Cardinals' A.J. Green announces his retirement after 12 seasons
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver A.J. Green announced his retirement via Instagram on Monday.
The seven-time Pro Bowler posted six seasons with 1,000-plus receiving yards throughout his career.
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The Georgia product entered the league as a touted wideout prospect. The Cincinnati Bengals selected him with the fourth overall pick in the 2011 draft ahead of stars such as J.J. Watt, Julio Jones, and Tyron Smith.
Green quickly emerged as a rising star, recording five consecutive campaigns with 1,000 yards receiving while earning seven consecutive Pro Bowl nods in the process.
Ailments kept him off the field during stretches in 2018, and he missed the entire 2019 season due to an ankle injury sustained in training camp. He bounced back the following season but couldn't replicate the impressive stat line from the start of his Cincinnati tenure.
Green finished his tenure with the Bengals as one of the most prolific pass-catchers in the franchise, ranking second all-time with 649 receptions, 9,430 yards, and 65 receiving touchdowns. No other player in Bengals history has more 100-yard receiving games than Green's mark of 33.
The South Carolina native signed with the Cardinals as a free agent in 2021 and spent his final two seasons in Arizona, tallying 78 receptions for 1,084 yards and five touchdowns. No longer the top option on the receiving depth chart, Green provided depth to a position group that featured DeAndre Hopkins, Rondale Moore, and Marquise Brown.
Green concluded his pro career with 727 receptions, 10,514 yards, 70 touchdowns, and 14.5 yards per reception.
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