Unbeknownst to many, Erik Ainge was a once-promising quarterback prospect for the New York Jets. Now, after problems both on and off the field, he’s abruptly walking away from the game.
On Thursday night, Ainge told the Associated Press that he’s retiring from football due to foot and shoulder injuries.
“This isn’t the step I wanted, but it’s the hand I’m dealt,” Ainge said. “There’s nothing I’d love more than to come back to New Jersey when the lockout’s over and compete for a job and be around those guys and their families. I miss them as people, but it’s just not in the cards physically right now.”
Ainge underwent surgery in January to repair a nagging stress fracture in his right foot, and was recently diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder.
On top of his physical ailments, Ainge spent the last year recovering from serious drug and alcohol addictions that caused him to miss the entire 2010 season. The 2008 fifth-round pick never threw a regular-season pass in the NFL.
Clean for nearly a year and ready to move onto greener pastures, the 25-year-old Ainge is poised to begin a new chapter in his life. In the short-term, he will continue to attend meetings several times a week, while letting his body fully heal up. Though he’s leaving the sport he loves, Ainge is appreciative of the chances he’s received in his career.
“Being in the NFL was amazing, one of the best experiences of my life,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of fun playing football and was truly lucky to have the opportunity to do so.”
