Normally people start thinking about retirement when they turn 50 or so. However, when your career forces you to rely on remaining in the best shape of your life, that number starts to drop significantly. Â Baltimore running back Ray Rice knows that is the reality of this business and spoke with CSNNE about it.
Rice admitted his goal was to play ten years in the NFL and after that he would only continue if he could play at an elite level. This year, due to nagging injuries and a weakened offensive line, Rice has seen his stats take a nose dive. Â He also says that he has other factors to consider when he thinks about retirement.
He said, “I’ll just put it out there – my goal was to make it 10 years in the NFL. Anything after 10, if I can’t do it the way I want to, then it’s something to think about. But, I’m young. I came in the NFL at 21 years old, a young guy. So, I’m still young; I’m only going to be 27 in January. So, there’s a lot of football left to be played. With that being said, I have priorities too. You know I have a young daughter, and you’ve just got to put all that in perspective when you’re going out there week-in and week-out, especially when you get older in your career.”
He was asked about retiring as a Raven, something Rice would love to do, but he also understands that the NFL is a business first.
“That’s the one thing that is not fair to say because we don’t get to choose where we go. We kind of just got to do what we do. Obviously I’ve laid my foundation here in Baltimore. You know it’s a great city and it’s been great to me. But, you know who knows what the future can hold. If I can retire a Raven, that would be great. But, it all depends on the running back position too. The wear and tear of a running back, obviously it’s true. So you don’t want to be going out there and tarnishing something that you’re already doing well,” he said.
More than likely, every player has had this conversation with himself before. Â If Rice can have a bounce back year next season, it would be hard to see him walking away from the field anytime soon. Â It should also be noted that as the Ravens have started to go on a hot streak, Rice’s production has picked up. Â A welcome sight for Baltimore fans.
