NFL training camp can occassionally lead to some unusual antics, particularly when it comes to players retiring from out of nowhere. Kiko Alonso's abrupt retirement from football may just take the cake, though.

Alonso, who hasn't played in an NFL game since 2019, signed a contract with the New Orleans Saints yesterday afternoon to give them some depth at the linebacker position as preseason games roll around. Alonso built a reputation as a tackling machine during his career, but had struggled with injuries and conditioning problems during a prior stint with the Saints and San Francisco 49ers.

Despite his long absence from the field, Alonso found a deal to return to the Saints, and took it yesterday afternoon. Yet a day later, Alonso has announced that he has retired from the NFL, meaning he won't be joining the Saints anytime soon. It was quite an interesting turn of events considering Alonso hadn't even been with the Saints for a full 24 hours.

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JC Latham (Alabama), Chris Braswell (Alabama not Jaguars), Cornelieus Johnson (Michigan) in action behind a New Orleans Saints logo with a 2024 NFL Draft background.

Dylan Bruton ·

Many folks were quick to question how Alonso didn't know he wanted to retire yesterday before he signed the contract. Maybe there was a signing bonus involved in his deal and he wanted some quick money. Otherwise, this seems like a very odd change of heart from Alonso.

Given how Alonso hasn't played a snap of football over the past two seasons, the Saints probably aren't going to be heartbroken by his abrupt decision to retire. They were most likely going to see if Alonso had anything left in the tank, and see if he could earn a backup role on their defense. Instead, Alonso decided to ride off into the sunset and retire less than 24 hours after signing with the Saints.