It’s (Not) Time to Hang Up Your Cleats

by Jeff Weiss

While I consider myself an avid sports fan, I must admit that professional football ranks fairly low on my list of things to follow or watch either in person or on television. It just doesn’t do it for me.

However, there is one time a year when I am more likely to take greater interest: You guessed it – The Super Bowl! And I am particularly interested in watching this year’s game not because I am a Rams or Patriots fan, but because it really represents a battle of the ages.

First there are the quarterbacks. Tom Brady, who undoubtedly will go down as one of the greatest QBs of all time, is 41 years of age. He will go up against one of the rising stars of the NFL, Jared Goff, who is a scant 24 years old. Some quick math reveals a 17-year age gap which, in this case, means that Tom could actually be Jared’s father (albeit a relatively young father). As athletes stay healthier for longer periods of time, we may someday actually see a father and son playing in the NFL the same time.

Second are the coaches. There is a 34-year age difference between Bill Belichick and Sean McVay. Sure it is easier to coach as one gets older, however and similar to the quarterback situation, Bill could be Sean’s grandfather. Go figure.

Although some professional athletes try to hang on for a little too long (which can be a sad thing to see), it is great to see that some of our heroes aren’t retiring because their bodies have given out. Look at both Serena Williams and Roger Federer as examples in a sport that I do love to play and watch. Both are playing incredible tennis and neither one looks like they are ready to retire anytime soon.

The bottom line is that Active Agers place high importance on their health and wellness. Gyms across the country are starting to take notice and a relatively new group of trainers has seized this opportunity and become accredited through organizations like the Functional Aging Institute. In fact, you can check out the webinar that I just participated in, where I discussed how you can appeal to Active Aging consumers.

Getting back to the Super Bowl, and despite the fact that I am not a Patriots fan, I must admit that there would be something pretty special if the “old” guys were able to grab another victory.