Who Quit The NFL and Why?

Many NFL players have decided to retire early in recent years. Some have cited health concerns, while others have simply lost their passion for the game. Here, we take a look at some of the most notable NFL retirees and explore the reasons behind their decisions.

Introduction

Since the 2016 NFL season ended, a number of big name players have announced their retirement from the sport. Some have cited injuries as a factor while others have given no specific reason beyond simply saying they are stepping away from the game.

Here is a list of some of the most notable retirements:

-Marshawn Lynch: One of the league’s most physical running backs, Lynch announced his retirement in February via Twitter with a simple “Peace out.” Lynch, 29, played nine seasons with the Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks, amassing over 10,000 rushing yards and 84 touchdowns. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and helped lead Seattle to a Super Bowl win in 2014.

-Bishop Sankey: A former second-round pick of the Tennessee Titans, Sankey was let go by the team last year and never caught on with another squad. The 24-year-old running back finishes his career with just over 700 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

-Andre Johnson: A surefire Hall of Famer, Johnson played 14 seasons in the league, amassing over 13,000 receiving yards and 64 touchdowns. The 36-year-old wide receiver spent most of his career with the Houston Texans but finished up with brief stints with the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans.

-Matt Forte: Another running back who called it quits this offseason, Forte leaves the game after 10 seasons in which he piled up over 9700 rushing yards and 54 touchdowns. The 32-year-old also caught over 450 passes for almost 4000 yards and 32 scores throughout his career. He spent time with both the Chicago Bears and New York Jets.

Players Who Quit

In recent years, the NFL has seen a number of players retire early from the sport. Some of these players have cited health concerns, while others have simply lost their love for the game. Let’s take a look at some of the players who have quit the NFL and why they decided to do so.

Johnathan Martin

Since he entered the league in 2012, Johnathan Martin has been one of the most polarizing figures in the NFL. The former Miami Dolphins offensive tackle first made headlines when he quit the team in 2013, amid accusations of bullying from teammates. He was traded to the San Francisco 49ers the following year, but quit that team as well after just one season.

Martin’s story is a complicated one, and his decision to quit the NFL is even more complicated. In an interview with NBC’s Michele Tafoya, Martin opened up about his struggles with mental health and explained that he simply “didn’t feel like [he] belonged in the NFL anymore.” It’s a heartbreaking story, and it’s one that sheds light on a very real issue facing many professional athletes today.

Barry Church

In May 2017, after seven seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, safety Barry Church was released. He signed a four-year, $26 million contract with the Jaguars in March 2016, but struggled in his one season with the team. He was due to make $6.5 million in 2017, but the Jaguars decided to release him after signing safety Tashaun Gipson in free agency.

Church cited a lack of enthusiasm for the game as one of the reasons he decided to retire. “I just kind of lost that love for the game,” he said. “I’m not gonna say I hated it, but I didn’t have that same love for it that I did when I first started playing.”

Church also mentioned concussions as a factor in his decision to retire. He suffered two concussions in 2016, and said he feared for his long-term health if he continued to play. “I don’t want to risk my health anymore,” he said. “I’ve got a beautiful wife and two kids at home, and I want to be able to see them grow up.”

Arian Foster

Arian Foster, former Houston Texans running back, abruptly announced his retirement from the NFL via Twitter on Monday morning, amid reports that he was struggling with a nagging groin injury. “I’ve had all I can take,” Foster wrote in a statement posted to his Twitter account.

Foster, who turns 30 in August, was drafted by the Texans in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He went on to have a decorated career in Houston, making four Pro Bowl appearances and being named First-Team All-Pro in 2010. He also holds the Texans’ franchise records for rushing yards (6,472) and rushing touchdowns (54).

In eight seasons, Foster tallied 6,527 rushing yards and 68 total touchdowns (54 rushing, 14 receiving) in 79 career games (75 starts). He also caught 249 passes for 2,268 yards and 11 touchdowns out of the backfield.

Reasons For Quitting

Mental Health

Nearly one in three retired NFL players said they considered suicide, and nearly 7% of players surveyed reported they had attempted suicide, according to a report released Thursday by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

The study, which is the first of its kind, surveyed more than 1,400 former NFL players and found that those who had sustained concussions during their careers were three times as likely as those who did not to have considered suicide.

The report comes as the NFL is facing increasing scrutiny over its handling of concussions and other head injuries. Earlier this week, a group of former players filed a lawsuit against the league alleging that it failed to protect them from the long-term effects of concussions.

Mental health has long been an issue for athletes, but it has come into sharp focus in recent years as more professionals have opened up about their struggles with depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders.

The findings of the NIOSH study are likely to add to the pressure on the NFL to do more to protect its players from brain injuries.

Physical Health

One of the reasons that some players choose to retire is because of the toll that football takes on their bodies. These athletes are constantly putting their bodies through intense physical activity and they deal with a lot of wear and tear. Over time, this can lead to serious health problems, such as joint pain, chronic headaches, and memory problems. For some players, these health concerns are simply too much to continue playing.

Lack of Enjoyment

Many players who have quit the NFL have said that they stopped enjoying the game at some point during their careers. For some, this was due to the grueling nature of the sport and the toll it took on their bodies. Others said that the business side of the NFL – such as constant media coverage and scrutiny – took away from their enjoyment of playing. Whatever the reason, it’s clear that many players simply stopped enjoying football at some point during their careers.

Conclusion

We have seen that there are a variety of reasons why players may choose to retire from the NFL. Some players may retire due to health concerns, while others may feel that they have accomplished everything they set out to do in the NFL and are ready to move on to the next phase of their lives. Ultimately, the decision to retire from the NFL is a personal one, and we respect each player’s decision to do what is best for them.