On Friday, former Cleveland Browns RB Chris Ogbonnaya announced that he is retiring from the NFL at the age of 29. He posted the following message on his Instagram account:
From no football, to Strake Jesuit, to Texas, and then to the NFL, it has been a pleasantly surprising ride. It is with great thankfulness to God and appreciation of my family, coaches, and fans that I announce my retirement from football. It has been an absolute privilege to play this game that I love, and I look forward to my continued involvement in the future.
Ogbonnaya was a 7th round draft pick by the St. Louis Rams in 2009, but his first big break contributing to an NFL team came in 2011 with the Browns. In 2011, Ogbonnaya carried the ball 73 times for 334 yards and 1 touchdown. He only carried the ball 8 times in 2012, but in 2013, he became the team's primary fullback, finishing the year with 49 rushes for 240 yards and 48 catches for 343 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Ogbonnaya was with the Browns for all of training camp in 2014, but his touches in practice and during the preseason were noticably limited. He didn't make the roster, but did have brief stints with both the New York Giants and the Carolina Panthers during the regular season.
We can rejoice in this highlight from Ogbonnaya a couple years ago, when he laid out ILB Ray Lewis (ignore the ensuing drop by Mr. Greg Little).