Veteran cornerback Steven Nelson, formerly of the Kansas City Chiefs, announced his retirement on June 9 via KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson.
Nelson explained to Wilson that after careful consideration and discussions with his family, he believes it’s the right moment to retire. With a new addition to the family on the way, he expressed his desire to prioritize family time and focus his energy on impending fatherhood and his off-field business pursuits. He conveyed a deep sense of pride in his accomplishments in football.
Nelson reflected on his humble beginnings, originating from a small town with limited resources. He recounted his journey through junior college, followed by Oregon State, a considerable distance from his family. Despite facing numerous challenges along the way, he expressed immense pride in overcoming obstacles to reach his current position.
At the age of 31, Nelson entered the NFL in 2015 as a third-round selection by the Chiefs from Oregon State University. Throughout his career, he participated in 52 regular season games, starting in 38 of them. His contributions included 158 tackles, 35 passes defended, 8 tackles for loss, and 4 interceptions, as documented by Pro Football Reference.
Following the expiration of his rookie contract in 2019, Nelson’s time with the Kansas City Chiefs concluded. He entered free agency for the first time and subsequently joined the Pittsburgh Steelers. Over the course of his NFL journey, he spent two seasons with the Steelers, followed by one with the Philadelphia Eagles, and ultimately two with the Houston Texans.
Throughout his NFL career, Nelson participated in a total of 130 regular season games, accumulating notable statistics including 374 tackles, 78 passes defended, 13 interceptions, and 11 tackles for loss.
Steven Nelson Hasn’t Completely Ruled Out NFL Return
Despite announcing his retirement over the weekend, Nelson hasn’t completely ruled out a return to the NFL if the timing and situation are right.
“I always will keep my body in shape and will always be ready if the right opportunity comes or I feel like the timing is right and my heart is into, I’ll do it,” Nelson told Wilson. “As of now, I think it’s best for me to take a step back and just enjoy my family.”
Per Wilson, Nelson had “prospective” contract offers or “serious inquiries” from the Texans, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, Los Angeles Rams, Washington Commanders, and Miami Dolphins this offseason.
Throughout his NFL career, Nelson made a total of $33.8 million from his contracts, according to Spotrac.
Users on X, formerly Twitter, reacted to Steven Nelson’s retirement.
“This one really surprised me than the Darren Waller,” one user wrote. “Very solid outside CB retiring early. I Thought he had few years still up left in the tank while playing pretty good ball still.”
Another user commented, acknowledging potential criticism but highlighting Nelson’s positive impact, describing his career as great and expressing well wishes for his retirement.
Another user expressed surprise at Nelson’s retirement, citing his impressive performance in his age 30 season, including tying his career-high in interceptions and achieving strong defensive stats. They speculated that Nelson likely chose to retire on his own terms.
