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- Mar 20, 2019
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Receiver Jordy Nelson’s decision to retire as a Packer but without signing a one-day contract invited speculation that he’s leaving the door open to a return during the season, without the complication of exiting Green Bay’s reserve/retired list. In reality, Nelson has no reservations about retiring.
Nelson recently told Tim Layden of NBCSports.com regarding football: “I don’t hardly think about it.”
The second-round speedster who became a favorite of quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay decided after getting a clean bill of health from the Seahawks that it was time to walk away after nine seasons with the Packers and one with the Raiders.
“That was a trigger, right there,” Nelson told Layden. “I was like, all right, that confirms it. I’m walking out healthy. I’m not waiting until some doctor tells me, ‘Man, you look like you’re 60 years old, you need two knee replacements, hip surgery.’ I’d rather go out a year too early than a year too late.”
Nelson had no concerns about his cognitive health; he said he has had only one concussion. But he knew that the time had come to move on.
“You can’t play the game at this level with one foot in, and one foot out,” Nelson told Layden. “You need to be all in. I couldn’t honestly say I was going to be all in, and that was our answer.”
So if anyone ends up looking for a receiver as the 2019 season continues to unfold, don’t look in Nelson’s direction.
Check out Layden’s full story for more on retired players like Bryan Orakpo, Malcolm Mitchell, Travis Swanson, and Max Under.