Ted Ginn Jr. announced his retirement from the NFL on Friday, according to News 5 Cleveland. Ginn, who turned 36 this offseason, played 14 seasons for six different teams, but spent the majority of his career with the Carolina Panthers. The speedy wideout was also an electric return man, and holds an NFL record along with Josh Cribbs with two 100-yard return touchdowns recorded in a single game.
“It was a hard decision, but it was one that had to be made,” Ginn said during a press conference at Glenville High School in Cleveland, Ohio — where Ginn starred in the early 2000s.
Ginn was originally selected by the Miami Dolphins with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. He immediately stepped in as a return man and also recorded nine starts at receiver in his first season. Ginn would have his best statistical season as a receiver in 2008, as he caught a career-high 56 passes for 790 yards and two touchdowns. After his third season in Miami, however, he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers.
After three years with the 49ers, Ginn spent the 2013 season with the Panthers and the 2014 season with the Arizona Cardinals. He then returned to Carolina, and helped the Panthers make a Super Bowl run by recording 44 catches for 739 yards and a team-leading 10 touchdowns. Ginn caught four receptions for 74 yards in the 24-10 loss.
Ginn would spend another season with the Panthers before signing with the New Orleans Saints, where he played from 2017-2019. He most recently played for the Chicago Bears in 2020, appearing in six games for Matt Nagy and Co.
Ginn was a home-run hitter that defenses had to worry about, whether that was in the secondary or as a returner. He hangs up the cleats with 35 rushing and receiving touchdowns to go along with seven combined punt and kick return scores.
“I dedicated my life and my time to football, my entire life until now,” Ginn said. “Being able to go out peacefully and on a joy is all I wanted to be.”
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