Three-time Pro Bowl running back DeMarco Murray retires after seven seasons

By James Simpson

Image: DeMarco Murray was with the Tennessee Titans for the last two seasons

Three-time Pro Bowler and 2014 Offensive Player of the Year DeMarco Murray is retiring from the NFL.

The 30-year-old running back put together an impressive career, playing for three different teams in seven seasons and managing at least 900 yards from scrimmage in every one.

The highlight of his career was 2014 in Dallas, when he led the NFL with 1,845 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 392 attempts and the Cowboys finished with a 12-4 regular season record.

Murray said "I'm very blessed to have had the coaching staff and the players and team-mates that I've been fortunate to play with the last seven years of my career.

Image: Murray's best season came in 2014 as a Dallas Cowboy

"It's been a long time thinking the last year or two physically, mentally, emotionally. I think it's time for me to hang it out there.

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"As hard as it is, like I said the fans have been great. I had a lot of great games and a lot of great teammates. It's bittersweet, but I think for me it's the right timing for myself and my family moving forward."

Murray was drafted by the Cowboys from Oklahoma in 2011, and spent four seasons there before leaving as a free agent and joining the Philadelphia Eagles in March 2015. He signed a five-year, $42m contract but struggled under head coach Chip Kelly.

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Image: Murray had a woeful time in Philadelphia

Kelly was fired, and Murray was traded - along with an Eagles fourth-round pick - to the Titans for their fourth-round selection. He was much more successful in Tennessee, rushing for 1,946 yards and 15 touchdowns over two years and being voted to his third and final Pro Bowl in 2016.

However last year, he suffered nagging injuries, ending the season with a career-low 659 rushing yards and averaging just 3.6 yards per carry. The development of 2016 draftee Derrick Henry allowed the Titans to release Murray earlier this offseason, and they added former Patriots runner Dion Lewis in free agency.

Despite discussions with multiple teams about continuing in 2018, Murray decided enough was enough.

"I've always heard the saying when you know, you know and one day that day will come," Murray said. "I've been constantly thinking about this. It's time for me. I just woke up a couple weeks ago and it started to burn and burn and trigger and it got deeper so this morning I decided to call it a career."

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