Athletes Who Have Come Out of Retirement

These sports stars pushed restart on their careers.

These Sports Stars Pushed Restart on Their Careers - On Monday, Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian ever, announced he is ending his retirement and coming back to swimming, competing in the Arena Grand Prix in Mesa, Arizona, on April 24-26th. Phelps isn't the first athlete to come out of retirement and certainly won't be the last. It's crazy to think that many sports stars, like Michael Jordan and Floyd Mayweather, have come out of retirement twice. Here, BET.com takes a look at athletes who ended their retirement and gave their careers a second wind.  (Photo: FRANCOIS XAVIER MARIT/AFP/GettyImages)

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These Sports Stars Pushed Restart on Their Careers - On Monday, Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian ever, announced he is ending his retirement and coming back to swimming, competing in the Arena Grand Prix in Mesa, Arizona, on April 24-26th. Phelps isn't the first athlete to come out of retirement and certainly won't be the last. It's crazy to think that many sports stars, like Michael Jordan and Floyd Mayweather, have come out of retirement twice. Here, BET.com takes a look at athletes who ended their retirement and gave their careers a second wind.  (Photo: FRANCOIS XAVIER MARIT/AFP/GettyImages)

Michael Jordan Comes Out of Retirement Twice - When it comes to athletes coming out of retirement, none did it better than Michael Jordan...well, at least the first time around. More than halfway through the 1994-95 NBA season, Jordan announced that he was back. Although his Chicago Bulls lost to the Orlando Magic in the playoffs that year, Jordan used the experience as a test run and set up for the Bulls' second three-peat, which included a 72-10 record, the best single-season record in league history, in his first full year back. Although he would come back again in 2001 to play for the Washington Wizards, his second second wind wasn't as memorable as it was marred by his weary knees.(Photos from left: Joe Patronite / Getty Images, TIM SLOAN/AFP/Getty Images)

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Michael Jordan Comes Out of Retirement Twice - When it comes to athletes coming out of retirement, none did it better than Michael Jordan...well, at least the first time around. More than halfway through the 1994-95 NBA season, Jordan announced that he was back. Although his Chicago Bulls lost to the Orlando Magic in the playoffs that year, Jordan used the experience as a test run and set up for the Bulls' second three-peat, which included a 72-10 record, the best single-season record in league history, in his first full year back. Although he would come back again in 2001 to play for the Washington Wizards, his second second wind wasn't as memorable as it was marred by his weary knees.(Photos from left: Joe Patronite / Getty Images, TIM SLOAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Magic Johnson Returns to Lakers - At 36, Magic Johnson rejoined the Los Angeles Lakers during the final 32 games of the 1995-96 NBA season. The Lakers went 22-10 in games Johnson played and he averaged 14.6 points, 6.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game. Not bad! The Lakers wound up losing to the Houston Rockets in the first round of that season's playoffs. (Photo: Getty Images)

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Magic Johnson Returns to Lakers - At 36, Magic Johnson rejoined the Los Angeles Lakers during the final 32 games of the 1995-96 NBA season. The Lakers went 22-10 in games Johnson played and he averaged 14.6 points, 6.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game. Not bad! The Lakers wound up losing to the Houston Rockets in the first round of that season's playoffs. (Photo: Getty Images)

Muhammad Ali - It’s sad, but true…Muhammad Ali fought well past his prime, prompting the tough question of whether “The Greatest” would have been in better health today if he would have retired earlier? Ali, 33 at the time, could have made his 1975 TKO win over Joe Frazier or his 15-round decision victory over Ken Norton in 1976 his last fight. However, he kept fighting, with back-to-back 15-round bouts against Leon Spinks in 1978 and the hard-to-watch 1980 fight against Larry Holmes, in which Ali’s pride held him up through a merciless beating at the hands of the younger boxer. Ali’s 1981 loss to Trevor Berbick served as his last fight. He was 39. (Photo: The Ring Magazine/Getty Images)

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Muhammad Ali Attempts Two Comebacks - After winning a controversial decision over Ken Norton in 1976, Muhammad Ali announced he was retiring to practice Islam, but it was shortlived as he returned eight months later to defeat Alfredo Evangelista. After avenging a loss to Leon Spinks in September 1978, Ali announced his retirement again. Just two years later, though, he'd return to the ring against Larry Holmes, who gave him a beating in what turned out to be his second-to-last match. Still the greatest, though! (Photo: The Ring Magazine/Getty Images)

Ricky Williams Retires and Comes Back in One Year - When Ricky Williams was rumored to have failed a third drug test in 2004, he retired before his official retirement announcement was scheduled to take place. But after sitting out the 2004 season, Williams returned in 2005 and proved to be quite serviceable for the Miami Dolphins ground game. (Photo:  Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

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Ricky Williams Retires and Comes Back in One Year - When Ricky Williams was rumored to have failed a third drug test in 2004, he retired before his official retirement announcement was scheduled to take place. But after sitting out the 2004 season, Williams returned in 2005 and proved to be quite serviceable for the Miami Dolphins ground game. (Photo:  Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

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Floyd Mayweather Successfully Comes Back Twice - Floyd Mayweather pulled the plug on his career after scoring a definitive win over Oscar De La Hoya in May 2007, citing there was nothing left for him to prove. By the end of the year, though, Mayweather had changed his mind, returning to knock out Ricky Hatton that December. Following that fight, Mayweather again said he was done and again returned, this time nearly two years later to defeat Juan Manuel Marquez in September 2009. Money Mayweather has been fighting steadily since. Not to mention, he's still undefeated!(Photos from left: GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images, Eric Jamison/Getty Images)

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Floyd Mayweather Successfully Comes Back Twice - Floyd Mayweather pulled the plug on his career after scoring a definitive win over Oscar De La Hoya in May 2007, citing there was nothing left for him to prove. By the end of the year, though, Mayweather had changed his mind, returning to knock out Ricky Hatton that December. Following that fight, Mayweather again said he was done and again returned, this time nearly two years later to defeat Juan Manuel Marquez in September 2009. Money Mayweather has been fighting steadily since. Not to mention, he's still undefeated!(Photos from left: GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images, Eric Jamison/Getty Images)

Brett Favre Ends Retirement Twice - Brett Favre informed the Green Bay Packers that he was retiring in 2008, but came back that same year to play quarterback for the New York Jets. Then in February 2009, Favre informed the Jets that he was done with the game only to officially sign with the Minnesota Vikings that same year. Favre enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career in 2009, passing for over 4,000 yards and 33 touchdowns. Great career. (Photos from left: Al Pereira/Getty Images, Rob Tringali/SportsChrome/Getty Images)

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Brett Favre Ends Retirement Twice - Brett Favre informed the Green Bay Packers that he was retiring in 2008, but came back that same year to play quarterback for the New York Jets. Then in February 2009, Favre informed the Jets that he was done with the game only to officially sign with the Minnesota Vikings that same year. Favre enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career in 2009, passing for over 4,000 yards and 33 touchdowns. Great career. (Photos from left: Al Pereira/Getty Images, Rob Tringali/SportsChrome/Getty Images)

Allen Iverson Ends Career in Philadelphia - After publicly stating that he'd rather retire than come off the bench for the Detroit Pistons, Allen Iverson decided to continue his NBA career with the Memphis Grizzlies, but again didn't want to come off the bench. That led to the Answer only playing three games in Memphis before bolting town for Philadelphia during the same season to end his career in the city he started it. But after playing 25 games, Iverson mysteriously didn't return after missing the All-Star Break. A.I., the answer and enigma.(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

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Allen Iverson Ends Career in Philadelphia - After publicly stating that he'd rather retire than come off the bench for the Detroit Pistons, Allen Iverson decided to continue his NBA career with the Memphis Grizzlies, but again didn't want to come off the bench. That led to the Answer only playing three games in Memphis before bolting town for Philadelphia during the same season to end his career in the city he started it. But after playing 25 games, Iverson mysteriously didn't return after missing the All-Star Break. A.I., the answer and enigma.(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Deion Sanders - Like his former teammate Emmitt Smith, Deion Sanders was serviceable in his two years with the Baltimore Ravens from 2004-05. But we must say that his presence didn't really help or hurt the Ravens. He was just there — past his prime. Still one of the best, though.(Photo: David Maxwell/Getty Images)

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Deion Sanders Ends Four-Year Football Retirement - It's not easy to return to football after a four-year layoff. Deion Sanders, wearing 37 to match his age at the time, signed on with the Baltimore Ravens in 2004 and actually wound up having two serviceable seasons. He wasn't Primetime, but at least he had a good time.(Photo: David Maxwell/Getty Images)

George Foreman Becomes Oldest Heavyweight Champion in Second Comeback - Big George Foreman's two comebacks were notoriously highlighted by his stunning 10th-round knockout of Michael Moorer, then 26, making Foreman the oldest heavyweight champion ever at 45. That took place in November 1994, the same year Foreman started slinging his Lean, Mean, Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine. It must work!  (Photo: Holly Stein / Getty Images)

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George Foreman Becomes Oldest Heavyweight Champion in Second Comeback - Big George Foreman's two comebacks were notoriously highlighted by his stunning 10th-round knockout of Michael Moorer, then 26, making Foreman the oldest heavyweight champion ever at 45. That took place in November 1994, the same year Foreman started slinging his Lean, Mean, Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine. It must work!  (Photo: Holly Stein / Getty Images)

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Roger Clemens Returns to Mound With Houston Astros - Roger Clemens announced his retirement in early 2003 to be effective at the season's end, but had a change of heart the following year when he signed on to pitch with the Houston Astros. After two solid seasons in H-town, Clemens again ditched retirement plans to play for the New York Yankees in 2007, about a year before his name and career began to be infamously aligned with performance-enhancing drugs. (Photo: Mike Ehrmann/WireImage)

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Roger Clemens Returns to Mound With Houston Astros - Roger Clemens announced his retirement in early 2003 to be effective at the season's end, but had a change of heart the following year when he signed on to pitch with the Houston Astros. After two solid seasons in H-town, Clemens again ditched retirement plans to play for the New York Yankees in 2007, about a year before his name and career began to be infamously aligned with performance-enhancing drugs. (Photo: Mike Ehrmann/WireImage)

Felix Tito Trinidad Tries Two Comebacks - Felix "Tito" Trinidad's first comeback ended well in the form of an eighth-round knockout of Ricardo Mayorga in 2004. Trinidad's second comeback out of retirement, though, didn't end so well, with him losing a unanimous decision to Roy Jones Jr. in 2008 in what turned out to be Trinidad's last bout ever. (Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images)

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Felix Tito Trinidad Tries Two Comebacks - Felix "Tito" Trinidad's first comeback ended well in the form of an eighth-round knockout of Ricardo Mayorga in 2004. Trinidad's second comeback out of retirement, though, didn't end so well, with him losing a unanimous decision to Roy Jones Jr. in 2008 in what turned out to be Trinidad's last bout ever. (Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images)