Well these guys get heavy $$ in their declining years, and a lot of them are spendthrifts. So it’s easy to see why some of them have to be ushered to the exit.
I get that, but it's sad to see. It's always refreshing when someone realizes he can't play that top role and backs off.
Heck, it doesn't have to be sports. Some great actors are reduced to playing caricatures as they age... I'm sure it's partly that they want to be involved, and partly $$$$.