 11:32 am
@ SB
Plus the NFL didn’t care about concussions back then either.
How many games did Moon play QB while his eggs were totally scrambled…
January 27th, 2022 at 12:03 pm
Oneill, yeah, OJ was found not guilty too. Money talks.
January 27th, 2022 at 12:04 pm
Also I only noted behaviors, nothing about guilt or innocence. And by the way, you surely don’t know about it anymore than I do. Works both ways.
January 27th, 2022 at 12:35 pm
I agree with KingDavid: Romano’s column hit the nail on the head.
He won’t say what his plans are until he is convinced by Licht & Arians, and somewhat by the Glazer family, if they can put together a team Brady thinks can win it all.
FWIW: keeping the body in competitive shape at 25 is a whole different animal than at 45. Brady must have to really grind through some workouts that used to be easy.
January 27th, 2022 at 12:54 pm
It’s coming down to his family. If they want him to hang it up, he’s hanging it up. From what I believe they’ve wanted him to hang it up way before he came here. Yet they let him chase his dream to Tampa where he added another ring, a home SB victory. I’m telling you now it’s his turn to give in to their needs. He’s not coming back chief.
January 27th, 2022 at 2:00 pm
I don’t know how anyone listened to the Tyreek audio and thought “oh that’s fine.” But yet, he’s celebrated.
Just because someone is immoral doesn’t mean they don’t know something or have some insight. The AB media tour is ridiculous, but for the same reason LaVar Ball’s media tour is: he’s obviously trying to build a brand and set a narrative, but worthless media hacks are inviting him on because they have nothing else to talk about.
I still don’t think Brady is going to retire. Winning one more super bowl would be huge for his legacy and further separation from Belichick
January 27th, 2022 at 2:08 pm
Spot on Cobraboy. I’m still athletic at 47 years old but in order for me to stay the same as I was at 27 my entire life would revolve around fitness, nutrition, supplements, sleep, etc…the routine for Brady would suck the life out of most people including current NFL pros.
I don’t understand why every aging athlete doesn’t do exactly what Brady does to extend their careers. It can mean another huge contract. Roethlisberger retired today at 39. Perhaps he doesn’t love the game anymore but if he did he probably could have received another $30 million a year contract had he been doing things like Brady does.
January 28th, 2022 at 12:21 am
D-Rome, well that’s just it, isn’t it. Brady doesn’t have magic powers. He’s not even a freak, physically speaking. Nothing he does to stay in shape is beyond the grasp of anyone with the time and money of a professional athlete. But what they don’t have is the compulsive desire to be the best. If they did, there is no reason they couldn’t be in just as good of condition.