You will forever be my teammate. At the time, I, along with the other nine guys on the field, gave our all to protect and keep your reign alive. We watched you go from talented… to exciting… to extraordinary… to a legend. All the while, we encouraged you because we believed you felt as we did. We shared the thoughts that the honors you received were being accepted by you as acknowledgements’ of team efforts.

Feeling that you saw yourself as one of us and never the proverbial “I” in team. This was evident because we never heard you claim your individual success, but instead respectfully distributed the accolades to deserving teammates. As a team, we stood by you through the thick and the thicker. We argued feverishly in your defense about your reluctance to play or not to play. We took positions of understanding as you crossed over to the Dark Purple side to chase another ring. Out of respect, we even chose the high road and refused to strike back as you cut our legs from under us and proclaimed the Purple People were the “Most talented team you EVER…” And their Super Bowl Trophy case is still empty. I believe you get the point.

You will forever be an All-Pro, Pro Bowl starter, Super Bowl winning, three-time MVP quarterback and a team leader. A household name and animated icon in the business of professional football. None of these honors will or can ever be taken from you.

That being said… it's time.

It is time for you to be a man and let the game belong to the young. It’s not an sin to let go of the past. It may sound cliché, but every record eventually will fall. Just like, in time, every mountain will erode. So… I say, stop making comments that show the public that you may not be the guy we grew up with and loved for being simple, honest and fair. Enjoy that fact that you built up such a legacy that the league uses you for comparison for all quarterbacks. Relish the fact that young QB’s inspire to have a throw, run or fake be considered Favre-esqe by James Brown or the great Boomer. They say impersonation is the sincerest form of flattery. Embrace it

So tell Bus or whoever your PR person is to decline requests for comment. Don’t say another word unless it’s a compliment to the young men who are trying to live out their dreams. Celebrate the success of an organization that gave you a platform you once embraced and in turn made you a God for many. Lose the ego and don’t let a game define your existence. We can always look back and remember the good chapters of our lives, but we all must eventually turn the page.