Randy Moss is retiring from football. In what is sure to top any NFL free agent signing or trade rumor on the day, the 13-year pro and future Hall of Famer is calling it quits. After an off-season in which his agent said Moss was in the best shape of his life, he’s walking away from the game.
Why did Randy Moss decide to retire?
Here’s what the Sportsbank knows:
“After weighing his options and contemplating offers, he’s decided to retire,” Moss’ agent, Joel Segal said Monday, according to ESPN.
Throughout his career, Randy Moss has been every good and bad stereotype of an NFL Superstar. He was an immense talent, who was rumored to only give it his all when he was interested in playing. When interested, he was without a doubt, the best in the game. When not dialed into a team’s game plan, he was often accused by teammates of not fully completing plays, slowly running routes and even refusing to help other plays develop by blocking.
When on, Moss’ accomplishments speak for themselves.
After his trade from the Oakland Raiders to the New England Patriots, catching passes from Tom Brady and playing for a team surely to make the playoffs, Moss caught 98 passes for 1,493 yards and 23 touchdowns. The Patriots went 18-0 that year before the New York Giants upset them in the Super Bowl on Plaxico Burress’ heroic catch.
Randy Moss was a first-round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings. He played there for seven seasons before being traded to Oakland in 2005. Moss was miserable in Oakland and his performance reflected it. Statistically he put up the worst numbers of his career in his two seasons there.
Moss was traded to the New England Patriots in 2007 and resurrected his career.
When WR Sydney Rice went down with a hip injury last season, the Patriots traded Moss back to Minnesota. He never jelled with Brett Favre and was released four games later. He then signed with the Tennessee Titans where he failed to record a touchdown in eight games played.
Given his talent and tremendous shape, it is shocking that he didn’t draw interest from teams in need of a wide receiver. This news is somewhat shocking as the entire off-season he vowed he was committed to proving to everyone he was still among the game’s elite.
-Soxman
Soxman is a Sportsbank senior contributor and a White Sox columnist and sports reporter for Chicago Tribune Red Eye Edition. He’s also a frequent guest on local television and radio programs in Chicago. You can e-mail him at thesoxman72@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter: @thesoxman72.