B.J. Raji taking 'hiatus' from NFL
Another NFL player is ready to walk away from the game at a young age.
Free-agent defensive tackle B.J. Raji announced Monday that he's taking a "hiatus" from the NFL, telling Ryan Wood of USA TODAY he's leaving behind a "very, very nice deal" to remain with the Green Bay Packers. He turns 30 in July.
In a statement, Raji didn't rule out the possibility of returning in the future:
I am taking a hiatus from the NFL and will not play during the 2016 NFL season. This decision was made after hours of conversation with close family members and mentors and considerable self-introspection and is one in which I am absolutely certain. I cannot rule out a return to the NFL in the future, but I will definitely not be playing during the 2016 season.
Coach Lombardi once said that "unless a man believes in himself and makes a total commitment to his career and puts everything he has into it - his mind, his body, his heart - what's life worth to him?" That is the approach I have taken with football since I was a 2-star high school recruit. That total commitment was the foundation of my success at Boston College, helped me become a top ten pick in the NFL and helped me both make a Pro Bowl and win a Super Bowl. However, when my agents Brian Murphy and Camron Hahn informed me that they had a new deal with the Packers, I knew that I would not be able to live up to Coach Lombardi's "total commitment" standard and made this decision out of respect to this great organization.
Raji, the No. 9 overall pick of the 2009 draft, missed the entire 2014 campaign with a torn biceps and dealt with a groin injury last season, but only missed one game.
Raji's decision was met by this reaction from former Packers tight end Jermichael Finley, whose career was cut short in 2013 due to a neck injury:
So this is what the game is coming too 👀 https://t.co/ScVux2jElp
— Jermichael Finley (@JermichaelF88) March 14, 2016
In 91 career games, Raji recorded 151 tackles and 11 sacks.