Chargers Veteran Reveals He's on Verge of Retiring From NFL

The Los Angeles Chargers had a nightmare of a season, finishing with a 5-12 record at the bottom of the AFC West. Fans didn't get to see their team win a single game over the final five weeks of the regular seaosn, and the had to endure a 1-8 skid down the stretch.

Unfortunately, their nightmare has already continued beyond the regular season. Their offseason kicks off with bad news on All-Pro center Corey Linsley.

Chargers News: Corey Linsley Announces Likely Retirement

Linsley announced on Monday that there is a "99% chance" he is retiring from the NFL, according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic, after missing most of the 2023 season with heart issues.

After anchoring Aaron Rodgers' offensive line across 99 starts since being drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 2014, Linsley signed a five-year, $62.5 million contract with the Chargers in 2021, making him the highest-paid center in the league.

Until he was placed on the team's non-football illness list after Week 3 of the season, he continued to be one of the best in his position, making the Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro in 2021. He was a vital piece in back-to-back winning seasons in Los Angeles, providing elite protection to quarterback Justin Herbert and aiding his development. It is no coincidence that the Chargers' high-powered offense of the last two seasons went down the drain this year once Linsley went out for the season.

Despite the Chargers announcing that Linsley's "non-emergent heart-related issue" is not life-threatening, it has prevented him from taking the field in their last 14 games.

Linsley said that he will undergo more medical testing in March "before making a final decision", but indicated that his "health and family will take precedence over continuing his career", suggesting the unlikelihood of him returning to playing.

This is definitely not how the Chargers fans wanted Linsley's time with the team to end, but this gives them an opportunity to find a younger, cheaper replacement for him early in the offseason.

It is also certainly not the way he wanted to end his career, at age 32. However, for all intents and purposes, Linsley has had an excellent NFL career and he will continue to be beloved by both Packers and Chargers fanbases. He took care of his quarterbacks his whole career, now it's time for him to take care of his health.