C.J. Mosley retires from NFL months after Jets launch

C.J. Mosley is strolling away from the NFL.
The five-time Professional Bowl linebacker, who spent the previous six seasons with the Jets, introduced his retirement Thursday, on his thirty third birthday.
“As soon as upon a time, a child from Cellular, Ala., had a dream to do nice issues on the soccer area,” Mosley mentioned in a video he posted to his Instagram account. “In the present day, it’s time to get up from my childhood dream and share it with the subsequent technology. I spent my entire life and profession constructing my legacy. Now, it’s time to start out a brand new chapter with new desires. It received’t be straightforward, however I’m right here to let you know each sacrifice is price it.
“Once you get up, what’s going to your legacy appear like?”
The Jets launched Mosley in March after an injury-filled 2024 season. Mosley performed simply 4 video games final yr resulting from a toe harm and a herniated disc in his neck.
He can be remembered across the Jets for not simply his play but additionally his management. He was the quarterback of the protection, accountable for making the calls and changes.
He additionally mentored younger gamers, serving to the event of present starters Quincy Williams and Jamien Sherwood.
Mosley by no means achieved his purpose of constructing the Jets a winner, however he may have a long-lasting influence on the locker room.
He signed a five-year, $85 million contract with the Jets in 2019. Former coach Adam Gase hoped Mosley may change the tradition across the workforce.
Mosley had one of the vital dominant debuts in franchise historical past. He tallied a pick-six, a fumble restoration and 6 tackles in a Week 1 loss to the Payments, however he suffered a core muscle harm within the second half of the sport and performed just one extra sport that season.
He opted out of the 2020 season resulting from COVID-19 considerations.
Mosley returned in 2021 below new coach Robert Saleh and misplaced weight to raised match into Saleh’s scheme. Mosley turned the chief of the protection and was named the workforce MVP that yr.
He was even higher in 2022, and was second-team All-Professional and made the Professional Bowl.
Mosley performed in all 17 video games in 2022 and 2023, however final yr suffered a toe harm in a Week 2 win over the Titans. Mosley then felt ache in his neck throughout warmups earlier than a sport in opposition to the Patriots in late October.
He tried to return again from the herniated disc in his neck, however couldn’t.
The brand new Jets’ regime of coach Aaron Glenn and common supervisor Darren Mougey determined to maneuver on from Mosley in March.
The Ravens chosen Mosley within the first spherical of the 2014 draft with the seventeenth select of Alabama. He made the Professional Bowl as a rookie, the primary of 4 journeys there with Baltimore. He was additionally second-team All-Professional 4 instances as a part of the Ravens’ protection.