Former Bengal Jeff Gunter shares reason behind shocking retirement from NFL

Former Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Jeff Gunter shocked the football world recently when he retired from the NFL at just 25 years old without any major medical history. No official reason was provided when the retirement was officially announced by the Bengals, so there was ample speculation and conjecture.

Jeff Gunter provides reason behind retirement

Now though Gunter is ready to shed some light on his surprising decision. In a statement shared to social media, the 2022 draft pick explained that he basically lost his fire for football and doesn't have the desire to continue to compete.

"I just wanted to clear up any confusion since I never made a public statement," Gunter wrote. "I did officially retire from the NFL earlier this week. I am in good spirits, I just no longer had the fire or urge to throw on pads anymore. I appreciate everyone for supporting me throughout my career and hope you will continue to do the same as I transition into the next phase of life."

Following Gunter's decision to retire, the Bengals placed him on the reserve/retired list, which means that the team retains his rights until his current contract expires. That means the team will still have his rights should Gunter change his mind and decide to return to the NFL. But, that seems pretty unlikely given his expressed sentiment. Gunter was slated to make $915,000 for the 2024 season.

Cincinnati selected Gunter in the seventh round (No. 252 overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft after a productive collegiate career at both Costal Carolina and North Carolina State that included two First-Team All-Sun Belt selections.

He appeared in 10 games as a rookie for the Bengals in 2022 and recorded one total tackle. He didn't appear in any games for the team last season, but he did play in the team's preseason opener this year against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and he recorded two solo tackles and 0.5 sacks. He retirement came shortly after that game.

It might seem odd to some, but you can't blame a player for walking away if he's lost his love for the game. Football is such a physically demanding sport, and some simply decide not to continue to endure the consistent wear-and-tear. As long as Gunter is content with his own decision, that's what really matters.