Brett Davis – USA TODAY Sports
Two legendary defensive players made decisions that will affect their legacies this week – Brian Urlacher and Charles Woodson. One decided to hang up his cleats after 13 seasons with one team, the other decided to return to his first team. To the surprise of many football fans, Woodson signed on to return to the Oakland Raiders for the first time since 2005.
There were several teams rumored to be interested in the veteran defensive back, but in the end, it seemingly came down to the Raiders and Denver Broncos. I thought for sure he’d sign with Denver and give himself a shot at another ring, but that’s not what went down. Apparently, the reception Woodson received from Raiders’ fans really made an impression on him when he arrived for his visit. You can’t really argue that part of his decision, Oakland definitely wants and needs him more than Denver.
So, does Woodson’s decision to return to his roots, over taking a run at another ring, improve his legacy? It’s hard to say, but if he went to Denver and didn’t win, it would look just like another veteran trying to get a ring before they retire. The Raiders are nowhere near title contention, but in Oakland, he’ll be a star. Fans clearly love him there, and he can still go out on top, but in a different way.
It’s still too early to tell if 2013 will be Woodson’s last year, so it’s also too early to judge if this will improve his legacy. As of right now, this decision makes him look great.
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