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Last week the Raiders made Jordy Nelson a cap casualty, cutting the 34-year-old receiver. It was the second time in a year Nelson had been cut and that was apparently the signal he was ready to hang up his cleats. Longtime former Packers teammate James Jones made the announcement on Twitter this morning.
After more than a decade in the NFL, my brother, former #Packers & #Raiders WR @JordyRNelson is calling it a career. He’s stepping away from the game with more than 8,500 yards...72+ TD’s and as a SB Champion! I’m proud of him and happy for him and his family! #Ese’ #Respect
— James Jones (@89JonesNTAF) March 27, 2019
Nelson spent the first nine years of his career with the Packers. He was cut last offseason, but wasn’t ready to call it quits, so he signed on with the Raiders on a 2-year deal to play under his former Offensive Coordinator and position coach, Edgar Bennett, who had taken the wide receivers coach job in Oakland.
After somewhat of a slow start to the season, and then struggling with an injury, there were rumblings that Nelson was seriously contemplating retirement midseason. Ultimately, he did not retire and instead the team traded Amari Cooper.
Nelson would pick up steam late in the season, finishing second on the team in receiving (739 yards) behind tight end Jared Cook (896).
That late season push earned Nelson his 2019 bonus last December; a sign the team intended to have him back. Then they landed Antonio Brown in trade, which they say led to Tyrell Williams also wanting to join the team. Those two receivers added to the mix, made for a considerably expensive wide receiving corps. Something had to give. It was the soon-to-be 34-year-old who had just seen his starting job usurped.
Nelson finishes his career with 8587 receiving yards and 72 touchdowns in 10 NFL seasons.
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