At age 25, former Rams and Jets running back Zac Stacy has decided he’s done playing football.
But while Stacy cited injuries as the reason he’s walking away at such a young age, he isn’t expressing any regrets about putting his body on the line for the sport he loves.
“The game of football was more than a game to me,” Stacy wrote. “It was a life changer. Talk about a sport that teaches you the important values of faith, dedication, commitment, perseverance, work ethic, discipline and leadership which not only shaped me into a talented football player throughout the years but into a man.”
As a fifth-round draft pick in 2013, Stacy emerged as a surprisingly effective player, running for 973 yards as a rookie. After that impressive rookie season, Stacy saw less playing time in 2014, and the Rams traded him to the Jets in 2015. He broke his ankle during the 2015 season, and he indicated that injury is the reason he can’t play anymore.
“As much as we want to as players, we can’t play this game forever,” Stacy wrote. “Father Time may have caught up to some. Some may have had a bad hand dealt in the business. Some had career ending injuries, like myself. Some simply felt like it was time. All different factors can play into why we leave this game but regardless of the reason, regardless of the circumstance, the game of football will always have my heart.”