The last few weeks have seen a flurry of athlete retirement news, from New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu to Buffalo Bills linebacker Lorenzo Carter. For many athletes, deciding when to hang up their cleats is an important decision that requires careful planning. But just because they’ve retired doesn’t mean they can’t “un-retire” and come back better than ever.
Athlete retirement can be a challenging transition, from juggling training and competition with family and work to budgeting for elite training and equipment that can cost thousands of dollars each month. For some, it can also be difficult to find their identity outside of their sport, especially if they retire at a young age. A recent survey conducted by the British Elite Athletes Association (BEAA) found that half of Olympians and Paralympians say they don’t feel prepared for life after sport.
But for some athletes, it’s not always about the money or fame, and it can be about a desire to prove that they have something left to give. Some, like Olympic diver Tom Daley, who came out of retirement just two years after winning a silver medal in Rio, and rower Helen Glover, who won gold in Tokyo after initially retiring, have even made the U-turn to come back for another shot at glory. Here, four more athletes who thought they were ready to throw in the towel, but ended up “un-retiring” and coming back better than ever.