Top athletes who retired in 2017

A possible future Hall of Famer, Beltran went out on top with the Astros by winning the World Series. He was a part-time DH in his final season and finished his career with 435 home runs and nine All-Star appearances.

One of the greatest goalkeepers ever, Buffon called it quits from soccer in 2017. The Italian National Team keeper was also a longtime member of Parma and Juventus.

Cain had a solid 13-year career with the Giants, though it did start to go off the rails over the last five seasons. He still made three All-Star appearances and threw at least 200 innings six times.

Doan completed his 21-year career with the Coyotes in 2016-17. He retired with 972 career points, including 402 goals.

Elias officially called it quits this year, finishing his career with 1,025 points and 408 goals. His best season was 2000-01 with New Jersey, when he had a league-best plus-45 plus-minus.

Forsett was a late bloomer at running back in Baltimore. He rushed for 1,266 yards in 2014, also making the Pro Bowl. His career ended with nine games and three teams in 2016.

2017 wasn't the first time Harvin hung up his cleats, but this time it's likely for good. He finished his career with more than 4,000 receiving yards after playing two games for Buffalo last season.

A five-time singles Grand Slam winner, Hingis retired for the third time this year. Including doubles, she won 25 Grand Slams during her career.

Johnson had quite the career over 12 NFL seasons, finishing with 1,062 receptions for 14,185 yards and 70 touchdowns. He was an All-Pro twice in Houston and made seven Pro Bowls.

Affectionately nicknamed "Pot Roast," Knighton didn't play in a game during 2016 and called it quits officially this year. The big defensive tackle played seven seasons for the Jaguars, Broncos and Redskins.

A very solid NBA player over 12 seasons, Lee made two All-Star appearances and averaged more than 20 points per game in both of those seasons. His career concluded with the Spurs following last season.

Laurinaitis had a strong run as the Rams' middle linebacker over seven seasons. He accumulated more than 100 tackles three times and had 16.5 career sacks, finishing off his career with the Saints last season.

Mohammed had a strong 18-year NBA career, finishing with the Thunder in 2015-16. The center played more than 1,000 games, averaging 5.8 points and 4.7 rebounds.

Despite major injuries, Nathan still appeared in 16 MLB seasons. He made six All-Star appearances as a closer, mostly with the Twins, and finished top five in AL Cy Young voting twice. His final appearance came in 2016 with the team that drafted him, San Francisco.

Pierce capped off his 19-year NBA career with the Clippers last season. A 10-time All-Star, Pierce spent most of his career with the Celtics and was the Finals MVP in 2008. He averaged nearly 20 points per game during his career.

A big part of Detroit's 2003-04 championship team, Prince was a four-time All-Defensive player during his 14-year career. That career concluded with Minnesota in 2015-16, averaging 19 minutes per game at age 35.

Romo spent much of his last two seasons injured and handed over the reins at quarterback in Dallas to Dak Prescott last year. While there was speculation he would sign elsewhere in the offseason, Romo accepted a job replacing Phil Simms as CBS's top game analyst this season. He retired as a four-time Pro Bowler, throwing for 248 career touchdowns.

Smith came back for one more season in 2016 after the previous season ended with injury. Over 16 NFL seasons, he had 1,031 receptions for 14,731 yards and 81 touchdowns between Carolina and Baltimore. He made five Pro Bowls during his career.

Tanguay officially retired this year after 16 NHL seasons. Most of his success came early in his career with the Avalanche, making four of his five career All-Star appearances. He played his last games with the Coyotes.

Perhaps the most athletic quarterback ever, Vick helped redefine the position in Atlanta and Philadelphia as a multidimensional player. He made four Pro Bowls, but his career was disrupted for two years as he spent time in prison for dog fighting. He last played as a backup to Ben Roethlisberger with Pittsburgh in 2015.

Ware was a great pass-rusher during his career over 12 seasons. He had 138.5 career sacks between Dallas and Denver, making nine Pro Bowls and being named an All-Pro four times.

Weaver played 12 MLB seasons, with the first 11 coming with the Angels before a short stint with San Diego in 2017. He had a great three years from 2010-12, finishing in the top five in AL Cy Young voting all three seasons. He retired with a 3.63 ERA over 331 starts.

White had a very strong 11-year career with the Falcons, playing his final down in 2015. He finished with 808 receptions for 10,863 yards and 63 touchdowns.

Formerly known as Ron Artest, Metta World Peace played in 17 NBA seasons, concluding as a bench player for the Lakers over the last two years. While perhaps best remembered as the instigator in the "Malice at the Palace" fight, he had a strong career, averaging 13.2 points and being named to the All-Defensive team four times, including winning the 2003-04 Defensive Player of the Year.

Wilfork was a dominant run stuffer over 13 NFL seasons, making five Pro Bowls over a six-season span in New England. His career ended after two seasons with the Texans.