Adam Schefter reports that free agent RB DeMarco Murray plans to announce his retirement from the NFL on Friday.
“It’s been a long time thinking, the last year or two, and physically, mentally and emotionally, I think it’s time for me to hang it up,” Murray said on ESPN.
“It’s bittersweet, but for I think me it’s the right timing for myself and my family moving forward. … I’ve always heard the saying, ‘When you know, you know, and one day that day will come.’ And for me it’s been the last year or two. I’ve been constantly thinking about this. Working out still, in great shape, feel great, and it’s time. It’s time for me.”
This comes a week after Murray told Schefter that he has had multiple conversations with four or five teams throughout the offseason and he expected to sign with a new team before the start of the 2018 season.
“I’ve had a lot of discussions with four or five teams that I feel will be a great fit for me,” Murray said. “It’s all about being transparent and, for me, I’m not looking to lead the league in rushing yards. Obviously I would work and do everything to give me the opportunity to do that, but it’s all about having an opportunity to get to the playoffs and have an opportunity to win a championship.”
Murray tells Schefter that he’s fine waiting for the right opportunity to surface, even though we’re just a few weeks away from the start of training camp. After dealing with injuries last year, Murray explained that he feels great physically and is staying in shape in the hope of getting an opportunity to compete for a championship at this point in his career.
Murray visited with the Lions, Seahawks and Dolphins this offseason. Last month, the Saints reached out to Murray, but he declined to work out for them, given that they brought in a large group of running backs for tryouts before signing Terrance West.
Murray, 29, is a former third-round pick of the Cowboys back in 2011. He was entering the third year of his four-year, $25.5 million contract that included $12.5 million guaranteed and set to make a base salary of $6.25 million for the 2018 season when the Titans released him in a move that freed up $6.5 million of available cap space.
For his career, Murray rushed for 7,174 yards on 1,604 carries (4.5 YPC) to go along with 307 receptions for 2,165 yards receiving and 55 total touchdowns over the course of seven years and 99 games played. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and was named the Offensive Player of the Year in 2014.
We had him featured in our Top 50 Available 2018 NFL Free Agents list.
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