Miami Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones made a startling confession on Saturday as he seemingly retired from the NFL.
In a couple of tweets, Jones appeared to call it quits on his playing career all while indicating that his days in the league have left him with some long-term physical limitations.
“Much has changed in 8 years,” Jones wrote on Twitter, quote-tweeting an NFL graphic from 2015 that complimented his NFL combine performance. “Today I can’t run or jump because of my injuries sustained playing this game. DO NOT take the pills they give you. DO NOT take the injections they give you. If you absolutely must, consult an outside doctor to learn the long-term implications.”
In spring 2020, Miami signed Jones as a free agent out of Dallas making him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL.
After a career marked by durability, Jones missed the 2022 season with an Achilles injury. Dolphins general manager Chris Grier indicted in January that there had been no decisions made on the cornerback’s future.
Jones now seems to be setting his playing days behind him and putting the league on blast as he exits.
“It was an honor and privilege to play in the NFL but it came at a regrettable cost I did not foresee,” Jones continued on Twitter. “In my opinion, no amount of professional success or financial gain is worth avoidable chronic pain and disabilities. Godspeed to the draft class of 2023.”
It was an honor and privilege to play in the NFL but it came at a regrettable cost I did not foresee. In my opinion, no amount of professional success or financial gain is worth avoidable chronic pain and disabilities. Godspeed to the draft class of 2023.
— Byron Jones (@TheByronJones) February 25, 2023
The NFL has had to reckon with the damaging effects of its game in recent months. One of the game’s true defensive stars, Jones seems to be retiring at 30 with alleged physical impairments caused by his playing days.
After the controversy surrounding Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion scares last October and the terrifying injury that sent Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin into cardiac arrest in January, Jones’ somber retirement would be another reminder of football’s innate risks.
More information will likely come of Jones’ seeming decision in the days to come, but will the future of football be altered by these health-related controversies? Time will tell.