On Monday February 6, 2023, A.J Green, a wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals, publicly announced his retirement with an Instagram post. In his post, Green expressed gratitude for those who helped him pursue his dreams and thanked the University of Georgia, Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals for the opportunities they presented him. To conclude his statement, Green said, “I’ve stayed true to the game and it owes me nothing. Be blessed. Love y’all! The next chapter begins…”
After he was chosen fourth overall in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, Green went on to have an 11-year career in the NFL. His prolific start saw him notch up five straight 1,000-yard seasons, but his stats tailed off for his remaining time in the league with just two more seasons totaling over 900 yards.
Green ended his formidable tenure with the Cincinnati Bengals as one of the most accomplished wide receivers the team had ever seen. He earned the second spot in Bengals history for both receptions (649) and receiving yards (9,430), as well as the most touchdowns (65). Furthermore, he also holds the franchise record for hundred-yard receiving games with 33. His most recent campaign with the organization was in 2020 when he was on the franchise tag for the season. Following his departure from Cincinnati, he signed successive one-year contracts with the Arizona Cardinals before formally announcing his retirement.
Green exits the league as a two-time All-Pro, seven time Pro Bower and finished with 10,514 yards and 70 career touchdowns.