After 14 seasons as a wide receiver and kick returner, Ted Ginn Jr. is retiring from the NFL.
When you think of great kick or punt returners in the NFL, a few names come to mind: Devin Hester, Deion Sanders, Josh Cribbs, Dante Hall, Percy Harvin and Darren Sproles, to name a few. However, one of the more underrated returners of all time is Ted Ginn Jr. The former Ohio State Buckeye used his blazing speed to breeze past defenders on returns, making him one of the game’s elite returners in his prime.
Outside of being an exceptional return man, Ginn Jr. was also a decent receiver, mostly used in the slot for his game-breaking speed. Unfortunately, NFL fans won’t have the luxury of seeing this talented athlete fielding kicks on Sundays anymore.
Ted Ginn Jr. announces his retirement from the NFL after 14 seasons.
On Friday, Ted Ginn Jr. officially announced his retirement from the NFL, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He was with the Chicago Bears in 2020 but only played in six games and caught three passes for 40 yards. Ginn Jr. also played for the Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, and New Orleans Saints. He’s best remembered for his days in Miami as one of the game’s best kick returners and his days in Carolina with Cam Newton and company.
For his career, Ginn caught 412 passes for 5,742 yards and 33 touchdowns. He ran for two more touchdowns and scored seven times on a return in his career. Before becoming a household name in the NFL, Ginn was a star at Ohio State University, catching 135 balls for 1,349 yards and 15 touchdowns in three seasons. He was selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.
Ted Ginn Jr. had a pretty solid career in the NFL. His straight-line speed and shiftiness forced opposing kickers to boot it away from away at all cost, and it made him a valuable deep threat option on offense. At 36 years old, Ginn walks away from football as one of the best kick returners of the modern era.