In what should have been the prime of his NFL career, Rice was more concerned about injuries and his history of concussions than he was about future paydays.
At the age of 27, the former Pro Bowl wide out announced his retirement.
Fresh off a Super Bowl victory, Rice decided to focus on his future endeavors rather than attempting to revive a career that has been setback by injuries.
Rice has kept active off the field as the owner of a few Seattle Wingstop franchises, experimented with developing apps and established Fresh Healthy Vending to provide nutritional alternates for vending machines in schools around his hometown of Gaffney, S.C.
Although, Rice was recovering from a torn ACL, the Seahawks believed he could at least return to form as the Seahawks' deep threat this season
Reportedly, Rice was also heavily influenced by his history of concussions, which could become a growing theme around the league as more players become self-aware about the danger of repeated concussions. If that was enough to make Rice leave $1 million on the table, then it gives credence to the notion that the NFL's initiative to educate players on the long-term impact of repetitive concussions on their quality of life is working.
