Why did Gross retire?

[AceBoogie]

People who play in the NFL can get hurt at any given moment. Players don't retire because they're afraid of getting hurt.

Gross retired either because he just didn't want to play anymore or he doesn't believe this team can win a Super Bowl.

Why did Tony G come back? He ain't broke, he came back because he believed the Falcons had a shot. Now he guessed wrong but that's why he came back.

You see it all the time in sports, there is a reason older players want to play for "contenders"

I can buy that Jordan didn't want to play anymore and that possibly he made a promise to his family that he would call it quits this year, but don't come with that he was afraid of getting hurt poo.

[AceBoogie]

You need a fuging life

[Evengelion]

He's observing what we do in the off season and he'll make a comeback.

[Mr. Scot]

Gross retired either because he just didn't want to play anymore or he doesn't believe this team can win a Super Bowl.

 

Yep. Those are the only two possibilities.  No way it could have anything to do with his family, his health or any other factors :rolleyes:

 

And no matter that these options would be out of character for him and inconsistent with all the things he's said.

[thatlookseasy]

Its not like we're gonna be super bowl favorites next year.  Still a bunch of holes and no cap space to fill them, IMO the team is at least another year away from truly competing for a title

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

He retired because we drafted star instead of deandre Hopkins with our first round pick

[rayzor]

People who play in the NFL can get hurt at any given moment. Players don't retire because they're afraid of getting hurt.

Gross retired either because he just didn't want to play anymore or he doesn't believe this team can win a Super Bowl.

Why did Tony G come back? He ain't broke, he came back because he believed the Falcons had a shot. Now he guessed wrong but that's why he came back.

You see it all the time in sports, there is a reason older players want to play for "contenders"

I can buy that Jordan didn't want to play anymore and that possibly he made a promise to his family that he would call it quits this year, but don't come with that he was afraid of getting hurt poo.

 

its not a fear of getting hurt. it's being able to walk away from the game healthy....that's the difference.

 

players limp out of the game all the time and spend the rest of their lives in pain. he was having to carry an unhealthy amount of weight to stay in football shape and that causes added stress to the body and also makes it more prone to injury. he's a smart guy and i'm sure that factored into his decision to walk away.

 

he wanted to spend the rest of his long life healthy with his family, not forced to because of injuries and chronic pain.

 

family > football

being healthy and without chronic pain > football

being able to retire healthy and rich and young on your terms > chasing after a lombardi

 

[TheRed]

I don't think the offer we made him exactly won him over either. But I think his decision had already been made by that point.

[Mr. Scot]

its not a fear of getting hurt. it's being able to walk away from the game healthy....that's the difference.

 

players limp out of the game all the time and spend the rest of their lives in pain. he was having to carry an unhealthy amount of weight to stay in football shape and that causes added stress to the body and also makes it more prone to injury. he's a smart guy and i'm sure that factored into his decision to walk away.

 

he wanted to spend the rest of his long life healthy with his family, not forced to because of injuries and chronic pain.

 

family > football

being healthy and without chronic pain > football

being able to retire healthy and rich and young on your terms > chasing after a lombardi

 

 

Saw behind the scenes video of Jerome Bettis a few years back.  It was heartbreaking.  Something as simple as walking down stairs took a lot of effort.

[Mr. Scot]

I don't think the offer we made him exactly won him over either. But I think his decision had already been made by that point.

 

He said in his retirement speech that he'd already made the decision last offseason that this season would be his last.

 

He was happy the team wanted him back at all, but it was just time to go.

 

[thefuzz]

I'm curious why many of you think that we are close to winning a Lombardi?

 

We have big holes on this team, at some pretty crucial positions, and very little cap room to upgrade them.

 

This is a playoff team....I think, but we are not all that close to a Super Bowl.  Top 1/3 of the league probably, but not top two or three.

[Mr. Scot]

I'm curious why many of you think that we are close to winning a Lombardi?

 

We have big holes on this team, at some pretty crucial positions, and very little cap room to upgrade them.

 

This is a playoff team....I think, but we are not all that close to a Super Bowl.  Top 1/3 of the league probably, but not top two or three.

 

Valid observation, and entirely possible we take a step back this season.

 

But to be fair, how many people saw 12-4, a division title and a first round bye coming last offseason?

[SCP]

I'm curious why many of you think that we are close to winning a Lombardi?

We have big holes on this team, at some pretty crucial positions, and very little cap room to upgrade them.

This is a playoff team....I think, but we are not all that close to a Super Bowl. Top 1/3 of the league probably, but not top two or three.

Bingo. This team is going to be so different from last year.

[thefuzz]

Valid observation, and entirely possible we take a step back this season.

 

But to be fair, how many people saw 12-4, a division title and a first round bye coming last offseason?

 

 

I think it's closer to probable, not possible that we take a step back.

 

We got some serious lucky breaks this year.  Hardy going off, couple ball bounces at the end of close games, no injuries to speak of, and a hand full of cheap FA's off the street that contributed.

 

Now we have lost our Pro Bowl LT, have not addressed the WR position, and possibly ran off our starting no. 1 WR.  On top of that we are keeping our fingers crossed that our guards can come back healthy, and we have an OC that looks like his schemes are out of the early 90's.

 

Let's don't forget that Atlanta will be better, and NO is no joke.  I see a step back, but I hope that I'm wrong.