5 NFL players who should retire 

#3 – Josh Norman

Philadelphia Eagles v Washington Redskins

Josh Norman’s NFL career started late so you’d be forgiven for thinking the cornerback should have more left in the tank. He's 34 years old but had his best days with the Carolina Panthers. He was one of the best corners in the NFL and came close to winning the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2015.

What followed was yet another poor choice to change teams, which is becoming a recurring theme on this list. Norman chased the money and signed a lucrative contract with the Washington Commanders and has never been the same since.

He played for a worse team and thus was under more pressure. All of a sudden, he lost the physical edge that made him so effective with the Panthers. The Commanders cut ties with him after four seasons and he ended up in Buffalo. Here things really went downhill.

By this point, Norman had lost some of his speed and could no longer cover receivers effectively. He was gaining a reputation for on-field fights and was then nearly stiff-armed out of the stadium by Derrick Henry.

The San Francisco 49ers gave him one last shot at NFL success. He was part of their run to the NFC Championship in the 2021 season, but his lack of true speed was an issue.

Opposing teams knew he was a potential weakness and he was regularly caught out by lofted passes over the top. The quickest receivers had a field day against him and his contract wasn’t extended. He is now a free agent but has confirmed he is desperate to stay in the NFL to win a Super Bowl. Sadly, this probably isn’t going to happen.

#4 – Cam Newton

Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Carolina Panthers

Cam Newton’s fall from grace seemed to happen overnight. A victim of the rapid changing of the guard in Carolina, Newton found himself without real quality surrounding him. The offense became more and more centered around running back Christian McCaffrey.

After reaching the playoffs just once after the Panthers' Super Bowl defeat, Newton found himself in an awkward spot in New England. He couldn’t replace Tom Brady, but who could? His production levels were no better than average and he was released before the 2021 season.

He is still without a team after his brief return to the Panthers came to an end and the NFL door seems to be closed for him. When the previously 'blacklisted' Colin Kaepernick has a more realistic chance of getting an NFL starting job than you do, there might be a problem.

Newton may simply have to leave football behind. He isn’t going to land in a spot that is beneficial and things can only get worse.

#5 – Tom Brady

NFC Divisional Playoffs - Los Angeles Rams v Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tom Brady makes this list almost pre-emptively. Whilst his initial retirement this offseason lasted around 40 days, the self-confessed NFL-addict is back once more. He will spend another year with the Buccaneers but there is already talk of a move to Miami or San Francisco ahead of the 2023 season.

At 44 years of age, this is madness, Brady is playing a game of chicken with time and he can’t keep winning. Nobody thought the great Peyton Manning would lose his arm strength, but he did. His latter days are remembered not just for his Super Bowl win in Denver, but also wobbly passes which threatened the Denver Broncos’ chances.

Manning’s final year in the NFL was difficult to watch at times. A once great champion throwing ducks that even the average armchair fan thought they could intercept. It would be a shame to see the same happen to Brady, but the longer he plays, the more likely it becomes. Not to mention the risk of an injury.

The 2022 NFL season will be challenging in Tampa, with a new coach taking over and a number of players having left. Brady is expected to overcome all this and lead a team beyond expectations. The seven-time Super Bowl champion really has nothing left to prove, so why does he feel the need to? For his sake he maybe should have stayed retired.