He did have talent, but if you look at his combine/workout numbers...they are not eye popping like many of the combine freaks are. All the best have talent, smarts, and work ethic. What he was able to do in his 40s, he holds all the records after 40. He had two 1k seasons at 39 and 40, no other WR has 1k after 36. He came back from a ACL tear within 9 months after he turned 35 years old. You know this is the era where ACl was a career derail-er and it took most mortal men took a full 12 months and they were never the same. Only two other players have made catches at that age (40) and neither one was a wide receiver. LOL at Tom being one of them....
I also read or heard, he would have still played if not for ST. He was going to play for the broncos in 2006, I think he would have been 44???, he earned a spot as the #4-6 but the numbers game of having WRs play ST ended his career. He could still get open and play, just no sense in having the GOAT run head first into a wedge on KO duties.....