Former Patriot James Develin breaks down difficult decision to retire

Former New England Patriots fullback James Develin had a very successful career in the NFL, and last week he made the difficult decision to retire from football.

While many may think retiring is an easy decision, Develin reflected on his rather difficult decision to retire from the game he loves.

“It was difficult, man,” Develin told The Athletic's Jeff Howe. “Nobody ever wants to hear you probably shouldn’t play football anymore. It was a difficult decision. But from that moment, I was with my wife, Jenny, and my daughter who was not even 1 at the time. Having them there was the immediate sense of clarity that I needed. I knew I was lucky to make it through the game for 10 years relatively unscathed. I knew it was a decision I had to make for them and my boys. 

“Still an absolutely difficult decision and one that took me through a lot of emotions and a lot of nights to finally make it. It was like pulling teeth trying to get myself to accept the fact that this was how it was going to be. It’s kind of strange. The decision was easy, but actually living it and making it real was difficult.”

Develin was a monster in the blocking game for New England, and he'll never be forgotten for all of his contributions. He's a three-time Super Bowl champion and one-time Pro Bowler.  

It'll be hard for Bill Belichick and the Patriots to find someone to fill the hole Develin left, but they do have a few guys on the roster who could fill the role. Jakob Johnson will likely take over the role, but Dan Vitale is also listed on the roster and could fill in as needed.  While both of those players won't compare to Develin, it's certainly a start.