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Tom Brady played in the NFL until he was 46 years old. Aaron Rodgers is currently 39. There are a number of aging veterans and players at or around 40 who haven't retired or retired only once they reached that age. For a while, players played until they couldn't and that often took them into their upper 30s at least.
However, there is a trend of players not making it to their 30s in the NFL. Andrew Luck, perhaps the biggest and most shocking example of this, retired suddenly at the age of 29. The game demands a physical toll and some players cannot keep that going into their 30s.
In 2023 alone, several players have joined this list. It can be argued that it's better to get out before their bodies (specifically their heads as it relates to CTE) break down. Nevertheless, here are 2023's under 30 retirees in the league.
5 NFL stars who didn't play into their 30s
5) Justin Jackson
Justin Jackson had made a name for himself as a decent backup running back with the Los Angeles Chargers. He spent five seasons in the NFL and joined the Detroit Lions this offseason. However, before camp ended, he decided to retire. Jackson was just 27 years old and appeared to have a bright future ahead of him.
4) Jabari Zuniga
Jabari Zuniga was a 25-year-old defensive end for the New Orleans Saints until he decided to retire from the NFL abruptly. He attended the University of Florida and ended up becoming a third-round pick by the New York Jets in 2020.
He was waived in 2022 and bounced around a few practice squads, including the New Orleans Saints most recently. However, he decided to retire before he could even make the team.
3) Monte Pottebaum
Perhaps the most shocking retirement of 2023 has to be from Monte Pettebaum. The former Iowa fullback went undrafted and signed as a UDFA with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The player never even took a snap in a preseason game before deciding that the NFL was not for him. He retired before training camp even ended at just 23 years of age.
2) Jalen Hurd
Jalen Hurd had been a third-round pick for the San Francisco 49ers. He failed to make a huge impact on the team and didn't play very much. Still, to see a third-round selection walk away from the league at the young age of 27 is a surprise. Hurd seems to have decided to pursue other options and forego attempting to make it in football.
1) Sony Michel
Sony Michel may be the most surprising name on this list. In 2018, he was selected in the first round by the New England Patriots and quickly became a bit of a household name for them. He scored the only touchdown in their Super Bowl LII victory over the Los Angeles Rams. Four years later, he's calling it quits at 28.
