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When NFL players retire, it usually means their careers have officially come to an end, but that's not always the case. There have been several examples throughout NFL history of a superstar player announcing their retirement, only to come back later and play football once again. Here are five players who have done exactly that during their careers.
#5 - Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski played the first nine seasons of his career with the New England Patriots, where he went to the Pro Bowl five times and was selected as a first-team All-Pro four times. He announced his retirement during the offseason following the 2018 NFL season and sat out the entire 2019 season.
Prior to the start of the 2020 season, Gronkowski announced that he would be coming out of retirement to essentially join Tom Brady with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played two additional seasons with the Buccaneers before retiring once again during the 2022 NFL offseason. Time will tell if this retirement is permanent.
#4 - Randy Moss
After 13 legendary years as one of the greatest wide receivers of all time with the Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots, Randy Moss announced his retirement following the 2010 NFL season. He will eventually be selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but not before another season.
Moss came out of retirement prior to the 2012 season and signed with the San Francisco 49ers. He played just one year there, recording just 28 receptions for 434 yards and three touchdowns. It was the worst statistical season of his entire career by a fairly wide margin and he retired once again immediately following the conclusion, this time permanently.
#3 - Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Lynch spent the first three seasons of his career with the Buffalo Bills. During his fourth year, he switched teams to the Seattle Seahawks, where he elevated his game. He was selected to four consecutive Pro Bowls while helping the Seahawks win two conference titles and a Super Bowl ring.
Lynch retired at the conclusion of the 2015 season and spent a year away from football. He returned for the 2017 season, but switched teams once again to the Oakland Raiders, where he played for two more years. He then played one game for the Seahawks in 2019 before permanently retiring.
#2 - Tom Brady
Tom Brady announced his retirement during the 2022 NFL offseason. He changed his mind less than six weeks later and decided to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for at least one more year ahead of the 2022 season.
Brady never missed a game, or even an offseason workout, during his apparent retirement, but it still qualifies as coming back after announcing it. His career will go down as the greatest of all time, regardless of what he does for the remainder of it.
#1 - Brett Favre
Brett Favre spent the first 17 seasons of his career with the Green Bay Packers, where he won a Super Bowl ring and two conference titles. He also won three consecutive NFL MVP awards, the only player in NFL history to do so.
Favre announced his retirement following the 2007 season, but was unretired prior to the start of the 2008 season to play for the New York Jets. He retired again following one season, but was once again unretired before the start of the next year to play for the Minnesota Vikings. He spent two seasons there before retiring for good.
