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Which NFL quarterbacks should retire after the 2023 season? Mike Fanelli looks at five NFL players who could hang it up in the upcoming 2023-24 offseason.
The 2023 NFL regular season is over. There are 14 teams headed to the NFL Playoffs, meaning 18 teams are looking towards the offseason.
While the offseason highlights are the NFL Draft and free agency, player retirements play a critical role in how teams adjust their roster for the year and there are a few aging signal callers around the league that must be considering hanging it up.
Let’s look at five NFL quarterbacks that should retire at the end of the season.
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Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
Tannehill has had a respectable NFL career, spending six years with the Miami Dolphins and the past five with the Titans. While he was never an elite quarterback, the veteran had several solid years, including 2019, when he made the Pro Bowl.
However, father time has caught up with the former Texas A&M wide receiver. Tannehill lost his starting job to Will Levis, as Tennessee spent the season looking towards the future. Despite spending most of the second half this year on the bench, Tannehill got to start the season finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars – likely his last game with the Titans.
Tennessee Titans Ryan Tannehill will start for the team this week, and this could likely be his last game with the Titans. pic.twitter.com/X9f4M3qLw0
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) January 5, 2024
Jimmy Garoppolo, Las Vegas Raiders
When the Raiders released Derek Carr last offseason, Garoppolo was supposed to be Josh McDaniels’ savior. Instead, the overrated head coach got fired on Halloween, and Garoppolo found himself benched for Aidan O'Connell. Las Vegas paid him a ton of money to have seven passing touchdowns in 2023.
With the Raiders looking towards the future, the veteran quarterback will likely be on his third team in three years next season. His days as a starter are likely over unless a team is desperate or wants to use him as a short-term bridge-gap option. If Garoppolo isn’t ready to accept holding onto a clipboard, he should retire.
Trevor Siemian, New York Jets
The 2023 season was a nightmare for the Jets and all of their quarterbacks. Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles a few snaps into the year. Zach Wilson struggled and ended the season on injured reserve with a concussion. While Tim Boyle started a few games for New York, Siemian took most of the snaps over the final few weeks.
Fans thought Wilson was awful until they saw this veteran quarterback drop back to pass. Siemian had 153 pass attempts this season but had only two passing touchdowns and four interceptions, tossing at least one in three of his final four contests. While he is only 32, it’s time for Siemian to find a new day job.
Trevor Siemian must be a very very nice guy because I can’t understand how he keeps getting jobs as a NFL QB
— Rio (@Super_Rio8896) January 7, 2024
Case Keenum, Houston Texans
Keenum has played for seven teams in his 11 NFL career. He started with the Texans in 2013 before spending two years with the Los Angeles Rams. The veteran had a few seasons as the starting quarterback with the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos. However, Keenum has been a backup for most of his career.
After having a few years as a starter, the veteran had only 89 pass attempts from 2020-2022 with the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills. He signed with the Texans this offseason to back up C.J. Stroud and Davis Mills. While Keenum started two games, he got benched for Mills in the loss to the Browns. It’s time for him to do something else at nearly 36 years old.
Matt Barkley, Jacksonville Jaguars
Every once so often, you realize a player is still in the NFL, just hanging out on some team’s practice squad. This year, that player was Barkley. The former USC star was sitting on the New York Giants practice squad when the Jaguars signed him following an injury to Trevor Lawrence.
#JAXvsTEN Inactives pic.twitter.com/8XFyYWhCTo
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 7, 2024
Unfortunately, the veteran only saw game action in the Week 17 matchup against the Carolina Panthers, taking three knees to end the game. The last time Barkley threw a pass during a regular season game came in 2020 with the Buffalo Bills. He has only 11 career passing touchdowns, totaling three since 2017. Maybe hanging out on a practice squad is fun, but it’s time for Barkley to find a new day job.
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