Two Highly Established LBs set to Retire
Patrick Willis called all the shots on the field as a dominant linebacker, and now he's calling his way off of it. At the age of 30 and after eight seasons in the league, Willis has decided to retire. His 7 consecutive Pro Bowls to start his career sits behind only Lawrence Taylor and Derrick Thomas as the longest streaks in history for a defensive player. He missed 10 games last season with nagging foot injuries, which played a large role in his retirement decision.
While the retirement of Willis was mildly shocking, it wasn't quite as dumbfounding as the departure of Jason Worilds. The 27 year old linebacker had established himself as the primary pass rusher in the Steelers defense, racking up 15.5 sacks over the past two seasons. Worilds was expected to be paid in the $7M-$9M range annually had he signed a new deal, so money is certainly being left on the table with this decision. There is no knowledge of a lingering injury to Worilds. He simply stated that he would like to pursue other interests. These types of retirements could become a more common occurance in pro sports as new information about long-term health effects become available.
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