The NFL is seeing another player leave the gridiron early. Veteran center Billy Price has announced his retirement from the league after 5 brilliant seasons as a center. Price’s decision to take off his cleats comes as a shock considering he is only 29 years of age. While considered an NFL vet, the Giants center’s early retirement and the reason behind it has left fans worried.
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The center explained on Instagram his decision to retire as he was facing some health complications that arose due to a blood clot. He informed fans that he had to undergo an emergency embolism surgery, to remove a saddle clot that was about to enter his lungs.
He further expressed that he was terrified by the medical emergency at his age and felt grateful to even be alive, and had to say goodbye to the sport due to the nature of his blood-thinning medication. The announcement of Price’s retirement left fans distraught, even as they shared well wishes, prayed for his health, and bid him adieu:
I hope he gets proper medical treatment. Stay safe champ
— ope yemi (@iamdon_pey) May 25, 2024
giants legend, glad he’s prioritizing his health
— Lenny (@KxngLenny_) May 25, 2024
Praying for Billy
— RoySheppard (@Mr_Sheppard3) May 25, 2024
Prayers for him and his family, I hope he can get healthy. He was a very good player.
— Ian Jaeger (@IanJaeger29) May 25, 2024
Billy Price is not the only player to retire early from the sport. The physicality of the nature has forced many to retire early in the past. Whether it is for their health, mental wellbeing or to pursue different career avenues.
Athletes Who Have Retired Early From the Game
A lot of notable players of the NFL have gone on to retire when they were in the prime of their careers. The most recent example was the legendary defensive tackle, Aaron Donald. Per NBC Sports, the tackle announced his retirement after playing 10 extremely successful seasons for the Rams.
Another such player is Andrew Luck. Luck retired at the age of 29, citing the endless cycle of injuries and rehab. He felt like the game itself had lost the joy and fun out of it due to this cycle of injuries.
However, the first-ever early retirement from the NFL was Jim Brown. The fullback retired at just 29 years of age after becoming an actor. And even though he went through an early retirement Brown had an illustrious career that even led him to being inducted into the Hall of Fame. He also became an iconic household name with his performance on the big screen as well on the gridiron.
Many great stars have retired at an early age and they’ve gone on to do great things with their life. As Price walks away from the gridiron and goes towards the next chapter of his life, the center will surely look forward to spending more time with family, prioritizing his well-being and even making his mark beyond the football field.
