The NFL world might have been shocked by a run of retirements by San Francisco 49ers players Patrick Willis, Chris Borland and Anthony Davis last year, and again by Calvin Johnson's plans to retire this offseason, but the decision by New England Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo to hang up his cleats shouldn't be met with the same gasps.
Mayo, who turns 30 next week, isn't the same player that he was over the first five seasons of his career (2008-2012), when he validated his selection as the 10th overall pick in the 2008 draft by earning NFL defensive rookie of the year honors and, later, two Pro Bowl nods.