DeMarco Murray is retiring from the NFL.
The 2014 Offensive Player of the Year made the announcement on ESPN on Friday
Larry Csonka Jersey , four months after being released by the Tennessee Titans.
Murray, 30, lost his job to Derrick Henry last season and was due to make $6.25 million in 2018 when the Titans let him go. He ran for 659 yards and six touchdowns last season, dealt with a knee injury late in the year, and missed the Titans' final regular-season game and two playoff contests.
"I think you just wake up," Murray said. "I've always heard the saying when you know, you know, and one day that day will come, and for me it was the last year or two. ... I've been constantly thinking about this. Working out still, in great shape
Ed Dickson Jersey , feel great and it's time.
"I just woke up a couple weeks ago and it started to burn and burn and trigger and it got deeper, so this morning I decided to call it a career."
The Titans acquired Murray in a March 2016 trade with the Eagles. Murray had spent one year with Philadelphia after playing four seasons with the Cowboys. Murray was playing for Dallas in 2014 when he won the NFL rushing title and Offensive Player of the Year honors.
He was a dominant force that season for the Cowboys, who went 12-4 to win the NFC East. Murray ran for a league-best 1,845 yards, then signed a five-year, $40 million deal as a free agent with Philadelphia in 2015.
With the Eagles, Murray started eight of 15 games played and ran 193 times for a team-best 702 yards. Once coach Chip Kelly was fired, Murray's contract was one of those Philadelphia unloaded.
The Titans couldn't wait to add Murray as a running threat to help protect quarterback Marcus Mariota. Behind a revamped offensive line, Murray proved very durable, playing through a torn plantar plate in his right foot. Murray led the AFC and was third in the NFL with 1
Craig Mager Jersey ,287 yards rushing on 293 carries. It was second-most carries of his career and his second-best rushing season.
But last year was problematic and ended in injury. And now, without a team or a job, Murray is leaving football.
"I'm very blessed to have had the coaching staff and the players and teammates that I've been fortunate to play with the last seven years of my career," Murray said. "It's been a long time thinking the last year or two physically, mentally, emotionally. I think it's time for me to hang it out there. As hard as it is ... the fans have been great. I had a lot of great games and a lot of great teammates. It's bittersweet, but I think for me it's the right timing for myself and my family moving forward."
A look at where things stand in the NBA playoff picture, with six days remaining in the regular season:
—
EAST UPDATE
Cleveland rallied from 17 points down in the fourth quarter to beat Washington, which might prove fortunate for both teams. It allowed the Cavaliers to stay No. 3 in the East, and kept Washington in the No. 7 spot – which they might prefer.
With Kyrie Irving’s season over
Manti Te'o Jersey , the Boston Celtics don’t look as scary as they once did. And since the Celtics are just about locked into the No. 2 seed, the No. 7 seed might actually look attractive to teams. Milwaukee could have moved into No. 7 on Thursday, but it lost to Brooklyn.
—
WEST UPDATE
Utah’s easy win over the Los Angeles Clippers put the Jazz on the brink of clinching. Minnesota hurt its cause with a loss to Denver and dropped to No. 8 in the Western Conference.
It’s still seven teams alive in the race for the final five spots out West.
—
FRIDAY’S GAMES
– Indiana at Toronto: Raptors can set a franchise record for wins in a season (57) and clinch the No. 1 seed in the East. The Pacers almost certainly need a win to have a realistic chance of opening the playoffs at home.
– Cleveland at Philadelphia: Winner will be No. 3 in the East when the night ends, loser will be No. 4.
– Atlanta at Washington: The Wizards will try to end a three-game losing streak, but John Wall won’t play.
– Chicago at Boston: Celtics’ first game since the Irving-is-done news came out.
– Miami at New York: Win keeps Heat in the driver’s seat for No. 6 seed and, possibly, a first-round matchup against LeBron James.
– New Orleans at Phoenix: Obviously, not a game the Pelicans can waste, not against a team with the NBA’s worst record.
– Minnesota at LA Lakers: The Wolves must win Friday to remain in the top eight out West.
– Dallas-Detroit, Charlotte-Orlando and Sacramento-Memphis have no playoff implications.
—
CURRENT BRACKET
First-round matchups if the season ended Thursday …
East: 1-Toronto vs. 8-Milwaukee
Linval Joseph Jersey , 2-Boston vs. 7-Washington, 3-Cleveland vs. 6-Miami, 4-Philadelphia vs. 5-Indiana.
West: 1-Houston vs. 8-Minnesota, 2-Golden State vs. 7-New Orleans, 3-Portland vs. 6-Oklahoma City, 4-Utah vs. 5-San Antonio.
—
NOTE OF THE DAY
This will be the first season since 2000-01 that two teams in the same conference with records above .500 miss the playoffs. It happened to Houston (45-37) and Seattle (44-38) that season, and will happen to two other Western Conference clubs this season.
—
QUOTE OF THE DAY
”In general, it’s hard to win an NBA game if you don’t put forth an effort – at all.” – Warriors coach Steve Kerr, after Golden State lost by 20 in Indiana.
Von Miller Jersey 