"Haven’t been this speechless in a long time" - NFL fans shocked by news of Bucs Pro Bowler Ali Marpet's sudden retirement
The NFL world is in a bit of shock regarding Sunday's news surrounding Ali Marpet. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive lineman suddenly announced his retirement. This comes after making his first Pro Bowl and protecting a legend in Tom Brady. He is only 28 years old.
Needless to say, the reaction has been that of surprise. NFL analyst Trevor Sikkema has been left speechless, in his own words.
I haven’t been this speechless in a long time. Wow twitter.com/gregauman/stat…
It is hard to disagree with that sentiment because of how out of nowhere this news is. Perhaps Brady's retirement led Marpet to decide he'd had enough as well. This news took over social media Sunday as fans tried to make sense of the situation.
NFL fans react to Ali Marpet's retirement
Marpet was a second-round pick by the Buccaneers in 2015 and will retire having spent his whole career with one team. He won a Super Bowl during the 2020 season and made his first Pro Bowl during the 2021 season. Plenty of the reaction was in support of his decision as the lineman gets to retire on his own terms.
I'd have retired at 28 too, if I had the chance. Good on ya, Ali Marpet. Go enjoy your life however you see fit.
Ali Marpet is one of the best people in the game today. Kind, genuine dude who everyone loved being around. Terrific with the media. And was fantastic on the field. Underrated career. Might not have been if he'd kept playing. But happy for him that he gets to end on his own terms
He was a D3 prospect at Hobart College and launched a successful career in the NFL. Being with the team that ended up signing Brady and winning a Super Bowl was icing on the cake of an unlikely career.
Other fans on social media could not find the words to describe what they were reading with this news. Yet praise was, once again, the common theme.
I am stunned. It boggles my mind that I watched the entire career of one of the best Right Guards to play for the @Buccaneers . Thank you Ali Marpet. Enjoy retirement.
Dawg Ali Marpet retiring in his prime 😪😪
The Buccaneers are now left in a tough situation. They just lost their quarterback, All-Pro guard, and have a long list of free agents who may decide to bolt. Things are much different than last season when the front office was able to retain all the starters from the championship team.
There are plenty of NFL players who have retired with a complicated legacy. Marpet seems to be loved by just about everyone reacting to the news. The fact he was a D3 prospect leaves him as an inspiration to many. One fan even called him a legend.
I am heart broken. Ali Marpet has been a staple since he made it on the squad. Your efforts and presence has been greatly appreciated sir! A D3 LEGEND!!!!
Good for Ali Marpet, man. I remember being stunned at how good he was at the Senior Bowl.
Any NFL player retiring young comes as a shock. But long-term health is a key issue and can be more important than money. Marpet signed a five-year, $55 million extension in 2018 and is leaving roughly $20 million on the table in order to retire.
I am told that Ali Marpet's decision to retire was based on "overall health."
Could this lead to others on the Buccaneers opting for retirement? That may be an overreaction, as Marpet is following the lead of past stars like Calvin Johnson and Andrew Luck. This is not a new phenomenon, but it remains shocking to fans and media members alike.
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