Why did LeSean McCoy retire? RB signs one-day contract to retire with Eagles

LeSean McCoy, one of the 21st century's finest running backs, has decided to hang up his cleats.

The man known as "Shady" will return to where it all began, the Philadelphia Eagles, on a one-day contract on Friday to officially announce his retirement.

After being drafted as a second-round pick out of Pittsburgh, LeSean McCoy played six seasons in the City of Brotherly Love and recorded four 1,000-yard seasons. The do-it-all running back announced himself in his second year in the league in 2010 by posting 1,080 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, and leading the NFL in receiving yards with 592.

"Shady" backed up that breakout season by topping the NFL rushing touchdown charts in 2011 with 11, and posted his best numbers in 2013 when he was crowned the NFL's rushing champion with 1,607 yards. That year, he also led the league in average receiving yards per game with 10.4 yards.

His six years in Philadelphia saw him earn a pair of first-team All-Pro nominations and the first three of his six Pro Bowl selections. McCoy was then traded away after newly appointed head coach Chip Kelly cleaned house.

After landing with the Buffalo Bills, LeSean McCoy proved his doubters wrong by going to the Pro Bowl three more times, recording two more 1,000-yard seasons and helping the Bills break a 17-year playoff drought.

The three-down back wrapped up his career primarily as a backup over the past two years with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019 and the Tampa Bay Buccanners in 2020, where he added a pair of Super Bowl rings to his list of achievements.

What made LeSean McCoy retire?

LeSean McCoy was a dynamic runner renowned for his quick burst and cutting ability. Shady's Twitter handle is 'CutOnDime25', a name that explains what made him one of the NFL's most dangerous running backs of the 2010s.

As the hits began to pile up and a decade of being an NFL starter took its toll, the physical profile and skillset that made McCoy stand out from the rest began to diminish.

His experience and instincts still made McCoy a useful addition to the championship-winning Chiefs and Buccaneers squads over the past two seasons, but his productivity was inevitably not the same as the world-class standards he set during his peak years.

LeSean McCoy suited up 10 times for the Bucs in 2020 but was only afforded 10 carries and 15 receptions for a total of 132 scrimmage yards. He barely played a part in the postseason, but his second Super Bowl win capped his legacy of being the best statistical running back of the 2010s with 10,434 total scrimmage yards.

LeSean McCoy was named to the 2010s All-Decade team and, although he was not able to secure a contract with Philadelphia in the 2020 and 2021 offseasons after openly angling for a return, Shady will get to sign off as an Eagle one last time.