Long story short: NFL running back, Rashard Mendenhall retires. He’s 26-years old, which is still considered young enough in NFL age, but has a lot of methodical reasons for walking away regardless.
It doesn’t really matter what sport it is, I always have this sense of admiration for guys who walk away when they really didn’t have to, and walk away on their own terms. Maybe it’s the fact that in present time, professional sports are put on such an insurmountable pedestal, and there’s something about a professional athlete looking at their respective league and saying “nah, I don’t need you anymore,” that brings it down a peg or two. Or maybe it’s the fact that they simply don’t see professional sport and the riches it can provide as a true means to an end, and that they can live their lives without it that seems somewhat admirable. Either way, when guys retire on their own terms, most of the time I’m in agreement and respect their decisions.