Most of us don't realize the extent of the dedication required for pro athletes to do what they do. Oftentimes, when the lights are turned off and they return to what might be left of a "normal life," the world around them and indeed, what's left inside of them has become tragically bereft of what it was before their career finally ended. It's a bit scary, in many cases. It's fair to say there was nothing left of Robin Williams in the end.
I get what you're saying here and it's quite an awakening, when some of us come to realize exactly what it takes to live in the shoes of people like Tom Brady and the sacrifices they have to make to get where they are. Also, it's so draining to maintain that level from whatever might be left of them at the end of their careers and what little is, oftentimes, left of their lives. Most of us are unaware of the toll it takes on some of them.