Todd Gurley Sheds Light On Retiring From NFL Early, Talks Being Cut By Los Angeles Rams – LAFB Network

Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley was one of the best players in the NFL for the majority of his career until knee issues detailed everything. Years following his retirement, Gurley is shedding more light on what happened.

Gurley is still young enough to be playing in the NFL today. He turns just 30 years old in August, but the former first-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft has been out of the league for three seasons now.

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Whats most remarkable about Gurley is the fact hes still among the NFLs scrimmage touchdown and yardage leaders since 2017. This is despite the fact his final two seasons in 2019 and 20 were by far the worst of his career and he hasnt played since.

A three-time Pro Bowl selection who twice led the NFL in rushing touchdowns and earned NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2017, Gurley is now offering more insight into his decision to walk away.

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During an appearance on the 25/10 Show hosted by DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy, Gurley talked about falling out of love with football and retiring as a 26-year-old.

I remember when I signed my extension with the Rams, my agent was breaking it down. He said if they cut you, youll be 26 with a lot of money and youre youngthats exactly how that s played out I live in LA, Im chilling. I did everythingWould love to have a ring and stuff like thatwent to a Super Bowl, lostI did a lot of stuff that I never would have thought I wouldve ever did

Gurley also addressed the end of his Rams tenure and how his role was reduced by McVay. The former Rams running back also mentioned that he thought being traded out of Los Angeles was a possibility, hearing the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers mentioned.

It wasnt like F him Still trying to be the team guy, not really trying to really trip. But at two, Im also like shit, yall (expletive) want to pay me to sit down, s, god damn, so be itI knew the writing was on the wallI knew they was either gonna cut me or try to trade methey said something about like Buffalo and Pittsburgh and I said F no.

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As an All-American running back with the Georgia Bulldogs, Gurley suffered an ACL tear in November 2014 against the Auburn Tigers. He would still be taken with the 10th overall pick in the NFL Draft, but it was the start of knee issues that ended his career early.

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Gurley was diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, a result of the knee surgery he received. In 2019, Gurley confirmed the diagnosis and explained the trouble his knee had been causing him.

After averaging 4.4 yards per carry and 78.4 rushing yards per game in his first 58 career games from 2015-18, Gurley averaged just 3.8 yards per carry and 57.1 rushing yards per game in 2019 with the Rams. He was then released and returned home to Georgia, spending the 2020 season with the Atlanta Falcons. After averaging a career-low 3.5 yards per carry with only 842 scrimmage yards in 15 games, Gurley retired.

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Todd Gurley Sheds Light On Retiring From NFL Early, Talks Being Cut By Los Angeles Rams - LAFB Network