Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Retiring as a 49er. Thoughts?

The whole "Sign a one-day contract and retire as a (fill in the blank)" has always been a lame routine. Is the player (or team) that fragile that they can't just move on with their life?

BD Sullivan wrote:The whole "Sign a one-day contract and retire as a (fill in the blank)" has always been a lame routine. Is the player (or team) that fragile that they can't just move on with their life?

Yes?

BD Sullivan wrote:The whole "Sign a one-day contract and retire as a (fill in the blank)" has always been a lame routine. Is the player (or team) that fragile that they can't just move on with their life?

The first one I remember was Eugene Lockhart signing a one-day contract with the Cowboys. . .there could have been others before I don't remember but then I thought it served no purpose. . .

More interesting is guys retiring for a team they didn't play for, but were signed to a contract bet never saw the field---Leroy Kelly as a Raider, Bobby Bell (played preseason as a Raider), Herb Adderley as a Rams, thought those don't count and shouldn't they have more legitimacy than the "one day contract things".

At least those others were trying to make a team.

Nice symmetry to Gore's numbers: exactly 16,000 yards rushing and exactly 100 TDs.

Now he's entering the boxing ring, at age 38 and likely already suffering from brain damage. As if he didn't get enough pounding in 16 seasons at RB.

If I was him, I'd put my feet up and relax.

JohnTurney wrote: More interesting is guys retiring for a team they didn't play for, but were signed to a contract bet never saw the field---Leroy Kelly as a Raider, Bobby Bell (played preseason as a Raider), Herb Adderley as a Rams, thought those don't count and shouldn't they have more legitimacy than the "one day contract things".

At least those others were trying to make a team.

Willie Lanier with the Colts was another.

JohnTurney wrote:

BD Sullivan wrote:The whole "Sign a one-day contract and retire as a (fill in the blank)" has always been a lame routine. Is the player (or team) that fragile that they can't just move on with their life?

The first one I remember was Eugene Lockhart signing a one-day contract with the Cowboys. . .there could have been others before I don't remember but then I thought it served no purpose. . .

More interesting is guys retiring for a team they didn't play for, but were signed to a contract bet never saw the field---Leroy Kelly as a Raider, Bobby Bell (played preseason as a Raider), Herb Adderley as a Rams, thought those don't count and shouldn't they have more legitimacy than the "one day contract things".

At least those others were trying to make a team.

Ronnie Lott signed with both the Chiefs and the 49ers in the 1995 offseason/preseason, but never played in a game that year.

Jerry Rice spent his final training camp in Denver. As the season approached, Mike Shanahan told Rice he would make the team, but would be a 4th or 5th WR. Since Rice didn't play special teams, there was no guarantee Rice would be active on game-days.

JohnTurney wrote:

BD Sullivan wrote:The whole "Sign a one-day contract and retire as a (fill in the blank)" has always been a lame routine. Is the player (or team) that fragile that they can't just move on with their life?

The first one I remember was Eugene Lockhart signing a one-day contract with the Cowboys. . .there could have been others before I don't remember but then I thought it served no purpose. . .

More interesting is guys retiring for a team they didn't play for, but were signed to a contract bet never saw the field---Leroy Kelly as a Raider, Bobby Bell (played preseason as a Raider), Herb Adderley as a Rams, thought those don't count and shouldn't they have more legitimacy than the "one day contract things".

At least those others were trying to make a team.

Jerry Rice with the Broncos also comes to mind. I also remember Anthony Munoz with the Buccaneers and Tony Boselli with the Texans, but I believe they got injured had had to retire.

Not really the same, but I remember Terrell Davis being in the Madden playstation 2 games through 2004. You'd buy the game, start up a franchise mode, and see Terrell Davis available in free agency! One day contracts is almost as dumb/lame as making every MLB player wear #42 in 'honor' of Jackie Robinson.

Gore will make the Hall just based on good production for an absurdly long time for a running back. Regarding truly great...dominant seasons, he only had one in his life, 1,695 yards rushing in 2006. Other than that he'd only hit 1,200 yards in his career 2 other times

The longevity and compiling will get him in, but Gore has never been among the elite RB's in the league aside from 2006. He's really never been dominant, just good.