Several young stars of the NFL called it quits in the early days of the 2016 offseason: Jared Allen (33), Calvin Johnson (30), Heath Miller (33), Jerod Mayo (30), Marshawn Lynch (29), to name a few.
As the potential damage of injuries becomes clearer (concussions in particular), it appears that more athletes are taking their future health into their own hands.
It’s not particularly uncommon for athletes to retire in their early 30s. The average NFL career is less than four years. Three players who would’ve been rookies in 2015 officially retired before the season could even begin, citing fear of life-threatening injuries.