Sony Michel and Monte Pottebaum retirement: Five NFL players who hung up their slacks young

Andrew Luck

Andrew Luck was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL during his six years with the Indianapolis Colts. He helped the Colts reach the NFL playoffs four times and was selected to the Pro Bowl in all four seasons. Shockingly, he decided to retire just weeks before the start of the 2019 NFL season, when he was still in the prime of his career and arguably before he reached his full potential. He was only 29 years old.

Luke Kuechly

During his time with the Carolina Panthers, Luke Kuechly was the NFL’s best middle linebacker. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards and was selected to seven consecutive All-Pro teams. After his seventh selection, he retired suddenly at just 28 years old. Several serious concussions were the main reason for his decision.

Calvin Johnson

Despite playing just nine seasons with the Detroit Lions, Calvin Johnson is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is one of the most dominant wide receivers in NFL history, including setting a single-season record with 1,964 receiving yards. He retired in 2015 at the age of 30 after an active streak of six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.

Byron Jones

Byron Jones missed the entire 2022 NFL season while recovering from an Achilles tendon injury and shared on his social media account that he has not been able to fully recover. He then sent a message that seemed to indicate he would retire immediately, referencing his past career.

Travis Frederick

Travis Frederick lasted just seven years with the Dallas Cowboys before being forced into early retirement. Unfortunately, he was unable to overcome some of the symptoms associated with Guillan-Barre syndrome, an autoimmune disease he was diagnosed with. At the time, he was just 29 years old and had been selected to five consecutive Pro Bowls.