Typically, three weeks into a season might not be enough time to truly evaluate a player’s performance, but it can certainly show a continuing trend. For some players, the writing is clearly on the wall. Time’s Up! It’s just not working; and in this case, it’s not us, it’s definitely you.
Let’s take a look at 10 NFL star players that should be asked to remove themselves from their place of occupation, because the time has come to move on.
Julio Jones – Free Agent
A wide receiver that finishes a 12-year career with 13,629 receiving yards and 63 touchdowns has an outside chance at one day making the Hall of Fame. A wide receiver that spent 10 of those years playing and accumulating most of those stats with one team has a really good chance of having his jersey retired.
That wide receiver is Julio Jones. For the first 10 years of his career, Jones lit up opposing defenses; but once he left Atlanta, his numbers declined and he hasn’t played more than 10 games in a season since 2019. At 34 years old and still a free agent, it’s time for the 7-time Pro Bowler to call it a career. Time and age catch up to every athlete. It’s caught up to Julio Jones.
Aaron Rodgers – New York Jets
This is one of the easier selections on the list. Aaron Rodgers will be a future member of the Hall of Fame. He’s arguably in the conversation for top ten all time QB’s. He’s that good; but he suffered a devastating injury for an NFL player, especially a QB. This injury is hard enough for a young player to return from, let alone someone nearing 40.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NFL stories via Google! Follow Us
Roughly a third of players that suffer an Achilles tear never return to the level of professional competition. It’s understandable that Rodgers doesn’t want the final images of him on a football field being helped off due to injury. In time, all people will remember is greatness. Aaron, you’ve done enough in this game. Heal up and enjoy all of your outside interests in your retirement.
Jason Peters – Free Agent
Jason Peters is currently a 41-year-old unrestricted free agent offensive lineman. At that age, it’s not really surprising that he’s unsigned. After 18 years battling defensive lineman in the trenches, one’s body takes a beating. He’s won a Super Bowl with the Eagles and has had a borderline Hall of Fame career. Peters has nothing left to prove at this stage in his career. It’s time for him to walk away. Jason Peters has had a stellar career and would make a great mentor or coach, but his career is done.
Jimmy Graham – New Orleans Saints
Thirteen years in the NFL is a lifetime, especially when you amass 714 receptions for 8514 yards and 86 touchdowns. Accumulating statistics like that can easily put one on the path to Pro Football immortality, as those numbers put Jimmy Graham ahead of Hall of Fame Tight Ends such as Kellen Winslow and Ozzie Newsome. But Graham is 36 years old and sat out the 2022 season.
It’s not easy to come back after missing a full year, especially at his age. So far, through three games, he has one catch on one target. That’s a 100% success rate. Go out on top Jimmy. Let your stats speak for your potential Hall of Fame career. Don’t hang on too long. It’s time to go.
Joe Flacco – Free Agent
Joe Flacco has had a nice career, a very nice career. Over the course of 15 seasons, primarily with Baltimore, he amassed over 42,000 yards passing, completed over 61% of his passes, and threw 232 touchdowns. Flacco even led the Ravens to a win in Super Bowl XLVII. That’s a very nice career, but he has yet to formally announce his retirement. It’s time.
There’s nothing that he can do now as a player that will advance his credentials. In fact, he hasn’t done much since becoming a backup QB in 2018, first with Denver and then New York. Despite spending the last three seasons as the backup QB for the Jets, and in spite of their current QB crisis, Flacco wasn’t called. When a team picks Trevor Siemian over you, it’s probably time to call it a career.
Chandler Jones – Las Vegas Raiders
Chandler Jones is an intriguing case for this list. He is only 33 years old and can still play. Over an 11-year career (so far), Jones has played 154 games and has amassed over 500 tackles with 112 sacks. It was as recently as 2021 that he earned a Pro Bowl nomination, finishing the year with 10.5 sacks. The issue with Jones isn’t talent or ability, it’s off field issues. In early September he stated that he didn’t want to play with Las Vegas anymore and was locked out of their facility. The team responded by saying it was a private matter. Last week, the Raiders placed Jones on the Non-football Illness List. There’s more to life than football. Hopefully he gets the help he needs and can one day return to football. Until that day comes, it’s probably best for football to say goodbye to Chandler Jones.
Matt Ryan – Free Agent
Matt Ryan has put together a terrific NFL career. He played 15 seasons, amassed 62,792 yards, and threw for 381 touchdowns. There’s no doubt that Atlanta will retire his jersey and that one day the Hall of Fame will come calling for Matty Ice. You know who isn’t calling for him? NFL teams.
The 38-year-old is currently a free agent from the game but is serving as an analyst for CBS Sports. Ryan should make things official and retire from the game. He’s not going to start anywhere, and he shouldn’t. It’s a fairly safe assumption that being a mentor wasn’t appealing, thus not going the backup or coach route. If Ryan wants to be considered an impartial analyst, he should officially retire from the game. It’s probably hard to criticize players that you might wind up in the huddle with. Make the right call Matty Ice. It’s time to go away.
Brian Hoyer – Las Vegas Raiders
Over a 16-year career Brian Hoyer has played a total of 77 games with 8 teams (one of them 3 different times). He has a career won-lost record of 16-24. Hoyer is the definition of a career backup QB. But at 37 years old, the writing is clear for all to see. The time has come to call it a career. Living your dream is a great way to make a living, but you need to learn when it’s time to go. Hoyer will never be a starting QB in the NFL. At this point he is there solely for mop up duty. Perhaps he’s hanging on because he likes helping out the young QB’s. After all, one doesn’t spend 16 years in the league without learning a few things. If that’s the case, then Brian Hoyer should retire and join the coaching ranks.
Marcedes Lewis – Chicago Bears
Eighteen years, 254 games, 432 receptions, and 39 touchdowns. That is a really nice career for a tight end. In fact, 18 years sets the mark for longest tight end in NFL history. But when you’re held to a total of 6 receptions over the last two seasons, it’s time to read the tea leaves; your career is coming to an end. Why continue to put your body through the abuse at that age for no reason? It’s time for Marcedes Lewis to step away.
Tua Tagovailoa – Miami Dolphins
We can talk about the fact that, if things continue on this path, Tua Tagovailoa is putting together one of the all-time great offensive seasons. We can talk about the near record setting 70 points in Week 3. We can talk about the fact that last season he completed almost 65% of his passes with 25 touchdowns in only 13 games due to injury.
Ah, the injury. Not just any injury, concussions. That’s where the problem lies. Last season Tua suffered two serious concussions. The fact that he returned at all is amazing, but… one hit. It only takes one hit. He can take martial arts to learn how to fall, he can wear a special helmet, but it’s football. He’s going to get hit. It’s going to happen. We have seen the horrific long-term impacts of repeated concussions. There’s no reason to play with that type of fire. Take the money you’ve earned, and go into coaching, announcing, or the front office. Think long term Tua and say ta-ta to football.
