Austin Carr, a wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints, has announced his retirement from the NFL
In a post on Sports Spectrum, Carr explained that he is trusting the Lord to guide him as he departs from playing professional football.
"After much prayer and consideration, I've decided that it's time to turn the page on my career in the NFL," he wrote. "It feels surreal to be moving on from this 20-year stint of lacing up the cleats every fall, but I'm committed to following the voice of God, and it has become clear that up ahead, He has a new and exciting future prepared for my family and me."
Carr, 27, thanked a number of people who supported him throughout his career, including his agent, teammates, coaches and staff.
He went on to thank his family for their love and sacrifice as they supported him on his football journey since he started playing in his youth.
"To my family, words cannot express how grateful I am for your love, sacrifice and support from youth football practices on Springs Road to the Superdome on Sundays," Carr wrote.
He also thanked his wife, Erica, for playing "so many roles and put[ting] on so many hats for my sake, I'm frequently humbled by how undeserving I am of your love."
Carr praised the Lord "who has protected, guided and loved me" throughout his journey.
"You are eternally worthy of all glory, honor and praise from these undeserving lips," he declared. "Truly, I can sing with the psalmist, 'Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!' (Psalm 115:1)."
In conclusion, Carr stressed the importance of placing complete trust in Jesus Christ no matter what.
"A wise man once said, 'If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat.' It's not always easy, but it's always right for us to put our total trust in Jesus Christ. Here's to the next season of life, stepping out onto the water of His calling," he concluded.
Carr was initially signed by the New England Patriots after entering the NFL as a free agent in 2017. He was cut from the team after the preseason and was later picked up by the New Orleans Saints, where he played for four seasons until his retirement.
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Kevork Djansezian/Stringer
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
