Emerging trend of NFL stars retiring at the height of their careers
In every NFL offseason it is expected that some players will decide it is time to move on and start their lives outside of football by retiring. The 2015 offseason was notable because three players in the prime of their careers retired: Jason Worilds, Jake Locker, and Patrick Willis. Willis was physically the most uncertain of his future, and decided against having surgery on his foot in order to extend his career, which—along with a spiritual awakening—lead to his decision to retire. Meanwhile, Locker was unable to live up to the hype that had been generated about him, thus deciding to go home and move on from his football career. Worilds, having finished his best season to date, was set to make big money playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but decided for unknown reasons to retire.
Fast forward to the 2016 season and the players retiring were among the top echelon of the league: Marshawn Lynch, Peyton Manning, Calvin Johnson, and Heath Miller. This appears to be a growing trend; to see NFL players like Lynch and other running backs retiring at the height of their careers. Lynch joins the ranks of players like Jim Brown and [pullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]I love the game. So you don’t have to wonder if I’ll miss it.[/pullquote]
Barry Sanders, Hall of Fame running backs that retired after nine year careers and at the height of their game. Lynch was an explosive and entertaining player throughout his nine seasons. He was five-time Pro Bowl and one-time All-Pro selection, rushed for 9,112 yards and 74 touchdowns, and was the only NFL player to rush for more than 1,000 yards and scored 10 rushing touchdowns from 2011 to 2014. His retirement comes as a shock, even though he hinted at it for the past two seasons. Financially, Lynch is set as he has saved most of his $50 million contract by living off of endorsements.
Heath Miller and Calvin Johnson were impactful stars who were consistent and influential, making their presence greatly missed. Having created a legacy that includes several franchise records and two Super Bowl wins, tight end Heath Miller retired from his football career after 11 NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. At 33, Miller was a 2005 first-round pick and during his career was a consummate pro garnering 592 receptions, 6,569 yards, and 45 receiving touchdowns—all franchise highs for the tight end position. He is one of four Steelers to catch at least 500 passes; his career catches and yardage totals rank in the top four among tight ends in the period since he was drafted.
Calvin Johnson retired after nine seasons, and can be considered one of the most prolific wide receivers in franchise history, and one of the most talented at the position in NFL history. He has accumulated over 11,000 receiving yards, seven 1,000-yard seasons, and six Pro Bowl invitations. Johnson holds 15 NFL records, including the most receiving yards in a season with 1,964 in 2012.
Peyton Manning will go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. The 39-year-old Manning was a Super Bowl MVP, a 14-time Pro Bowl selection, and a seven-time first-team All-Pro. His teams made the playoffs in 15 of his 18 seasons, and he reached the 4,000-yard passing mark in 14 seasons. He has two Super Bowl wins, his most recent being his last in Super Bowl 50 against the Carolina Panthers.
In his retirement speech, Peyton talked about the enjoyment of playing for 18 years and how grateful he was for getting the opportunity to play. “When someone thoroughly exhausts an experience, they can’t help but revere it. I revere football. I love the game. So you don’t have to wonder if I’ll miss it. Absolutely. Absolutely, I will.”
With Manning and several other NFL star athletes retiring, it is the end of a legacy and the league will have to move on finding success without the them.