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Sometimes players retire early on. The NFL can be fickle at times, especially with players putting their bodies through some definite physical torture that can cause them to think about the future of their careers post-football. That, and the rampant worry that CTE can occur early on.
There have been quite a good number of players who thought more of the physical toll of the game to stop while they were ahead. Aaron Rodgers could be the next to do so should he decide to retire instead of taking on another team next season.
Here are five players who decided to retire in their prime.
Which players decided to retire in their prime?
#5 - Terrell Davis
Terrell Davis is arguably one of the best running backs to ever play the game. He was a two-time Super Bowl champion by the time he decided to hang up his cleats. In his short seven-season pro career, he was the NFL MVP in 1998, NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 1996 and 1998, NFL rushing yard leader in 1998, and two-time rushing TD leader in 1997 and 1998.
This extensive resume saw Davis get drafted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017, and he will go down as one of the best running backs in Denver Broncos history.
Instead of retiring too late, Davis chose to walk away from the game in 2001. He appeared in only 78 regular-season games and retired on his own terms before his severe knee injury in 1999 truly caused more sustained damage.
#4 - Jim Brown
Another legendary running back who retired at an early age was none other than Jim Brown. The Cleveland Browns running back shocked the NFL world when he decided to retire in 1965 to pursue an acting career. Jim Brown's 12,312 rushing yards were the most in league history until Walter Payton passed him in 1984.
Brown's rushing record lasted nearly 20 years. He was barely 29 years old when he decided to walk away from the game of football. He is widely considered to be the greatest running back of all time.
3 other NFL players who decided to retire in their prime
Top three NFL players who retired in their prime.
#3 - Tiki Barber
Tiki Barber is one of the New York Giants' most influential players. Barber was playing the best football of his life before he decided to retire. The first seven seasons of his 10-season career saw the running back play without getting any sort of recognition for his efforts.
However, in his final three seasons, Barber was able to get a Pro Bowl nod and was named an All-Pro. He amassed 1,662 rushing yards with a 5.1 yards per carry average in his final season in 2006. He also logged 2,127 all-purpose yards that same year, his third time doing so. Barber chose to retire, and the Giants went on to win the Super Bowl a year after his exit. Bad timing.
#2 - Calvin Johnson
Highly regarded as one of the greatest wide receivers to play in the NFL, Calvin Johnson decided to retire at the age of 30 after spending 10 seasons with the Detroit Lions. Playing for an organization that was constantly on the losing side of things must have never been easy, but a multitude of injuries saw Johnson retire early on.
Johnson was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame after being a first-ballot inductee in 2021. He still owns the record for most receiving yards in a single season, with 1,964 receiving yards.
#1 - Andrew Luck
Andrew Luck's decision to retire left the NFL world in a tizzy. At the age of 29 years old, Luck decided to walk away from the game of football after he had made a promise to himself that he would no longer play through injuries ever again. This was a smart move considering how much worse a player's body can become after injury.
Luck was one of the most successful quarterbacks for the Indianapolis Colts, apart from Peyton Manning, but after missing the 2017 season due to injuries, he won the Comeback Player of the Year in 2018. He had thrown for 4,593 passing yards, 39 TDs, and 15 INTs in the 2018 season before retiring in 2019 and leaving the Colts with a big concern at quarterback.
Will Aaron Rodgers retire in his prime?
Aaron Rodgers is on the brink of winning another MVP award. He achieved that same success in the 2020 season, and should he win, he will be the first player to do so since Peyton Manning won the award in the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
But with the controversy behind COVID protocols and the not-so-simple end to it all, Rodgers may want to look to retire. He has long stated he does not want to keep playing for the Green Bay Packers after next season. Going through the motions of signing with another team might not be what the 38-year-old quarterback wants for himself. As it stands right now, Rodgers will remain in the NFL. The world will have to see what he does next offseason.
