It’s been a couple of years since a high-profile player publicly wrestled with retirement. Possibly, running back Steven Jackson will be the latest star player to pull a Favre.
Jackson, 29, mused about calling it quits in comments to reporters on Thursday.
“I’ve always thought about it from day one,” Jackson said, via comments distributed by the team. “I’ve always thought about what my exit strategy is going to be. If I had to write my story, I’d rather go out like Barry Sanders -- wanting people to want more than to leave too late.”
So could this be the year that Jackson makes like Jerry Seinfeld, who called it quits after nine years.
“Maybe this last one,” Jackson said regarding when he could retire. “Those hits hurt.”
But Jackson also suggested that he wants to continue to play for the Rams. “What Coach Fisher has brought to this organization, the credibility that going on in the future, I definitely see a very bright future for this organization, and why wouldn’t I want to be a part of that?” Jackson said.
So chances are he’ll be back with the Rams, if the two sides can work out a contract that properly reflects the value of a tailback who come next season will be on the wrong side of 30, which for running backs is the same thing as being on the wrong side of 90.
Still, Jackson could be entering the will-he-or-won’t-he portion of his career. For Brett Favre, that phase ended up consuming nearly half of it.