Dominate the Super Bowl-Chapter 957 - 956 Season Centennial

Retirements happen every year; it’s nothing unusual. The cycle of transitioning from old to new is a normal process, and it’s also an essential facet of the continuous advancement of competitive sports—

No need to make a fuss.

However, this year is slightly different, with high-profile players consecutively announcing their retirements.

Julius Peppers, a Defensive Tackle, a nine-time Pro Bowler, three-time All-America First Team, and three-time All-American Second Team legend, has announced the end of his seventeen-year-long career after serving the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, and Green Bay Packers. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

NaVorro Bowman, a lineman, a three-time Pro Bowler, and four-time All-America First Team, decided to hang up his boots and bid farewell after a glorious career at the San Francisco 49ers in just eight seasons.

Jamaal Charles, a running back, was a player who once made waves with the Kansas City Chiefs. Though his career was impressive enough, what left a truly lasting impression was a severe injury during the 2016 season, which not only led him to transfer to the Denver Broncos but also directly led Veach to select Li Wei with the third pick in the following year’s draft—

The rest is history.

Yet, surprisingly, Charles also quietly left the professional field due to a severe injury just two seasons after Li Wei entered the league.

Additionally, there’s Rob Gronkowski.

This New England Patriots Tight End is credited as a major contributor to changing the tactical status of Tight Ends in the league. A five-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-America First Team, with two Super Bowl championship rings, his nine-year career was spent entirely in Foxborough. Undoubtedly, he is one of the league’s most representative Tight Ends.

Back in the day, both Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski emerged as Tight Ends, rejuvenating this position with new vitality. Yet now, everything has changed.

Graham faded into oblivion due to injuries, long past his peak, drifting among different teams; Gronkowski, however, chose to gracefully leave the league while at his peak.

The entire league was in shock.

Last season, Gronkowski’s performance visibly declined, indeed not comparing to his prime. But without a doubt, in crucial moments, he remained Brady’s most trustworthy passing target, repeatedly turning the tables.

Yet who would have thought he’d retire this year?

Gronkowski is still two months away from turning thirty!

Inevitably, the league speculated that Gronkowski might choose to retire gloriously before things worsened, much like Barry Sanders.

In response, Gronkowski explained that it was primarily due to injuries.

Throughout his career, back, knee, arm, and concussion issues were constant. The previous season’s performance was also affected by injuries, which wore him out physically and mentally. He needed time to recuperate well.

However, internal league rumors suggested otherwise.

The real reason was the escalating conflict between Brady and Belichick.

Obviously, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in consecutive postseason games was a significant reason, yet the deeper cause wasn’t the Chiefs but the power struggle between Brady and Belichick for the team’s control.

Two tigers cannot share one mountain.

Brady is no longer that unknown seventh-round rookie from twenty years ago. When facing his mentor Belichick, Brady began to rebel, even preparing to seize Belichick’s power.

The power struggle had always been ongoing.

The rivalry, both overt and covert, between these two giants plunged the New England Patriots’ locker room into turmoil, even forcing the team owner to handle carefully.

From the drama of Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels’ offseason antics two years ago to the further eruption of locker room power games this offseason, in recent years, the atmosphere in Foxborough has worsened—

Incidentally, Belichick still has no retirement plans, and McDaniels still continues at the Offensive Coordinator position.

Gronkowski, deeply tired both physically and mentally, decided to support Brady unconditionally, willing to stand by him regardless of the situation. Yet, this kind of internal power struggle was truly not Gronkowski’s forte, and he grew weary of distractions off the field.

Then came the issue of injuries.

Ultimately, Gronkowski chose to retire.

The reasons and truth are shrouded in mystery, with rumors flying everywhere; but undoubtedly, Gronkowski’s sudden retirement was a bombshell.

The entire league was abuzz for a time.

Moreover, the aforementioned players were just a fraction, with multiple Pro Bowl-caliber players from other positions also retiring, slightly less impactful yet still sparking widespread discussions.

Everyone knows that retirement is entirely normal and part of natural rhythm. When age and injuries become obstacles to continuing the fight, whether one is willing to admit it or not, the time to step away inevitably comes.

Nevertheless, every time retirement news is announced, the sighs, laments, and regrets remain unending. A significant reason for this is:

These players often represent personal memories. Their retirements not only mean the sealing of those memories but also signify the growth or even aging of oneself, reminding that the figures once sprinting on the field have also reached the time to retire, and those sitting in front of the TV watching the games are also gradually aging, as the young fans cheer for even younger and more energetic players.

What is lost is not just the players, but one’s youth as well.

This is precisely why retirement news always brings a bittersweet feeling.

Purely in terms of individual performance, Gronkowski perhaps doesn’t compare to legends like Bowman and Peppers. But Gronkowski’s retirement and Graham’s decline represent the fall of two leading figures of a new era for Tight Ends. Additionally, with this offseason’s complete disbandment of the "Bombing Corps," the most iconic scenes in the league over the past decade have become memories.

Upon reflection, it’s no wonder why Gronkowski’s retirement triggered such extensive discussions.

The bustling Free Market, the shocking retirement news, the draft’s buildup, and the emergence of the offseason training "King of Competition" Li Wei, indeed, this year, the NFL is a hubbub.

Although every offseason is like this, this year seems exceptionally lively—

Don’t forget, the 2019 season marks the NFL’s centennial celebration, and the league had long been preparing a series of events for this milestone anniversary.

Celebrations will throughout the entire season, starting with the Centennial Best Team. Each team will select a week’s game to wear retro jerseys—this not only commemorates the league’s history but also guides fans to revisit their team’s history; from on-field art to scheduling, lastly, to special events in international games, and so on.

Goodell is prepared to seize the opportunity, using the centennial event as a festivity to elevate the NFL’s influence to a new peak.

Everything is ready to kick off the carnival party.

Amid the rolling waves of heat, the annual event still unfolds methodically, feeling a bit special due to the centennial—

The league’s Top 100 Players List.