In the spirit of Olympic glory, former USA hockey coach Herb Brooks once said, "You were born to be a player. You were meant to be here. This moment is yours."
Eventually, a moment in time gives way to memories. Even the greatest players must step aside because former glory no longer reflects their current abilities.
Monetary factors become the biggest differentiator between continued greatness and those who must move on after falling short of expectations. Some of the league's biggest names own the richest contracts, only to find those deals are based on previous merits.
Nothing can take away a player's past accomplishments, but NFL parity is built upon the salary cap, talent evaluation and constant management (or mismanagement in some cases). Individuals whose play, attitude or presence no longer warrants a hefty price tag are discarded once it becomes sensible to do so.
Few can dictate their circumstances. Some of the greatest of all time didn't finish what they started at their first, second or third stops. More will be shown the door this offseason because their value continues to diminish.
The following stars were born to play the game and meant to be in the NFL. Their moment is no longer theirs, though.
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