10 NFL offseason headlines no fan wants to see

Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Dante Fowler Jr. (Florida) poses for a photo with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected as the number third overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

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Oct 29, 2015; Chandler’s Cross, United Kingdom; Detroit Lions former running back Barry Sanders speaks during USA Football Heads Up Football Clinic at the Tottenham Hotspur Training Ground. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Barry Sanders retires from Detroit Lions (1999)

Legendary running back Barry Sanders retired prematurely before premature retirements were a thing. In 1999, the Detroit Lions fans hoped that their hero Sanders would stay with the team a few more seasons. After all, Sanders was still incredibly productive during his last season with 1,491 yards on the ground. In his penultimate season, Sanders had an amazing 2,053 yards on the ground, averaging 6.1 yards per carry.

Instead of showing up for training camp, Sanders stunned the football world by announcing his retirement. His retirement was not just a loss for the Detroit Lions, but for all NFL fans. The decision remained mysterious until 2012 when Sanders explained his reasoning during an NFL documentary about his life:

"“Over the next few years it looked like we would probably be rebuilding and we had gotten rid of some good players,. I just felt like it was time to make a change. I knew going into (the final game of 1998 season) that was pretty much it, so I remember after the game I just broke down. I didn’t really say what was going on. I was glad to get out of there.”"

In recent seasons, a slew of players have announced their premature retirements, disappointing fans who assumed they’d have a few more seasons to watch their favorite players. This off season alone, New York Jets offensive lineman D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson retired along with other lower-profile players who still had a few years left of solid NFL play.

Next: 4. Coach Sean Peyton suspended for a year

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