The biggest question for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers heading into this offseason was the status of legendary quarterback Tom Brady, and whether or not he would return for another season.
What the Bucs (and their fans) didn’t expect was the shocking retirement of Pro Bowl offensive lineman Ali Marpet, who walked away from the game at just 28 years old, after seven stellar seasons in Tampa Bay.
Even after Brady decided to return for another season with the Bucs, Marpet hasn’t had a change of heart, clearly content with his decision to hang up his cleats instead of chasing another Super Bowl with the GOAT.
So, why would a player leave the game in his prime, with tons of money still on the table, and a chance for another championship?
“The biggest reason for me was the physical toll: I didn’t want any more of that. There were some things I wanted to accomplish in my career that I had done,” Marpet told Melissa Jacobs for The Guardian. “I loved playing football. But one of my strongest values is health and if I’m really going to live out what’s important to me it doesn’t make sense to keep playing. There are also the unknowns of the head trauma of the NFL and how that plays out. Plus, your joints, the aches and pains that come with surgeries and all that stuff.”
Marpet’s own injury history impacted his decision, as well as the physical toll required simply exist as an offensive lineman in the NFL, he told Jacobs:
Marpet missed three games after a concussion in November 2020, and suffered mild symptoms afterwards. However, he says repeated subconcussive blows – which have been linked to brain trauma – are perhaps more significant.
Bearing the literal burden of an elite offensive lineman also took its toll. Marpet, who played at 300lb, developed sleep apnea and hypertension. “I was eating as clean as possible for a 300-pounder but having all the weight on your body is bad,” he says.
One of the best offensive linemen in Bucs history, Marpet is ready to start the next chapter of his life, which includes a focus on the mental health field.
“I’m not entirely sure yet what my actual role will be, but I want to work with people in a one-on-one setting,” Marpet told Jacobs. “I’m very eager and excited to build my skills and figure out where they can best aligned.”
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