The Facts: Ginn once sprinted to a Division I scholarship and a first-round selection in the NFL draft. Now, he's coasting into retirement. The 14-year veteran is hanging up his cleats. Ginn announced his retirement on Friday's edition of NFL Total Access on NFL Network. "Sad to say, but not really sad to say, really joyful to say that I'm going to take my time and retire this year," Ginn said. "I had a great career. Little League to NFL. I have nothing to hold back. I enjoyed my time at every level. I played at the highest level. I'm just thankful to be able to have this time and it's a joy."
Diehards Line:Ginn, 36, starred as a receiver and returner in college, becoming a three-time All-American and garnering All-Big Ten first team honors in 2006. His game-breaking speed was enough for the Miami Dolphins to spend the ninth-overall pick on him in the 2007 NFL Draft. Ginn's receiving career never reached the expectations placed upon him by his first-round selection, but he proved to be a quality secondary option in the passing game, finishing with 5,742 career receiving yards and 33 touchdowns. He was occasionally devastating in the return game, scoring seven total return touchdowns (four punt return scores, three kick return touchdowns) in his 14 years, but failed to make a Pro Bowl in his time in the NFL. Ginn's best years as a pro receiver came in Carolina, where he caught 134 passes for 2,047 yards and 19 touchdowns over the three seasons he spent with the Panthers. That production bought him a few more years in the NFL with the Saints, where he caught 100 passes for 1,417 yards and eight scores from 2017-2019. Ginn finished his time in the NFL with six games with the Chicago Bears in 2020 before calling it a career this week. He heads off into retirement with nearly a decade and a half of NFL experience, a conference title and two Super Bowl appearances to his name.