Rashard Mendenhall, a free agent running back who spent the 2013 season with the Arizona Cardinals, said in a blog post Sunday that he will be retiring from the sport on his own terms. Mendenhall is only 26-years-old.
The running back wrote a piece for The Huffington Post, titled “Why I Retired at 26.” In it, he explains why he decided to announce his retirement with words, rather than holding a press conference. He wanted to avoid using cliches for the camera. “I've done enough of that since I've been playing football,” he wrote. “I actually didn't really plan on saying anything about my retirement at all. I just kind of wanted to disappear.”
He later continued, “I was okay with the idea of fading to black, and my legacy becoming ‘What ever happened to that dude Rashard Mendenhall? He was pretty good for a few years, then he just vanished.’”
Mendenhall revealed that he’d rather “travel the world and write” than continue playing football. He’s thankful for the experience, but has other plans in life.
“I feel like I've done it all,” he wrote. “I've been to two Super Bowls; made a bunch of money; had a lot of success; traveled all over the country and overseas; met some really cool people; made lasting relationships; had the opportunity to give back to causes close to my heart; and have been able to share my experiences and wisdom with friends, family and people all over the world.”
Mendenhall also said that he’s been accused of not being that interested in football, especially since he doesn’t talk about it all the time on his Twitter page. In reality, he respects the game and is happy he can walk away with a clean bill of health.
“I look forward to chasing my desires and passions without restriction, and to sharing them with anyone who wants to come along with me! And I'll start with writing,” he concluded.
ESPN reported that teams had been told that Mendenhall planned on retiring. He did hint at it in a previous Post piece. His agent, Mike McCartney, also confirmed the news on Twitter.
Mendenhall was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008 and joined the Cardinals last season. He finishes his career with 39 touchdowns and 4,236 rushing yards.