Retirement Watch: 10 Players who could call it quits after the 2023 NFL Season

It’s easy for NFL fans to get wrapped up in the moment, but it bears repeating that all good careers must come to an end. It’ll be hard to say goodbye to players who have been in the league for a long time, so they must be cherished while they’re still active. We’ll look at 10 players who might call it a career after the 2023 NFL season.

One of the most anticipated storylines of the season revolves around how well Rodgers will perform with the New York Jets. Supporters of the team are hopeful that he can be the missing piece that elevates the franchise back into contention. However, there’s a world in which the 39 year-old looks every bit his age, and doesn’t return to the NFL after a disappointing campaign.

He’s still one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL, but the “other” Kelce brother may take a long look at stepping away at the top of this game. He’s been at the center, pun intended, of a strong Philadelphia Eagles offensive line. Kelce rarely misses snaps, let alone games, and might want to put a cap on the wear and tear.

Slater has had one of the most interesting careers of anyone in NFL history. He’s been one of the best special teams players of all time, spending his entire tenure in the league with the New England Patriots. The NFL has slowly legislated kickoffs out of the game, but Slater still makes an impact on punt coverage.

It might be hard to believe, but Lewis was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars way back in 2006 to be a versatile receiving tight end. He caught a career-high 10 touchdowns during the 2010 season. For the better part of the last decade though, Lewis relished his role as a blocker. He joined the Chicago Bears ahead of the season to provide veteran leadership.

The NFL now looks long and hard at former basketball players as prospects, but that wasn’t always the case. Graham was a perfect example of a hooper that turned into an excellent football player. He was a dominant weapon through the air during the prime of his career. Graham didn’t play in the league last year, but signed with the New Orleans Saints this summer, the team he broke in with.

He doesn’t quite have the resume to compare with the best pass rushers in the NFL, but Graham has been one of the better defensive linemen in the league for over a decade. Not many players can say that they notched their career-high in sacks at age 34, which Graham did last year. If rookie Jalen Carter becomes a star, it might accelerate the clock on Graham’s playing career.

It’s fair to wonder whether Cobb would still be in the NFL had it not been for Rodgers clamoring to play with him in Green Bay last season, or in New York this year. That’s not taking anything away from the legacy he’s built, as Cobb was one of the top receivers in the NFL for a long time. He figures to be a rotational depth piece for the Jets in 2023.

At this point in his life, Suh has stated that he’s content with skipping training camp and signing with a team midway through the season. That’s what he did in 2022, when he joined the Philadelphia Eagles on their way to making the Super Bowl. It seems pretty clear that Suh will only sign on with contending teams for as long as he wants to play.

Campbell is one of the most physically imposing players in recent NFL history, as his superb athleticism and towering height have made him a nightmare to block. With that said, it’s not clear how much gas he has left in the tank. He signed with the Atlanta Falcons during free agency, but might be traded mid-season if the team gets off to a slow start.

Dalton has been viewed as a high-end backup in recent years, although his chances to definitively start for a team seem to have come and gone. He’ll be in a reserve role this year with the Carolina Panthers. It all depends on what Dalton wants, as he could theoretically hang on for a few more years on the bench.