Rashard Mendenhall explains decision to retire in Huffington Post column

A lot of people were shocked by running back Rashard Mendenhall’s decision to retire. In a column he wrote for the Huffington Post, Mendenhall tried to explain why he retired, though he said he wasn’t originally going to address it all.

Here is an excerpt:

"“Why would you stop now? You’re only 26 years old! You’re just going to walk away from millions of dollars? Is your knee fully healed? You had a pretty good year last year,” etc. After the initial shock response and realization that I’m not kidding, the question that would continue to arise is: Why?“Why do you want to stop playing football at 26?”Honestly, I’ve really enjoyed my time in the NFL and have had tons of fun.I feel like I’ve done it all. I’ve been to two Super Bowls; made a bunch of money; had a lot of success; traveled all over the country and overseas; met some really cool people; made lasting relationships; had the opportunity to give back to causes close to my heart; and have been able to share my experiences and wisdom with friends, family and people all over the world. Not to mention all the fun I had goofing around at work day after day with my teammates! I’m thankful that I can walk away at this time and smile over my six years in the NFL, and 17 total seasons of football — dating back to when I started pee-wee ball at Niles West in 1997, when I was 10. These experiences are all a part of me, and will remain in my heart no matter what I do, or where I go.…So when they ask me why I want to leave the NFL at the age of 26, I tell them that I’ve greatly enjoyed my time, but I no longer wish to put my body at risk for the sake of entertainment. I think about the rest of my life and I want to live it with much quality. And physically, I am grateful that I can walk away feeling as good as I did when I stepped into it."

You can read the rest on the Huffington Post.