The Best NFL Players Who Retired In 2021
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All the NFL players who retire in 2021 will leave a legacy that lives on. The average career length for NFL players is 3.3 years, according to the NFL Players Association. Many of the players who will appear on this list will have played much longer than the average. In this time, they have played through countless injuries and made an impact on the game. Look to this list regularly to see the best NFL players who retired in 2021, either because it was their time or because injuries cut a promising career short.
The first player to choose retirement in 2021 was Falcons quarterback Matt Schaub, who played with four different teams over the course of his sixteen-year career but made the biggest impact in Houston, where he led the league in passing and made it to two Pro Bowls.
Such short careers ensure prominent players retire from the NFL every year. Look to this list for a running record of football players retiring in 2021. Almost all of the 32 NFL teams say their goodbyes to a veteran or two each year. Vote up the recently retired NFL players who had the most impact on the game during their careers, and check back throughout the year to see who else retires. Then, go check out our list of all athletes who retired in 2021.
- Quarterback
- Team: New Orleans Saints (2006-2020), San Diego Chargers (2001-2005)
Announced retirement on March 14, 2021
Career Achievements:
Super Bowl champion (XLIV)
Super Bowl MVP (XLIV)
2× NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2008, 2011)
First-team All-Pro (2006)
4× Second-team All-Pro (2008, 2009, 2011, 2018)
13× Pro Bowl (2004, 2006, 2008–2014, 2016–2019)
7× NFL passing yards leader (2006, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014–2016)
4× NFL passing touchdowns leader (2008, 2009, 2011, 2012)
2× NFL passer rating leader (2009, 2018)
6× NFL completion percentage leader (2009–2011, 2017–2019)
NFL Records:
Most career passing yards
Most career pass completions
Highest single-season completion percentage (74.4%)
Most consecutive games with a touchdown pass
Most pass completions in a season
Most 5,000 passing yard seasons
Highest completion percentage in a game (96.7%)
Most touchdown passes in a game (tied)
First player to reach 80,000 career passing yards (286 games) - Placekicker
- Team: New England Patriots (1996–2005), Indianapolis Colts (2006–2019)
Announced retirement on May 26, 2021
Career Achievements:
4× Super Bowl champion (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLI)
3× Pro Bowl (2002, 2004, 2014)
3× First-team All-Pro (2002, 2004, 2014)
NFL's all-time leading scorer (2,673 points)
Most consecutive field goals made (44)
Most combined regular season and postseason games played (397)
Most career field goals made (599)
Most career field goals attempted (715)
- Quarterback
- Team: Los Angeles Chargers (2004-2019); Indianapolis Colts (2020)
Announced retirement on January 20, 2021
Career Achievements:
8× Pro Bowler (2006, 2009–2011, 2013, 2016–2018)
NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2013)
NFL completion percentage leader (2013)
NFL passing yards leader (2010)
NFL passing touchdowns leader (2008)
NFL passer rating leader (2008) - Tight end
- Team: Dallas Cowboys (2003-2017, 2019), Las Vegas Raiders (2020)
Announced retirement on January 27, 2021
Career Achievements:
11× Pro Bowler (2004–2010, 2012–2014, 2017)
2× First-team All-Pro (2007, 2010)
2× Second-team All-Pro (2008, 2012)
Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2012)
Bart Starr Award (2013)
Most career NFL games by a Tight End (271 games)
Top 20 NFL All Time Career Receiving Yards (13,046)
Texas Sports Hall of Fame (2019) - Tight end
- Team: Chicago Bears (2007-2010), Carolina Panthers (2011-2019), Seattle Seahawks (2020)
Announced retirement on January 24, 2021
Career Achievements:
3× Pro Bowler (2014–2016)
2× Second-team All-Pro (2015, 2016)
NFL All-Rookie Team (2007)
First Tight End with three consecutive 1,000 yard seasons. - Wide receiver
- Team: New England Patriots (2009-2020)
Announced retirement on April 12, 2021
Career Achievements:
3× Super Bowl champion (XLIX, LI, LIII)
Super Bowl MVP (LIII)
New England Patriots 2010s All-Decade Team
Super Bowl Record - Most Receptions in a 1st Half (7)
Super Bowl Record - Most Career Punt Returns (8)