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16 NFL Players That Should Retire before the 2026 season. Which NFL players should retire ahead of 2026 NFL free agency. Read RotoBalller's top players to retire including Travis Kelce, Aaron Rodgers, more.
While many NFL legends have continued to play at a high level despite their age, most players see their production decline when they reach a certain age.
In this ranking, we spotlight 16 players who should retire ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
Which NFL players should retire before free agency kicks off?
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Russell Wilson, QB
While Russell Wilson has expressed a desire to play in the upcoming season, the former Super Bowl Champion should consider hanging up his cleats this spring. Wilson was given the starting job in New York, but his tenure was short-lived.
Wilson was only given three starts before the team opted to shift to the future option, Jaxson Dart. During his three starts, Wilson failed to hit the 175 passing-yard mark in two and did not throw a touchdown pass in all but one. He finished with a modest 3:3 TD:INT with all three scores coming in the same contest.
Aaron Rodgers, QB
Aaron Rodgers signed a one-year contract with Pittsburgh in hopes of making one more deep postseason run in 2025. Ultimately, the Steelers saw their season cut short in the Wild Card round by the Houston Texans, losing 30-6. In this game, Rodgers looked outmatched, completing just 17 of his 33 passes for a mere 146 yards.
In the regular season, Rodgers threw for 3,322 yards with a 24:7 TD:INT. Entering his age-42 season, the future Hall of Famer will have a tough task ahead of him if he chooses to return to Pittsburgh for another year in hopes of leading them on a lengthy playoff run.
AARON RODGERS YOU'RE KIDDING.
68-YARD TD TO FREIERMUTH FOR THE LEAD.
PITvsCIN on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/G657L0t6MG— NFL (@NFL) October 17, 2025
Josh Johnson, QB
The 39-year-old spent most of the 2025 campaign on the bench but found a job late in the season. With Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota both on the shelf, the Commanders opted to turn to the journeyman down the stretch. Johnson entered in relief during Week 16 and started each of their final two games.
In Weeks 17 and 18, Johnson averaged just 165.5 passing yards per game and threw one passing score. Given that he will even struggle to earn a No. 2 job on most, Johnson should look to retire ahead of 2026.
Raheem Mostert, RB
Raheem Mostert enjoyed a productive NFL career that began in San Francisco, but he would enjoy his most productive campaign in Miami, including a career-best 18 rushing TDs in 2023. Heading into 2025, Mostert was expected to serve as the veteran presence in the Vegas backfield that welcomed rookie Ashton Jeanty.
However, Mostert would only play in 12 games due to injuries and log a mere 22 carries for 104 yards. He would not find the end zone and totaled just one run for more than 20 yards.
Jeff Wilson Jr., RB
The 30-year-old saw his production dip significantly back in 2024 when he logged a career-low 16 carries for the Dolphins. In 2025, Wilson saw an even smaller role in the Miami offense as he did not log a single carry this season.
The veteran RB dressed for the first two games of the season and did not see the field until their Week 18 finale, when De’Von Achane was held out due to an injury. In these three games, Wilson saw just seven total offensive snaps and will likely be competing for a role on a practice squad if he chooses to play in 2026.
DeAndre Hopkins, WR
The 33-year-old moved to Baltimore last offseason in hopes of winning a Super Bowl after failing to do so with Kansas City last season. Unfortunately, the Ravens would fall short of the postseason, and Hopkins would have the worst statistical season of his career.
The veteran played a depth role in the offense and caught just 22 passes for 320 yards with two touchdowns. He would only eclipse the 50-yard mark once in a game and would only draw five or more targets in one contest.
Adam Thielen, WR
Adam Thielen began the season with the Vikings but would eventually join Pittsburgh down the stretch. However, despite the return to his first-ever franchise, the veteran wideout was unable to make much of an impact in his age-35 campaign.
Through 16 games, Thielen would catch a mere 11 passes for 117 yards. He would not find the back of the end zone. His best days are behind him, and given his lack of productivity this season, Thielen may struggle to find a suitor for 2026.
Keenan Allen, WR
Like Thielen, Keenan Allen would also spend the 2025 campaign with the team that made him famous. After a brief stint in Chicago, Allen would return home to the Chargers. While he enjoyed a strong start to the season, finding the back of the end zone in each of his first three games, the veteran wideout would see his production take a massive dip following the hot start.
From Weeks 4 through 18, Allen would tally just 41.6 yards per game and score only one touchdown. During this 14-game stretch, Allen would tally just one 100-yard game and catch just 4.4 passes per game, despite seeing a near every-down role.
Marcedes Lewis, TE
The 41-year-old tight end joined the Broncos near the halfway mark of the campaign but has yet to make any sort of impact. He made his debut in Week 9 and did not catch a pass during the regular season.
Over the five games in which he suited up, Lewis did not draw a single target from Bo Nix. While he may end the season with a Super Bowl ring, he should look to retire, as he is not expected to have any suitors in free agency.
Zach Ertz, TE
The veteran tight end strung together an impressive debut season in Washington in 2024 and served a critical role in their march to the NFC Title Game. In 2025, Ertz is on track to enjoy another productive campaign, but he did take a step back without his top QB, Jayden Daniels, under center.
Unfortunately, in Week 14, Ertz would suffer a torn ACL, which not only ended his season but likely ended his playing career. While he could still return to action in 2026, the 35-year-old has a lengthy recovery ahead of him.
Travis Kelce, TE
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is on a clear path to Canton, Ohio. However, following a disappointing 2025 season that saw the Chiefs miss the postseason for the first time with Patrick Mahomes under center and now facing a long recovery, Kelce would look to hang up his cleats.
In 2025, Kelce caught 76 passes, a stark drop from the 97 he brought in the year prior. The veteran tight end also tallied 851 yards and punched in five scores. While he would still finish near the top of the position in yards if he chooses to play one more year, Kelce appears to be nearing the finish line of a legendary career.
Brandon Graham, LB
The linebacker came out of retirement to join the Eagles for the stretch run, but will likely “officially" call his career quits this offseason. In his most recent stint with the Eagles, Graham made an impact but not to his typical level, tallying only eight total tackles across nine games.
The 37-year-old logged only three sacks and was only able to log double-digit snaps in three regular-season games. Given that he already opted to retire, Graham will likely look to retire following another postseason run in Philadelphia.
Lavonte David, LB
While Lavonte David turned in another productive campaign, serving as the leader of the Tampa Bay defense, the 35-year-old appears to be nearing the end of his career, like the previously mentioned Kelce. In 2025, the Buccaneers fell short of playoff expectations and are likely to retool their roster and coaching staff in the offseason.
This season, David logged at least 100 total tackles for the fourth-straight campaign but saw his impact statistics drop. He tallied just 61 solo tackles, the lowest total of his career, and added only 3.5 sacks, his lowest over the past three seasons.
Calais Campbell, DE
Calais Campbell returned to Arizona in 2025. Earlier in his career, Campbell enjoyed a 10-year stint in Arizona but made stops in Jacksonville and Baltimore. However, while the veteran continued to add to his career sack totals in 2025, his other statistics declined.
The 39-year-old logged a mere 43 tackles, the lowest since 2022. Similar to other names on this list, Campbell may still be productive in 2026, but given his age and slowly declining profile, it may be best for him to retire while still near the top of his game.
Harrison Smith, S
During their Week 18 victory over the Packers, the longtime Minnesota Viking receiving a standing ovation from the home crowd suggests he may have reached the end of his playing career. During the 2025 season, Smith totaled just 54 tackles, which marked a career-low.
The 36-year-old added one sack and one forced fumble. Smith would finish his career with 39 interceptions, 21.5 sacks, and 107 total pass deflections.
Harrison Smith the veteran safety picks off Mariota!
WASvsMIN on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/drHRLR9QEU
— NFL (@NFL) December 7, 2025
Matt Prater, K
Rounding out this list will be the 41-year-old kicker. While Prater had a successful regular season in Buffalo, Prater battled numerous injuries, and his body appears to be wearing down from his lengthy NFL career. This season, Prater played in just 15 games, after appearing in just four during the entire 2024 campaign.
He went 18-for-20 on field goals but struggled on extra points, posting a career-low 93.9% FB% conversion rate this season. He also only made one field goal from greater than 50 yards, which was his lowest across a season in which he played in at least 15 contests.
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