A.J. Green Signs 1-Day Contract to Retire with Bengals After 12-Year NFL Career

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A.J. Green is officially retiring as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals after playing 12 years in the NFL.

The seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver signed a one-day contract on Saturday to retire with the franchise he spent the first 10 seasons of his career playing for.

Green announced on Feb. 6 he was retiring from football in a post on Instagram:

“I’ve never been a man of many words, so I’ll keep this short.

“Thank you. Thank you to all who have supported, encouraged, and inspired me throughout my career. Special thank you to the University of Georgia, Cincinnati Bengals, and Arizona Cardinals for the opportunity to pursue my dreams. I’ve stayed true to the game and it owes me nothing. Be blessed.. Love y’all! The next chapter begins…”

Green played the final two seasons of his career with the Arizona Cardinals. He signed a one-year deal with the team as a free agent in March 2021 and a second one-year contract in April 2022.

While no longer the same dominant receiver from the peak of his career, Green did make a positive impact for the Cardinals. His 15.7 yards per reception in 2021 was the second-highest single-season average of his career (16.3 in 2011).

Green had a season-high 91 yards and caught a touchdown pass in his final game against the San Francisco 49ers on Jan. 8, 2023.

The Bengals selected Green with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft. He was the first receiver to be drafted in the top five since Calvin Johnson went second overall to the Detroit Lions in 2007.

Green immediately established himself as one of the best wideouts in the NFL with 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie. He was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first seven seasons and had at least 1,000 yards six times during that span.

Injuries plagued Green in the 2018 and 2019 seasons, including an ankle issue that kept him out for all of 2019. His final season with the Bengals was in 2020 when he finished with 523 yards in 16 games.

Green’s 9,430 receiving yards and 65 receiving touchdowns rank second in Bengals franchise history to Chad Johnson.