Nelson, who spent a decade with Packers, retires



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Jordy Nelson, one of the pillars of the Green Bay Packers' offensive for a decade, is retiring from the NFL after playing last year for the Oakland Raiders.

"We would like to congratulate Jordy on his incredible career that includes achievements that will eventually lead to his induction into the Packers Hall of Fame," said Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst. "He is one of the biggest receivers of franchise history and has played a vital role in the success of the team with not only his playing in the field, but also for what He has provided as a great teammate and leader.We wish the best of luck to Jordy, his wife, Emily and the rest of their family. "

Nelson, who turns 34 on May 31, became a free agent when the Raiders released him on March 14 after only one season with the team.

James Jones, his former Packers teammate, first announced Nelson's decision.

The former Packers second-round pick spent the first 10 seasons of his career at Green Bay, where he captured 550 passes for 7,848 yards and 69 touchdowns. It ranks second in the history of the Packers franchise in touchdown receptions, third in the receptions standings and fifth in the receptions standings.

He and Aaron Rodgers also hold the franchise record for most touchdowns in a quarterback combination with 65. They broke the record, previously held by Antonio Freeman and Brett Favre, during the 2016 season.

The Nelson Escape took place in 2010, when the Packers won the Super Bowl XLV. Nelson caught nine passes for 140 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Steelers. His best seasons were those of 2014 and 2016, stuck around a year lost in 2015 when he tore his ACL in a pre-season match. He captured 98 catches for 1,516 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2014 – his only season at the Pro Bowl – and won the NFL Player of the Year award after accumulating 97 catches, 1,257 yards and 14 touchdowns. in 2016.

The Packers fired him in March 2018 after failing to reach an agreement on a pay cut on the $ 10.25 million that he had to earn in the last year of a contract $ 39 million over four years. At the time, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Nelson "will still be a member of the Packers family and we look forward to his induction into the Packers Hall of Fame".

During the 2017 season, Nelson's last year at Green Bay, he told ESPN that he thought he had another legitimate chance to return to the Super Bowl.

"I plan to play another two or four years, so I think I have two or four more chances," he said at the time.

Last season in Oakland, he caught 63 passes for 739 yards and three touchdowns. The Raiders had released him after spending a large sum at the wide receiver position by acquiring Antonio Brown in a trade – and then restructuring his contract to give him more money – and signing a four-year contract for Tyrell Williams.

Towards the end of the 2018 season, Nelson said he planned to play in 2019.

"It's not always the player's decision, but yes, that's the plan," he said. "We enjoyed our stay here until now, enjoyed being with the team and starting the rebuilding process and becoming part of it, so yes I believe that 39 is the plan. "

Paul Gutierrez of ESPN contributed to this report.

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