Russell Okung considering retirement due to COVID-19 concerns

Russell Okung considering retirement due to COVID-19 concerns

Panthers’ left tackle Russell Okung is reportedly considering retirement due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic which has swept through nearly every part of the world. The initial report comes from ESPN who cites an unnamed source.

Okung might be considered high risk due to his past health issues. Those very issues forced him out of 10 games last season due to a pulmonary embolism caused by blood clots.

Okung did not opt-out of the season by Thursday’s deadline but is reportedly “comfortable” with walking away from football entirely if he feels unsafe as the season resumes.

Russell Okung has not confirmed the news publicly yet

In his latest tweet, Okung said this, “You say we are a cult, I call us free-thinking people.” There’s no proof he is referring to the coronavirus pandemic, but the timing is certainly something to consider.

He would we walking away from a career to be proud of. He was a first-round draft pick in 2010, a Pro Bowler twice and made almost $100 million over the course of his 10 years in the NFL. He’s played for the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos and the San Diego Chargers.