Why Lavonte David Is Walking Away

Lavonte David explains why, after 14 years and three All-Pro honors, he is walking away, and the answer is built on self-awareness more than ceremony.

He is a structured guy. He needs to know where he is going and what he is doing. At the end of last season, that drive he usually carries into the offseason simply was not there. Nobody pressured him. He was given time and a little grace to figure it out. When he sat down and looked in the mirror, he landed on a single line. If you are second-guessing whether you should still be playing football, you probably should not be playing football.

He has played the game since he was six. Thirty straight years. At some point, the arithmetic of that kind of commitment catches up.

What was he second-guessing. Whether he could still play at his standard. A couple of plays from last year stick with him, plays he does not take pride in. People kept telling him he could still play. He knows he can. The question is whether he can play at the level he demands of himself. The younger guys are getting faster. If he cannot chase them the way he expects to, he is out.

The first call went to Jason. Theirs is a real relationship, and the conversation was one of the toughest he has had. Both men ended it sad. The next call was to Todd Bowles, another tight relationship. A press conference followed that Tuesday.

Since then, he has been extremely happy. He wanted to be fully comfortable with the choice before making it. People have been telling him he will come back. He does not think so. The NFL has been good to him. Now he wants to enjoy the fruits of his labor. Travel. Try new restaurants. A restaurant tour is on the table, though he promises not to blow up. He is still going to work out.

His daughter Logan is three. She is going to keep him active, and he plans to put her in sports this summer. She is a girly girl, and he wants her to have a little umph.

Rich asks the unfair April question every NFL interview requires. 100 percent retired. Any chance of a phone call. David is direct. No. He is done playing. He still wants to be around the game, possibly in scouting, a front office role, or media covering football.

He says watching the physicality of the game from a different vantage point has been revealing. He did that for 14 years. He cannot believe it himself.

Rich offers a half-joking invitation to come try out broadcasting anytime. David says he will take him up on it. The conversation closes on a quiet truth. The player who knew exactly when to walk in is also the kind of player who knows exactly when to walk out.