Players With the Best Final Seasons in Sports History

Two-time Super Bowl champion Roger Staubach had already established himself as an NFL legend by 1979. But he played his best football in his final season, racking up 3,586 pass yards and 27 touchdowns that season — both career highs.

For his first seven seasons, Jamir Miller was a solid outside linebacker, totaling 23 sacks. But his eighth and final season was spectacular. Miller amassed 13 sacks and 22 tackles for loss — both figures more than double any of his previous seasons. Unfortunately, Miller tore his Achilles the following preseason and had to end his career.

First baseman Will Clark played his best baseball in his 15th and final season. He played well for the Baltimore Orioles, hitting over .300. But the team decided to trade him to the St. Louis Cardinals mid-season. There, he hit .345 and helped the Cards secure a playoff berth. Altogether, Clark posted a .964 OPS in 2000, the best of his career.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Syl Apps saved his best season for last. The Hall of Famer set a career high for points that season with 53 in just 55 games — 26 goals and 27 assists. He also led the league in power play goals with 11. His offensive prowess helped the Maple Leafs win their second straight Stanley Cup.

Tarik Glenn was a key piece of the Indianapolis Colts 2006 Super Bowl season. He protected Peyton Manning’s blindside for all 20 regular and postseason games, earning a Pro Bowl nod and retiring as a champion.

Norm Van Brocklin had arguably the most successful final season of all time. He tossed a career-high 24 touchdowns en route to his only NFL MVP award. Van Brocklin led the Philadelphia Eagles to a 10-2 record and the NFL Championship.

After seeing his ERA rise throughout his 30s, Mussina turned back the clock at age 39, posting a 3.37 ERA and winning 20 games for the first time in his career. Moose led the AL with 34 starts, threw over 200 innings, finished sixth in Cy Young voting, and won a Gold Glove as the AL’s best defensive pitcher.

Rudy LaRusso was a solid player for the Lakers franchise throughout the early 1960s. But after moving to San Francisco to play with the Warriors, he benefited from the change of scenery. In his final NBA season, LaRusso earned his fifth All-Star nod, averaging 8.3 rebounds and 20.7 points per game — just his second ever 20-point season.

NFL running backs tend to have a short shelf life, so Robert Smith’s breakout season coming at age 28 is a rarity. Drafted in the first round in 1993, Smith was hampered by injuries for much of his early career. Finally, in 2000, Smith started all 16 games for the Minnesota Vikings, amassing career highs with 1,521 rush yards and seven touchdowns.

Even at 31, Tiki Barber showed he was a terrific NFL running back. He ran for over 1,600 yards that season and added nearly 500 more receiving yards that year. He called it quits after the 2006 season, but he perhaps should have held on for one more — the New York Giants won the Super Bowl the year after.

Ken Dryden was at times unbeatable in his final season as goalie for the Montreal Canadiens. He led the NHL with a 2.30 goals against average and recorded a league-high five shutouts that season. Dryden’s great netminding continued into the playoffs, where he helped the Habs lift their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup. Dryden was also honored with the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie.

New York Knicks legend Dave DeBusschere posted his best shooting season in his final season. His 46.1% field goal percentage and 75.6% free throw percentage were both career highs. His 18.1 points per game fell just short of a career high.

In his 20th season, Jean Beliveau was able to have one of the best of his Hall of Fame career. He tallied 76 points in 70 games — the most he had played in 15 years. Beliveau registered 51 assists, his highest total in a decade. He was able to rely on his experience in the playoffs, notching an NHL-high 16 assists to propel the Canadiens to another Stanley Cup — Beliveau’s 10th.

Jim Brown led the NFL in just about every rushing category possible in his final season in 1965 — yards, attempts, touchdowns, yards per game, and more. Brown likely could have kept dominating NFL defenses, but he decided to go into acting and starred in “The Dirty Dozen” in the offseason. After Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell began fining him for missing training camp, Brown retired.

It’s rare that pro athletes play into their 40s. But having a player like David Ortiz being arguably the best hitter in the majors at that age is unprecedented. Big Papi led the AL with 48 doubles, 127 RBIs, and a 1.021 OPS. No batter has ever put together a better final season.

Hall of Famer George Yardley had his best ever shooting season — hitting 45.3% of his shots — in his final season. Yardley also racked up 20.2 points per game. This early NBA legend made his sixth and final All-Star appearance on the strength of this season, which was one of the most valuable and productive final years of any player in NBA history.

After years of falling short in the playoffs with the Boston Bruins, Ray Bourque was finally able to lift the Stanley Cup as a member of the Colorado Avalanche in his final season. The defenseman had a resurgent 59-point season at age 40, making his 19th All-Star team. Bourque even notched the game-winning goal in game 3 of the 2001 NHL Finals.

Bobby Boyd’s final season cemented his legacy as one of the great ball hawks of the 1960s, intercepting eight passes. Boyd earned his third All-Pro designation and was one of the most valuable players in the league that 1968 NFL season. Unfortunately for Boyd, his Baltimore Colts lost in the Super Bowl to the New York Jets that season.

Wilt Chamberlain’s final season was historic. The Lakers center scored 72.7% of his shots — an NBA record. Chamberlain played in all 82 games and averaged 13.2 points per game, a good total but his career low. Wilt the Stilt was still the best rebounder in the game at 36, averaging 18.6 boards per game, still tops in the NBA.

Sandy Koufax battled through a severely arthritic elbow to put together the greatest final season in sports history. The Dodgers great led the MLB with 27 wins, a 1.73 ERA, 323 innings pitched, and 317 strikeouts. He helped the Dodgers reach the World Series, but the team’s offense was shut out three times by the opposing Baltimore Orioles in a sweep. Doctors warned Koufax he could severely damage his arm if he kept pitching, so Koufax was forced to retire.