Defensive lineman B.J. Raji, the No. 9 overall pick of the NFL draft in 2009, is taking a hiatus for at least the 2016 season, he told Packers beat reporter Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
Wood tweeted that Raji had an offer on the table from the Packers to remain with the club and also had interest from "multiple playoff teams." Though he played 31 of 32 games the past two years, Raji has had injury problems in that time.
That may have played a role in his decision; in a statement, Raji said he can't play with total committment at this time:
I am taking a hiatus from the NFL and will not play during the 2016 NFL season. This decision was made after hours of conversation with close family members and mentors and considerable self-introspection and is one in which I am absolutely certain. I cannot rule out a return to the NFL in the future, but I will definitely not be playing during the 2016 season.
Coach Lombardi once said that “unless a man believes in himself and makes a total commitment to his career and puts everything he has into it – his mind, his body, his heart – what’s life worth to him?” That is the approach I have taken with football since I was a 2-star high school recruit. That total commitment was the foundation of my success at Boston College, helped me become a top ten pick in the NFL and helped me both make a Pro Bowl and win a Super Bowl. However, when my agents Brian Murphy and Camron Hahn informed me that they had a new deal with the Packers, I knew that I would not be able to live up to Coach Lombardi’s “total commitment” standard and made this decision out of respect to this great organization.
I have played football and been defined as a football player for as long as I can remember. This off-season was the first time that I felt myself pulled in another direction and I am excited to first be “all in” with my family back home and then to explore new frontiers. I am not exactly sure what the next phase of life will entail, but I am confident that all of the lessons I learned during my NFL journey will provide a solid foundation for success.
I have enormous gratitude for Mr. Murphy, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Ball, Coach McCarthy, our entire coaching and training staff and all those in the football personnel department who make the Green Bay Packers so special. This organization not only made my NFL dreams a reality and provided financial security for me and my family for generations to come, but the Packers also helped me become the type of man who can make the decision I make today and for that I am eternally grateful.
I had the great fortune of playing with and developing friendships with some of the greatest teammates in the NFL and I thank all of them for going to battle with me every Sunday. It doesn’t seem that long ago that Clay and I came to Green Bay together as first round picks (me 17 picks ahead of Clay of course) and I am really proud of what we were able to accomplish as a defense and a team, bringing a Lombardi trophy to Green Bay.
Finally, I can’t possibly thank enough the tremendous city of Green Bay and Packers fans across the country. You embraced me from the beginning and helped Green Bay become not just a place I worked, but also a home. I know if I have the same passion, dedication and love that the Packers fans bring to Lambeau Field every game, I will find happiness and great success.
All my best,
BJ Raji
Listed at 6-foot-2, 334 pounds, Raji could be a force in the middle for Green Bay; his best years were in 2010 and 2011, when he totaled 9.5 sacks from his defensive tackle spot, with five pass break-ups. He became part of Packers' lore when he notched a fourth-quarter pick-6 against the Bears in the 2010 NFC championship game. Green Bay went on to win the Super Bowl over the Pittsburgh Steelers two weeks later.
Raji missed the entire 2014 season with a torn biceps he suffered in the preseason, but otherwise was durable, playing in 91 of 96 games over the other six seasons of his career. He was a Pro Bowler in 2011.
If this is the end for Raji, he will be at least the fourth former Pro Bowler to retire this offseason before hitting his 30th birthday, joining receiver Calvin Johnson, running back Marshawn Lynch and linebacker Jerod Mayo.
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