Athletes Who Retired Way Too Early

Andrew Luck stunned both Indianapolis Colts fans and the wider world of sports with his retirement announcement in August 2019 at the age of 29. But he was hardly the first high-profile athlete to retire too early.

Here are some of the biggest athletes who surprised fans with their retirements…

Rob Gronkowski

Drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft, Gronk dominated the tight end position (and the party scene) for most of the next ten years, helping lead New England to a slew of play-off wins and three Super Bowl victories.

In just his second year, Gronk led the league in receiving touchdowns, the only tight end ever to hold this honor. Unfortunately, his career was also plagued by injuries, and he chose to go out on top after the Patriots’ 2018 Super Bowl win.

Calvin Johnson

After a decorated career at Georgia Tech, Megatron was an imposing presence on the field for the Detroit Lions from 2007 to 2015, twice leading the league in receiving yards and setting the NFL record for that statistic in 2012 with 1,964 yards.

While he did play through leg injuries in the later years of his career, he still managed all 16 games in 2015, putting up over 1,200 yards and 9 touchdowns before his unexpected retirement at age 30 before the next season.

Patrick Willis

49ers linebacker Patrick Willis made his mark on the NFL immediately, leading the league in tackles during his 2007 rookie season and earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

Though this would prove to be his best year statistically, Willis still went on to seven straight Pro Bowls and was a major factor in San Francisco’s 2012 NFC Championship season.

Unfortunately, in 2014 a toe injury brought his season and career to a dead halt, and he retired in early 2015.

Troy Aikman

Selected first overall by the Cowboys in 1989, Troy Aikman was the biggest name in football in the 1990s, leading Dallas to eight play-off appearances and three Super Bowl wins, including a 52-17 rout of the Buffalo Bills in 1993.

Despite his successes, Aikman also suffered from nagging back pain and no fewer than ten concussions throughout his career, and he made the tough choice to retire in 2001 at the age of 35, still fairly young for a quarterback.

The Cowboys haven’t returned to the Super Bowl since.