5 NFL legends whose careers were cut short by injuries

The NFL is a brutal league, and we have seen top-tier players retire early for various reasons. Most recently, there has been an uptick in players calling it quits early over concerns for CTE or chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

Over the years, we have seen several players reach an elite level on the gridiron, but their careers were cut short. Some only lasted the average length of one NFL contract (four years) while others got as far as their peak. There's nothing wrong with going out on top and living a healthy retirement, but there are certain players who were some of the best in the NFL and injuries forced them into early retirement.

#1 - Andrew Luck left the Colts without an NFL franchise quarterback by retiring before he was even 30

Andrew Luck was viewed as one of the most talented young quarterbacks in the NFL when he was drafted as the number one pick in 2012. He went to three straight Pro Bowls to start off his career and was seen as the new franchise player for the Indianapolis Colts, replacing the void left by Peyton Manning.

He set the rookie record for most passing yards with 4,374 and was on the verge of making the Colts a serious Super Bowl contender as he entered his prime. Several injuries hampered Luck throughout his career, and a lower-body injury convinced him it was time to hang it up. Luck stunned the world when he retired after the 2018 season after just six seasons.

#2 - Gale Sayers had a Hall of Fame career after just seven seasons with Bears

Gale Sayers is known to many as one of the best running backs from the 60s. He was a top-five pick in 1965 and spent his entire career with the Chicago Bears. The 1965 Rookie of the Year set a league record with 22 total touchdowns in a season (including six in one game). He earned First-Team All-Pro honors in each of his first five seasons.

Running backs tend to get plenty of wear and tear on their bodies, and many don't last longer than nine seasons. Sayers lasted seven and won the rushing title twice in that span. While he played seven seasons, Sayers also only played in nine games in 1968 and a total of four over his last two years in the league. Knee injuries started to pile up, and he retired during the 1972 preseason after fumbling twice on three carries. More importantly, Sayers was still able to make it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame at the age of 34, the youngest to ever make it.

#3 - Luke Kuechly was the most recent NFL star to quit before reaching 30

Luke Kuechly was one of the few highlights for the Carolina Panthers in the 2010s. He was the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year and made seven Pro Bowls in his career. As a middle linebacker, concussions were always a high risk for Kuechly, and he suffered several. He played from 2012 to 2019, leading the NFL in tackles twice.

Just prior to the end of the 2019 season, Kuechly announced his retirement. He never formally stated that concussions were the reason he called it quits, but it's not hard to connect the two. He would transition into a scout for the Panthers post-retirement.

#4 - Terrell Davis' knees gave up on him before he could reach age 30 in the NFL

Terrell Davis carried the Denver Broncos to back-to-back Super Bowl titles in 1998 and 1999. He even won Super Bowl MVP and NFL MVP in his short career. Originally a sixth-round pick in 1995, Davis went from RB6 to starting running back in one offseason. As of today, Davis remains the Broncos' all-time rusher and holds more than 20 franchise records.

After the 1998 season and second Super Bowl win, Davis played three more seasons but only 17 games over that span. His knees started to break down on him, and he ended up needing arthroscopic surgery on both knees. He retired during the 2002 preseason, ending a seven-year career. Davis was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.

#5 - Ickey Woods is one of the NFL's most popular fullbacks in history

Cincinnati Bengals fullback Ickey Woods made a name for himself with his iconic "Ickey Shuffle" celebration dance. As a rookie, he led the NFL with 15 rushing touchdowns and was First-Team All-Pro. Woods would end up having one of the shortest careers on the list, making it just four seasons. His Bengals lost the Super Bowl to the San Francisco 49ers in his rookie year.

In his second year, Woods was already dealing with rough injuries, including a torn ACL. In 1991, he suffered a severe right knee injury that limited him to just 36 carries for the year. He would retire after the season ended and is viewed as one of the NFL's top "one-shot wonders."