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Retirements in the NFL are a tough pill to swallow. As fans, we hope to see the best players in the league go on to have long and successful careers at the top.
Tom Brady announced in early 2022 that he would return to the league for his 23rd season. Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers will enter his 18th year with the Green Bay Packers.
Despite these legends' longevity, we see some of the NFL's elite stars call it quits too soon, whether due to injuries or simply a lack of love for the game.
Here are five such examples.
#5 – Calvin Johnson
Arguably one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history, the shock was met around the league when Calvin Johnson announced his retirement at 30.
Johnson was un-guardable during his time with the Detroit Lions, instantly becoming Matthew Stafford's favorite target for the best part of a decade. Before Stafford was drafted, Johnson managed to lead the league in receiving touchdowns on an 0-16 Detroit Lions team.
Megatron still holds the NFL record for receiving yards in a season, putting up a ridiculous 1,964 in 2012. But he retired three seasons later.
Even during his final year in 2015, he had 1,214 yards and nine touchdowns. His decision to quit was his own. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021.
#4 – Barry Sanders
Another Detroit Lions player to make the list is Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders, who shocked the world when he retired aged 31 after the 1998 season.
Sanders said about his decision:
"Shortly after the end of last season, I felt that I probably would not return for the 1999–2000 season. I also felt that I should take as much time as possible to sort through my feelings and make sure that my feelings were back with conviction. Today, I officially declare my departure from the NFL."
What made the decision so shocking was how Sanders was still as dominant as he had ever been during his later years. In 1997 he won MVP and rushed for over 2,000 yards; even in his final season, he had 1,491 yards rushing.
He called it quits, having been voted into the Pro Bowl every year of his career and being named two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year and 10-time All-Pro. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
#3 – Jim Brown
Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown’s decision to retire from the NFL was also a surprise. Brown was arguably the most dominant player in the league during the 1950s and 1960s, having won the MVP award three times during his nine-year career. Brown was even the MVP two years on the trot from entering the league, asserting his clear dominance.
However, he decided to leave the league aged just 30 after being cast into the movie Dirty Dozen. At the time, he was the league’s all-time leading rusher and still sits 11th on the list.
#2 – Luke Kuechly
Luke Kuechly was the lynchpin of the Carolina Panthers defense for the best part of a decade. He decided to call it quits when he was only 28.
Kuechly was an excellent middle linebacker named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. He helped the Panthers to the Super Bowl in 2015. But throughout his career, he had a history of concussions, ultimately leading to his retirement. While he didn’t specifically say this was the reason he called it quits, Kuechly did acknowledge that he had three separate concussions the season before.
Since retirement, he has spent time scouting and coaching for the Panthers and the Buffalo Bills.
#1 – Andrew Luck
Arguably the most shocking retirement decision of recent times came when Andrew Luck announced he was stepping away from football after the 2018 season. In that 2018 season, Luck won NFL Comeback Player of the Year and was voted to the Pro Bowl.
However, news broke during an Indianapolis Colts preseason game that he was to retire. Luck was inexplicably booed off the field, which led to the announcement in the post-game press conference.
Luck battled injuries throughout his time in the NFL, having missed all of 2017 due to injury, but all fans expected him to kick on after an excellent 2018 campaign. However, Luck ended his seven-year career on a high.
