Is Todd Gurley Still In The NFL?

Once a dominant force in the NFL, Todd Gurley’s career has taken a turn for the worse in recent years. Is he still in the league?

Todd Gurley’s History in the NFL

Todd Gurley was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He was considered to be one of the best running backs in the draft. Gurley had a great rookie season and was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He was also named to the Pro Bowl. In his second season, Gurley struggled with injuries and did not have as much success. The Rams then released Gurley in 2019.

Gurley’s Time with the Rams

Todd Gurley was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 2015 and spent four seasons with the team. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 2017 and 2018, and was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2017 after leading the league in rushing yards (1,305) and touchdowns (13).

Gurley’s production dipped in 2019 as he battled a knee injury, but he still managed to run for 857 yards and 12 touchdowns in 13 games. The Rams released Gurley in 2020 after he failed a physical, making him a free agent.

Gurley’s Time with the Falcons

Gurley began his professional career with the Atlanta Falcons in 2015. He was drafted by the team in the first round of the NFL Draft. He played four seasons with the Falcons, rushing for 3,843 yards and 42 touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl twice and was named a first-team All-Pro in 2016. Gurley also had 1,444 receiving yards and 10 touchdown receptions during his time with the Falcons.

In 2019, Gurley was released by the Falcons after they signed free agent running back Devonta Freeman. Gurley subsequently signed with the New England Patriots, but was released before the start of the season.

Gurley’s Current Status in the NFL

After being released by the Los Angeles Rams in March, Todd Gurley remains a free agent. The Rams made the decision to release Gurley due to his large cap number and declining production. Gurley struggled with injuries last season and only played in 14 games. In those 14 games, Gurley only had 857 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. His production has clearly declined since his 2018 All-Pro season.

Gurley’s Retirement

On January 26, 2021, it was reported that Gurley had filed paperwork with the NFL to officially retire from the league. Gurley had been released by the Falcons just two days prior after spending only one season with the team. In his seven seasons in the NFL, Gurley accumulated over 7,500 rushing yards and 70 touchdowns. He was a Pro Bowl selection in four of those seven seasons and was named a First-Team All-Pro twice.

Gurley’s Comeback

The St. Louis Rams selected Todd Gurley with the tenth overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. He was considered a top-10 talent, but there were concerns about his surgically-repaired knee, which he hurt during his final season at the University of Georgia. Gurley missed the first three games of his rookie season as he continued to recover, but he quickly established himself as one of the best running backs in the league. He was named Offensive Rookie of the Year after rushing for 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns in just 13 games.

Gurley had an even better sophomore season, rushing for 1,305 yards and 13 touchdowns while also catching 43 passes for 427 yards and four touchdowns. He was named first-team All-Pro and helped lead the Rams to an NFC West title. Gurley struggled a bit in 2017, rushing for just 885 yards and six touchdowns, but he rebounded in a big way last season. He rushed for 1,251 yards and 17 touchdowns while also catching 59 passes for 580 yards and four more touchdowns. Gurley was once again named first-team All-Pro and was a key player on a Rams team that advanced to the Super Bowl.

Gurley signed a four-year extension with the Rams before last season that made him one of the highest-paid running backs in the league. However, his production dropped off sharply down the stretch last season, leading to speculation that he might be injured. Gurley missed the final two games of the regular season and then sat out most of the Rams’ playoff run, including their Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots. His absence fueled speculation that he might be facing a serious knee injury, but Gurley has denied that this is the case.

Despite Gurley’s assurances that he is healthy, there are still some concerns about his long-term viability in the NFL. Running backs have a short shelf life in general, and Gurley has already had two major knee injuries in his young career. Only time will tell if he will be able to return to form or if his days as one of the league’s elite running backs are behind him.