"I've been stuck in this process," he told reporters. "I haven't been able to live the life I want to live. It's taken the joy out of this game. ..The only way forward for me is to remove myself from football.”

#NFL players have an average of 3-6 year playing careers. All players will eventually retire voluntarily or involuntary due to performance or injury. The individual will have the rest of their life to live. A much longer period of time than their playing career. Their bodies and all the injuries which they sustain to them are with them many times every day. Whether it be getting out of bed in the morning, picking up their kids, or working. For all of us that have played the game it is always with us both the drive to play and the physical reminders that we did. If you have a supportive family and the means to retire to other interests, do it. A player should not feel pressured into a team’s or sportswriter’s goals for you. They will not be in your body as you have to rehab to do trivial things and they will be on to the next crop of players.