After NFL players retire, some have a tougher time than others in life after football. That can be said for Ryan Kalil as he will dust off his cleats and make a return to the NFL by way of the New York Jets.
After deciding on the Jets, Kalil had a new understanding of why some players have the urge to come back into the NFL after previously retiring. Kalil retired at the end of the 2018 season with the Carolina Panthers.
“I had a hard time moving on, I had a hard time turning the page,” the five-time Pro Bowl center said. “I think most players go through this, but especially coming off 2018. [I was] healthy, feeling great, feeling spry. I just felt like I had more football in me.”
Landing Kalil seemed to be a godsend for the Jets as they have been searching for a reliable center since Nick Mangold left in 2016. At 34-years old, Kalil can become a leader on the offense. Helping Sam Darnold will be vital for the Jets moving forward.
Before arriving in New York, Kalil spent 13 seasons with the Panthers as their long-time center. In those 13 seasons, Kalil was named to the Pro-Bowl five times while being named an All-Pro twice. The veteran center realizes that Panthers fans will be upset at him. But he knows there will always be love for Carolina.
Before choosing the Jets, Kalil got the go-ahead from some of his former teammates. Kalil turned to guys like Jake Delhomme, Luke Kuechly, and Christian McCaffrey before signing the dotted line.
Of course, getting into football shape will be a focus of Kalil's ahead of the 2019 season. This offseason, Kalil was as low as 260 pounds but is back up to 297 pounds now.
The Jets new center will take it day-by-day to get acclimated to the offense. Above all, the goal is to have him ready by Week 1. Similarly to Brett Favre, Ryan Kalil is coming out of retirement in hopes to help the Jets reach their ultimate goal.
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