Former Auburn CB Jerraud Powers retires from NFL

Former Auburn CB Jerraud Powers, only 29 years old, is walking away from the NFL while still in his prime.

In a message posted on his personal Instagram page, Powers said that he was quitting despite saying he “can still compete and play at a high level:”

“With the 2017 season getting started and teams are preparing to be the best they can be, I think it’s time for me to walk away from the game. The last 8 years have been a joy and wonderful ride. Even though I can still compete and play at a high level, mentally, I’m ready for the next chapter of my life.”

He went on to thank his teammates and everyone involved in his football career before reminiscing about what the game has meant to him.

Powers came to Auburn as a three-star recruit out of Decatur, Ala., and he left as a third-round draft pick, making the freshman All-SEC team along the way. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts where he went to the Super Bowl in his first season, and gained most of his notoriety, playing with the franchise for four years. He also spent time with the Arizona Cardinals before joining the Ravens last season.

With the 2017 season getting started and teams are preparing to be the best they can be, I think it’s time for me to walk away from the game. The last 8 years have been a joy and wonderful ride. Even though I can still compete and play at a high level, mentally, I’m ready for the next chapter of my life. Will most certainly miss the locker room talk and conversations, the relationships with the trainers, managers and equipment staff. Will miss the going to battle with the guys on Sunday and feeling the joy or sadness of a victory or a loss. The game of football changed my life forever and happy to forever be apart of the greatest fraternity in the world. Football has been a part of my life since the age of 6 and it’s been great. Thanks to the Colts for taking a chance on me out of Auburn and being a great organization to be apart of. Thanks to the Cardinals for bringing me in for 3 years to help turn a organization back to its winning ways. Thanks to the Ravens for accepting me and letting me be apart of a great football culture and great organization. Thanks to the fans, you guys make the game GREAT. Thanks to my family for being supportive and loving me through it all. Looking forward to setting new goals with my wife and 2 sons and proving the naysayers wrong again. ✊🏾✌🏾

A post shared by Jerraud Powers (@jpowers26) on Apr 13, 2017 at 1:04pm PDT

Will Ogburn

A former resident of both Baton Rouge and the heart of Crimson Tide country, Will Ogburn handles multimedia content and news coverage for Saturday Down South.