Brett Favre has a tough decision to make, but it appears as if commentators and reporters want to make it for him. At the end of his fifteenth season in the NFL, Favre must decide if he will hang up his helmet and cleats or continue a career that has been nothing short of remarkable. However, the question about whether Favre will retire has not been raised by the quarterback himself, but the media who have watched him take the field on Sundays.

 Still Kicking.

Each year, star athletes who are nearing the end of their careers are nagged by reporters about their futures. As a result, a private, personal decision concerning retirement becomes public. In many cases, these athletes are pressured into putting away their jerseys and waving good bye to the fields, courts, stadiums and arenas they once called home. And that is wrong. Players who are past their primes are constantly reminded of Willie Mays dropping a fly ball with the Mets, Johnny Unitas playing out his last days in a Chargers uniform or Rickey Henderson struggling in the minors.

They are told by reporters that they wouldn't want to go out like that. But most of the media and commentators have never been in their shoes. They don't know what it is like to be in their positions or how much these guys really have left in the tank. For every Arnold Palmer, there is a Julio Franco or Roger Clemens. Clemens, who was was believed by former Red Sox General Manager Dan Duquette to be nearing the end of his career in the mid-90s, led the majors in ERA last season. He is hardly a pity case.

Neither is Favre. Favre did not have a good year this season, but it is hard for a quarterback to have success when he has a weak offensive line and an unstable backfield with a group of running backs who keep going down with injuries. Not many signal callers in the NFL would be thriving in that situation, especially some of the younger quarterbacks in the league. Joey Harrington has been nothing short of terrible in his four-year stint with the Detroit Lions. Kyle Boller hasn't been much better with the Balimore Ravens. Nobody is calling for them to retire, even though they have not even come close to reaching the level of success that Favre has.

The only reason why Favre is being forced to answer questions about his future is that he is a veteran and is regarded as one of the best at his position. If Favre's skills have really diminished to the point that he can no longer effectively run the offense, Green Bay would find a way to bench him. It's that simple. Even Knicks center Patrick Ewing was run out of New York. The fact is that Favre is capable of playing and making up his own mind. He does not need outsiders deciding for him. But that is what happens to players who have made an impact on their sport. It is the price they pay for getting old while still being considered great.