While some athletes retire too soon, others refuse to call it quits, even when everyone and everything is telling them to throw in the towel. Whether it was due to their unkillable competitive natures or a desire to finally win a championship, these famous athletes retired too late.

As Deion Sanders once said,

"They don't pay nobody to be humble. Some people will come out to see me do well. Some people will come out to see me get run over. But love me or hate me, they're going to come out."

The fifth overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft, Sanders quickly earned his nickname "Prime Time" for being a lockdown defender and an electrifying kick returner. During his 11 seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, and Dallas Cowboys, he won two Super Bowl rings, was selected to eight Pro Bowls, and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1994. He was simply one of the greatest to ever play the game.

In 2000, Sanders cashed in when the Washington Redskins signed him to a 7-year, $56 million dollar contract. He abruptly retired one year later after a subpar season and stayed retired for three years before signing a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens at the age of 37. After his first practice, he told reporters,

"I prepare to win, I prepare to dominate, I prepare to conquer. I prepare to win it all, and that's one of the reasons I'm here."

But by 2006, Sanders officially retired for good after only starting six games during his time with the Ravens and missing the playoffs two years in a row. Keep watching to learn about more Famous Athletes Who Retired Too Late!

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Deion Sanders | 0:00

Chris Chelios | 1:42

Patrick Ewing | 2:45

Shaquille O'Neal | 3:47

Jerry Rice | 4:58

Michael Schumacher | 6:12

Brett Favre | 7:12

Michael Jordan | 8:22

Karl Malone | 9:30

Muhammad Ali | 10:37