3 NFL players who came back from retirement and regretted it feat. Jason Witten
NFL players have worked their entire lives to make it to the grandest of stages. From their pop warner days to playing under the bright lights in the NFL, players are understandably ecstatic once they've crossed that finish line.
Ultimately, at some point, no matter how outstanding, a player realizes that they simply aren't the same, leading to their retirement.
Nevertheless, we've seen many instances of players feeling that they hung up their cleats a bit too early, only to regret returning to the NFL.
Read along as we look at three players who returned to the NFL but instantly regretted it.
#1 Jason Witten
Jason Witten was a reliable and steady hand for the Dallas Cowboys for roughly a decade and a half. As his game slowly began to erode, Witten walked effortlessly into retirement following the 2017 NFL season and into the play-by-play booth.
Nevertheless, the hunger and desire to play was simply too strong for Witten to pass up as he returned to the Cowboys in 2019. At the age of 37, Witten was still an above-average tight end. On the year, he racked up 529 yards and four scores for an underachieving Dallas squad.
The following season, and for the first time in his career, Witten donned a different jersey. Admittedly, the black and white associated with the Las Vegas Raiders looked spectacular on the future Hall of Famer. But his impact was inconsequential.
In total, Witten registered just 69 receiving yards, despite playing in every game. Unsurprisingly, Witten retired at the end of the season again, this time for good.
#2 Marshawn Lynch
There was something both intrinsically and intriguingly different about running back Marshawn Lynch. When he chose to, Lynch would effortlessly leave opposing defenders in the dust.
Or, in what was his preferred style of running the football, Lynch would meet his opposition at the line of scrimmage and proceed to run them over.
For years on end, Lynch entertained countless fans with his audacious running attack, while keeping them smiling with his witty remarks during postgame pressers. But in 2015, Lynch opted to walk away from the game due to injuries.
Two years later, Lynch returned to the field. In year one with the Raiders, Lynch played well for a guy who essentially got off the couch after doing nothing for two years.
He rushed for 891 yards and seven scores. Ultimately, injuries began to rear their ugly head again as he was forced to retire once more in 2019.
#3 Randy Moss
When Randy Moss strolled off the field in 2010 for presumably the final time, countless NFL fans believed that he, not Jerry Rice, was the greatest wide receiver of all time. While he remained on the sidelines during the 2011 season, Moss’s NFL itch became irresistible the following year.
On a whim, Moss officially made his comeback, signing a deal with the San Francisco 49ers. Having lost in the NFC Championship Game the year prior, Moss was expected to be the missing ingredient to the 49ers' Super Bowl formula.
However, while the back of his jersey may have said 'Moss', his overall game had deteriorated immensely.
In his lone year, the 49ers won 11 games, two fewer than the year prior. Also, Moss was essentially a non-factor. Despite playing in all 16 games, he racked up just 434 yards and three touchdowns.
Simply put, Moss was a shell of his former great self. After witnessing that the game had passed him by, he hung up his cleats again at the end of the year, this time for good.