Just a day after it was reported by ESPN that the New York Jets were asking D’Brickashaw Ferguson to take a pay cut, the left tackle has decided to retire at the age of 32, according to ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini.
Ferguson is in good health, and not exactly old, which makes the move surprising. He has a $14.1 million cap charge against the Jets, who wanted to pay him less than the $10.375 million he was slated to earn in 2016.
Filed to ESPN: Jets LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson is retiring today after 10 seasons, per sources. Only 32. Completely healthy. A stunner. #nyj
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) April 8, 2016
But according to ESPN, those discussions with Ferguson were never extremely serious. Rich Cimini mentions that the Jets’ general manager Mike Maccagnan mentioned to Ferguson how they needed cap room, and that was all that was said of the matter. Maccagnan said recently, “Right now, I’d say he would be on our roster going forward, but we’ll see how this thing unfolds.”
According to Cimini, Ferguson’s reason for retirement is because he “no longer feels he can play up to his usual standard.” His decision reportedly has nothing to do with a proposed pay cut.
Ferguson wrote a piece for Sports Illustrated after seeing the Concussion movie, and had some strong thoughts:
I had the opportunity to see the movie Concussion and read the book by Jeanne Marie Laskas on which the film was based. I was astounded by what I learned regarding the NFL and its apparent denial of Dr. Bennet Omalu’s discovery of the link between brain injury, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and professional football players.
[…]
After learning all of this, I feel a bit betrayed by the people or committees put in place by the league who did not have my best interests at heart.
So now, aside from trying to re-sign quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, they’ll need to find somebody to protect the quarterback.
Ferguson was the fourth overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He was named to the Pro Bowl three consecutive years from 2009-2011, and started in every game in his 10 seasons with the Jets.
[ESPN]
