N
ot for long. The NFL has a lot of nicknames, but among them, Not For Long, is one of the most popular. Some players who enter the NFL enjoy long and successful careers, playing for well over a decade and joining the ranks of NFL legends. But for many others, a career in the NFL is very short– only a few seasons– and results in players walking away when they are still young men.
Former Los Angeles Chargers defensive back, Nasir Adderley, is one of those players that had a very short stint in the NFL. Drafted by the Chargers in the second round of the 2019 draft, Adderley played for the team from 2019-22 and after his rookie contract expired, shockingly retired from the league at the age of 25. Now, after over two years since the day he announced his retirement, Adderley is speaking out about his decision to move on in life.
What Made Adderley Do It
When the Chargers drafted Adderley, they thought that he could be their long term answer at safety, showing countless times throughout his tenure with the team that his talent was exceptional. But shortly before the 2023 season began, and still without a new contract, the Philadelphia native realized that football was no longer his calling in life.
“During that time I went through a spiritual awakening and realized my purpose wasn’t just playing in the NFL,” Adderley said to the Philadelphia Inquirer on May 20. “It was to be a present father. My daughter was very young but still visibly upset when I was gone. I never expected for it to hold a profound impact on her at such an early age, but it changed my perspective completely.”
After retiring, Adderley went back to school at his alma mater– the University of Delaware– and earned a degree in health behavior science. And it was through getting his degree that he was able to fully realize that ending his football career was the right choice.
“As soon as I realized my time being taken away from learning about health, I knew it was time to move on,” Adderley said. “In business, I found myself searching for the most lucrative opportunity instead of just committing to the industry that was calling my name since I was a little boy. I said, ‘That’s why I left the NFL.’ I’m not going to make my decisions based on money. I’m going to make my decisions based on purpose.”
Adderley’s Career
In college, Adderley played for Delaware’s program from 2015-18, logging 226 tackles and 10 interceptions in total. Starting off as a cornerback, he switched to safety prior to his junior campaign and flourished, earning First-Team All-CAA honors in both 2017 and 2018. As a rookie with the Chargers in 2019, Adderley played four games, mostly on special teams, but injured his hamstring and ended up missing the rest of the season.
Adderley then became a full time starter in 2020 and enjoyed a strong season, logging 69 tackles, an interception, and a fumble recovery. But his best season came in 2021, when he made 99 tackles, three tackles for loss and had a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Across four seasons, Adderley had 232 tackles and three interceptions.
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