Why i retired at 26- rashad mendenhal

[canadiansbronco]

The dude retired after a decent season last year, walking away from the game, fame and money at 26 and he wrote a piece on why.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rashard-mendenhall/rashard-mendenhall-retirement-_b_4931316.html

Great read, said the culture of football has changed and he no longer wanted to risk his health for entertainement

[bronx_2003]

I think injuries have retired him TBH

To say 'I'm not risking my health for money anymore' might sound noble but the reality is he would of only had a few suitors probably around the vet minimum.

If he was hitting FA as the number one back able to command 6+ a year I highly doubt he would of retired.

[JayJack]

I think injuries have retired him TBH

To say 'I'm not risking my health for money anymore' might sound noble but the reality is he would of only had a few suitors probably around the vet minimum.

If he was hitting FA as the number one back able to command 6+ a year I highly doubt he would of retired.

I agree. I don't think anybody wants to be a Journeyman player, moving every year or 2.

[canadiansbronco]

I think injuries have retired him TBH

To say 'I'm not risking my health for money anymore' might sound noble but the reality is he would of only had a few suitors probably around the vet minimum.

If he was hitting FA as the number one back able to command 6+ a year I highly doubt he would of retired.

Sure the injurys had a role but he still could have came back, IMO some team would have given him a deal over the vet min.

[Peerless]

I give him major credit.

26 years old, multimillionaire, Super Bowl Champion.... what else does he really need? He's content, and has the rest of his life to do whatever the hell he wants.

[display name]

Well written. I wish him luck.

[JohnShaft]

Anyone believe he'd have retired if he was one of the best, and best paid, backs in the league (a la Matt Forte who was taken a bit after him in that draft)?

Me either.

[fallforward3y+]

Can't say I can identify with his decision to retire. I'm a semi-pro player, and I hope to still be playing at 65(and someone in our league actually is, believe it or not. I was very impressed by that). However, I did like the part about the culture of football, that related to money.

It really is a shame for the game to be about money. I've heard fans actually criticize players for NOT holding out for a bigger contract, and let's just say I wanted 5 minutes in a room with them lol. Chris Johnson comes to mind, I remember how he was making 500,000 dollars a year, and fans supported his hold out saying "he shouldn't risk injury for "only" that much". WOW is all I can say to that. If you don't want to risk injury, don't play. In the end, what he got to play his favorite game for a half a million a year and complained. My view on that is, go bite into a cyanide tooth.

It really is a sad state of the game if a player is actually criticized for being the type who cares about his play above the money. Because of the way the game is money centered, I appreciate a player complaining about almost anything that isn't money, even if I think it's stupid. Albert Haynesworth was a punk, but at least when he complained it was over the defensive scheme, not money. James Harrison is a big drama queen about a lot of the defenseless receiver rules, but at least he cares about the game.

Funny what you become happy with when the bar gets lowered.

[assassin216]

Can't say I can identify with his decision to retire. I'm a semi-pro player, and I hope to still be playing at 65(and someone in our league actually is, believe it or not. I was very impressed by that). However, I did like the part about the culture of football, that related to money.

It really is a shame for the game to be about money. I've heard fans actually criticize players for NOT holding out for a bigger contract, and let's just say I wanted 5 minutes in a room with them lol. Chris Johnson comes to mind, I remember how he was making 500,000 dollars a year, and fans supported his hold out saying "he shouldn't risk injury for "only" that much". WOW is all I can say to that. If you don't want to risk injury, don't play. In the end, what he got to play his favorite game for a half a million a year and complained. My view on that is, go bite into a cyanide tooth.

It really is a sad state of the game if a player is actually criticized for being the type who cares about his play above the money. Because of the way the game is money centered, I appreciate a player complaining about almost anything that isn't money, even if I think it's stupid. Albert Haynesworth was a punk, but at least when he complained it was over the defensive scheme, not money. James Harrison is a big drama queen about a lot of the defenseless receiver rules, but at least he cares about the game.

Funny what you become happy with when the bar gets lowered.

I agree with you for the most part,but I agree,I don't understand why people are criticizing the guy for retiring.....

They was talking about this on First Take and Skip and Stephen A was saying one of the reasons was he had people cursing at him about fantasy football on twitter......I never understood why people get so upset when a player doesn't play well,during a week...it makes no sense,because its just a game you just play...its not real football...but somehow people take it waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too seriously....smh

[Bronco51]

Can't say I can identify with his decision to retire. I'm a semi-pro player, and I hope to still be playing at 65(and someone in our league actually is, believe it or not. I was very impressed by that). However, I did like the part about the culture of football, that related to money.

It really is a shame for the game to be about money. I've heard fans actually criticize players for NOT holding out for a bigger contract, and let's just say I wanted 5 minutes in a room with them lol. Chris Johnson comes to mind, I remember how he was making 500,000 dollars a year, and fans supported his hold out saying "he shouldn't risk injury for "only" that much". WOW is all I can say to that. If you don't want to risk injury, don't play. In the end, what he got to play his favorite game for a half a million a year and complained. My view on that is, go bite into a cyanide tooth.

It really is a sad state of the game if a player is actually criticized for being the type who cares about his play above the money. Because of the way the game is money centered, I appreciate a player complaining about almost anything that isn't money, even if I think it's stupid. Albert Haynesworth was a punk, but at least when he complained it was over the defensive scheme, not money. James Harrison is a big drama queen about a lot of the defenseless receiver rules, but at least he cares about the game.

Funny what you become happy with when the bar gets lowered.

Unless you're in that position, it's easy to say don't worry about the money. Players should get what they can, and I have no problems with that. I have personally seen what some of these guys lose mentally and physically at an extremely early age to ever tell them not to get what they think they are worth.

[fallforward3y+]

Unless you're in that position, it's easy to say don't worry about the money. Players should get what they can, and I have no problems with that. I have personally seen what some of these guys lose mentally and physically at an extremely early age to ever tell them not to get what they think they are worth.

That's where your wrong, this is one thing where I can say for sure I would not complain about the money, and here's how I know. I currently play ball(along with many other guys)for no money, and no medical coverage. So 500,000 a year and full medical coverage sounds pretty good, and yeah, I wouldn't complain.

Chris Johnson's play has gone way down ever since he got paid big, there's likely a reason for that. Rumors are he'll be out of Tennessee this year, watch the Titans run game not suffer much. The worth of a player who stops working hard once they're paid big is nothing, and when a team senses that in a player they need to dump them on the street.

As for the players who lose a lot mentally and physically, well it's like you said..SOME. Some players also end up just fine, and healthy throughout life. I bet when you look at the players who had major problems, you'll see a lot of stupid field decisions. They likely played through injury when they shouldn't have, and were careless with their head on the field. Sammy Baugh lived into his 90s, and he played in the days where everyone played both ways as just one example of a well off player. Mike Ditka as well, and he was as much of an old school tough player as it gets.

The game has risks, if you don't want to take them then play another sport, or do something else. You can however, minimize the risks if your smart while playing, and still keep high level play in the contact aspect going. In the end, my appreciation for playing the game because you actually love it, and pride in how well you play is what makes me not sympathize. That, and the fact that many myself included, play for no money what so ever.

[fallforward3y+]

I agree with you for the most part,but I agree,I don't understand why people are criticizing the guy for retiring.....

They was talking about this on First Take and Skip and Stephen A was saying one of the reasons was he had people cursing at him about fantasy football on twitter......I never understood why people get so upset when a player doesn't play well,during a week...it makes no sense,because its just a game you just play...its not real football...but somehow people take it waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too seriously....smh

I can't speak to what it's like dealing with that, but it does seem like most players learn to just tune out fans. I do remember Arian Foster going off on fantasy junkies for only caring about their fantasy line ups when he was hurt, and I see why he would be upset. However, fans will say all sorts of things that you really just need to tune out.

They will call players "scrubs" and "losers" for not being great(or even being great just as role players)at the NFL level, when they are better than most people on the planet, and likely WAY better than the fans who throw those labels around. Many fans of mediocre teams will even act like a key injury to an opponent or contender is a substitute for male enhancement, completely ignoring that player's well being. You really just have to ignore it, but like I said I can't speak to what it's like to deal with I guess.

I completely agree with you about fantasy junkies though, they are UNBELIEVABLY ridiculous. The game is not real football, and yet some people act like it is. Stats do not tell the whole story of a player's ability for one, there are so many other factors into a players rushing, receiving stats and etc. These fantasy nerds are often not well versed about the game, otherwise they wouldn't trash a RB for bad stats when he was getting hit by multiple guys at or behind the LOS all day, it's completely stupid.

I'm involved in a football game picking contest with my family, and it is fun to play in and sure I'd like to win, but it's not a humongous deal if I lose.

[Bronco51]

That's where your wrong, this is one thing where I can say for sure I would not complain about the money, and here's how I know. I currently play ball(along with many other guys)for no money, and no medical coverage. So 500,000 a year and full medical coverage sounds pretty good, and yeah, I wouldn't complain.

Chris Johnson's play has gone way down ever since he got paid big, there's likely a reason for that. Rumors are he'll be out of Tennessee this year, watch the Titans run game not suffer much. The worth of a player who stops working hard once they're paid big is nothing, and when a team senses that in a player they need to dump them on the street.

As for the players who lose a lot mentally and physically, well it's like you said..SOME. Some players also end up just fine, and healthy throughout life. I bet when you look at the players who had major problems, you'll see a lot of stupid field decisions. They likely played through injury when they shouldn't have, and were careless with their head on the field. Sammy Baugh lived into his 90s, and he played in the days where everyone played both ways as just one example of a well off player. Mike Ditka as well, and he was as much of an old school tough player as it gets.

The game has risks, if you don't want to take them then play another sport, or do something else. You can however, minimize the risks if your smart while playing, and still keep high level play in the contact aspect going. In the end, my appreciation for playing the game because you actually love it, and pride in how well you play is what makes me not sympathize. That, and the fact that many myself included, play for no money what so ever.

And again, you can have that attitude because you are'nt or will never be in that situation. Being a weekend warrior is in a whole other universe. If you were a blue chip athlete growing up,where everyone around you said you are special, then had college coaches from all over the land wanting you, then having the same in the NFL, and an agent saying you were worth so much, I guarantee you would not take the league minimum for the love of the sport.
And as far as playing through injury being a mistake, again, you being a semi pro non paid player can do that. This is their one job. And the saying "you don't make the club from the tub" is universal. So if you want to keep a job and keep getting paid at your only job, you will have to play through injuries. It's okay to not sympathize with them, but a little perspective would go a long way in your understanding of what pro players actually have to deal with. I do wish you good luck and good health while you play and don't suffer some of the injuries that come with playing.

[xX-Bronco-Xx]

I don't know about you all but I'd be ecstatic to retire at the age of 26.

Dude really doesn't need to work again for the rest of his life if he spends his money wisely.

[fallforward3y+]

And again, you can have that attitude because you are'nt or will never be in that situation. Being a weekend warrior is in a whole other universe. If you were a blue chip athlete growing up,where everyone around you said you are special, then had college coaches from all over the land wanting you, then having the same in the NFL, and an agent saying you were worth so much, I guarantee you would not take the league minimum for the love of the sport.
And as far as playing through injury being a mistake, again, you being a semi pro non paid player can do that. This is their one job. And the saying "you don't make the club from the tub" is universal. So if you want to keep a job and keep getting paid at your only job, you will have to play through injuries. It's okay to not sympathize with them, but a little perspective would go a long way in your understanding of what pro players actually have to deal with. I do wish you good luck and good health while you play and don't suffer some of the injuries that come with playing.

Well, I will likely never be but people have actually gone pro from our league before :thumb:

I understand what you are saying though, but I still have to disagree. Bare in mind, I'm not criticizing simple negotiation for more money. The thing I don't like is when it gets to the point of refusing to play over it. Guys are going to hope for the most money, but playing the sport should be the most important thing in my view.

In the end, I don't see myself holding out over a half a million a year, even if I was treated that way. I've always been about training, and holding out to potentially decrease my play on the field isn't something I see myself doing. It's just not something I envision happening. It's the dream, getting paid even a living wage to play. Half a million a year is a lot to me, I can do alot with that. I realize I can't prove this though, but you also can't prove I wouldn't do this so I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on that one.

As for the injury part, well the head placement and carelessness aspect still applies. If you have a guy who delivered a helmet helmet hit to every defenseless receiver he saw, or was always putting his head in the chest of ball carriers and etc. and then says he had problems stemming from head injuries, it just seems kind of obvious. I realize that not every injury is the result of carelessness, but smart play can go along way in preventation.

Regarding playing through injury, well for us you could argue it's a bigger risk because we have no coverage for injuries. It depends on the severity of the injury, and it's impact on your ability to play. If it's bad enough then playing through it will often result in poor play because of the handicap, and that won't do any good towards keeping your job.

I do understand that players need a paycheck, and that they also want to keep their starting jobs. However, the career has to take priority over the current time. Players rarely lose roster spots due to injury, they sit out until they return. Usually, they get their job back upon their return. If they do not, it is often because they weren't that great by NFL standards. There are exceptions as obviously coaches make mistakes, but usually if you were good you'll get another opportunity when your injury is over. If your back up is also good, you will probably still get split time, or an opportunity with another team. Careers rarely end for good players at the NFL level due to sitting because of injury.

Willis McGahee is a great example of it, as he would get hurt just about every year and still found himself playing in his 11th NFL season last year.

I'm not trying to understate what they go through. I had a broken finger injury, and though the pain was ok the surgery was the worst day I'd had in a long time. I'd hate to do that often, or have a worse injury believe me. They go through a lot with injury, and are under a lot of pressure, from themselves and others. I'm just saying, that what some of these guys complain about is a bit ridiculous, at least in my opinion.