bp, I guess I don't see why a guy who decides he doesn't want to play pro football, even though he's good enough to do it, is "weird." He played in a "semi-pro" league (the quotation marks are really key here; we aren't talking about the CFL) in his hometown in Florida a few years ago. Here's what he said:
“A lot of people think that because I quit, I don’t like football or I have something against it. It’s not like that. As a recreational sport, I still dig it. It’s just not what I wanted to do with my life.”
We criticize people for idolizing athletes, but then people criticize them when they decide to do something else. He is never gotten into any trouble with the law. I just don't see how you can criticize a guy who decides it isn't for him. People change jobs all the time. He didn't get his full contract money because he retired. He hardly "stiffed" the 49ers.