NFL running back DeMarco Murray has made the decision to retire from the league. The sport is very violent and a high number of players do not last a long time before their bodies and minds tell them that they must move on. Running backs, in general, tend to take a lot of brutal hits. Here is specific information on his retirement and why he chose to hang up his jersey so soon.

Physically and mentally exhausted

A report by ESPN indicates that he announced his retirement just yesterday (July 13) right on the show "NFL Live." He had a quote on the show describing what went into the decision as stated in an article by ESPN: "It's been a long time thinking, the last year or two, and physically, mentally, and emotionally, I think it's time for me to hang it up." Derrick Henry will now continue to be the man with the Tennessee Titans.

DeMarco Murray was exhausted both physically and mentally, and when that happens it is a strong indication that it is time to retire.

Especially when it comes to the sport of football. His production on the field had also started to fade, as he did not have the same explosiveness as when he was a member of the Dallas Cowboys. ESPN statistics point out that "He had a career-low 659 rushing yards and tied for a career-low with 3.6 yards per carry in 2017." Murray could not even get to 1,000 yards, something he has not done in quite a while. He still had two years left on his deal with the Tennesse Titans but chose to just retire.

Right decision by the Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys have been a shaky organization at best, but there is no doubt that the team made the right decision in letting Murray walk. He was never the same player after leaving the team, where he had one of his best seasons in 2014 when he had 1,845 yards and 13 touchdowns.

As a member of the Dallas Cowboys, Murray was an offensive juggernaut, as he trucked over defenders and burst through the seams with explosiveness. In that same year with the Cowboys, he won Offensive Player of the Year.

The running back position also has another perplexing issue and that is the money they receive throughout their career in the NFL.

An article by The Ringer points out that "only kickers and punters get paid less than running backs." Despite running backs being an integral point of an offense and of a team's success, they are not paid what they deserve. It also spells out the future of running backs being underappreciated and underpaid. LeVeon Bell constantly gets paid under the franchise tag, instead of through a long-term deal.

The problem is that running backs typically have a short-term career, which downplays their ability to get a long-term contract. The article from The Ringer describes, that for the Cowboys' organization, it "could have been a disaster for the long-term success of the team." After Murray joined the Philadelphia Eagles, he had a lackluster season and clearly wasn't the same player.

The Cowboys, a while back, released Dez Byrant, and are looking to bounce back after not having a good season last year. They missed the playoffs and struggled to move the ball upfield. Ezekiel Elliott's suspension and Dak Prescott's struggles were at the center of the team's hardships for most of the year. The team has also, in their history, been in a long drought to win in the playoffs or get deep into the postseason. DeMarco Murray will be leaving the game behind with a career "7,174 yards and 49 touchdowns, averaging 4.5 yards per carry."
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