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Stopping short of calling it retirement, Green Bay Packers nose tackle B.J. Raji said Monday he would take a hiatus from football in 2016. Raji, 29, was a free agent after signing one-year contracts in 2014 and 2015 to play each season for the Packers, who drafted the former Boston College defensive lineman in the first round.
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"I have played football and been defined as a football player for as long as I can remember," Raji said in the statement Monday. "This offseason was the first time that I felt myself pulled in another direction and I am excited to first be 'all in' with my family back home and then to explore new frontiers. I am not exactly sure what the next phase of life will entail, but I am confident that all of the lessons I learned during my NFL journey will provide a solid foundation for success."
Raji was the ninth overall pick in 2009.
He overcame a torn biceps tendon that ended his 2014 season to have a solid season with the Packers in 2016, playing 41.6 percent of total defensive snaps.
Packers sources told ESPN Milwaukee that they did not view Raji's decision as a final farewell and expected him to play in 2017.
