(TNS) Former New York Jets captain and five-time Pro Bowl linebacker C.J. Mosley is retiring
He announced his decision on social media Thursday, bringing an end to a 10-year NFL career split between the Baltimore Ravens and the Jets. He spent the last five seasons with the Jets totaling 504 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 56 games (55 starts) and was a 1/2 punch in the Jets’ linebacking corps with former Murray State standout and fellow Alabama native Quincy Williams, who thrived under Mosley’s wing after arriving in 2021 from Jacksonville.
But Mosley’s final seasons with Gang Green were plagued with injuries, which ultimately led the team to release him hours after the start of the 2025 league year.
“It is hard to move on from a player like C.J. Mosley who has given everything of himself to an organization,” Jets Head Coach Aaron Glenn said in a statement released by the team at the time.
Mosley appeared in just four games in 2024 due to a toe injury and a herniated disk in his neck.
He made the retirement announcement Thursday morning — his 33rd birthday — in a two-minute long Instagram video.
“Today, it is time to wake up from my childhood dream and share it with the next generation,” Mosley said. “I spent my whole life and career building my legacy. Now it’s time to start a new chapter with new dreams. It won’t be easy, but I’m here to tell you every sacrifice is worth it.
“When you wake up, what will your legacy look like?”
The former first-round pick (17th overall) out of Alabama finished his career 1,083 tackles and 12 sacks in 133 games (132 starts).
Mosley arrived in New York in 2019 on a five-year, $85 million contract after four Pro Bowl seasons with the Ravens. Despite missing the postseason each year in his time with Gang Green, Mosley — when healthy — was a key piece for a Jets defense that ranked among the league’s best during his tenure in the Big Apple.