Panthers running back Rashaad Penny made the surprising decision to announce his retirement on Tuesday morning.
The former first-round running back just joined Carolina in May to reunite with head coach Dave Canales, who coached for the Seattle Seahawks when Penny played there from 2018-2022.
Their reunion was cut short, however, and Canales revealed it was because Penny’s injuries had finally caught up to him.
“It was a really cool opportunity for me to see — I know Rashaad at his best — to see if we could get him to that kind of look,” Canales said. “And he came up and he just really, he felt like he wasn’t himself and I had to respect that going forward.”
The 28-year-old played in just 45 games throughout his six-year NFL career as he battled several injuries.
Penny’s best season came in 2021 when he rushed for 749 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games, but his healthiest season was his rookie year when he appeared in 14 games.
He never lived up to the first-round expectations, but he still proved to be a high-upside back when healthy, rushing for 135-plus yards in three consecutive games in 2021.
While the Panthers running back room takes a hit to its depth, they still have a few good options in veterans Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders as well as second-round rookie Jonathon Brooks.
Canales has no hard feelings for Penny.
“I don’t understand what that’s like, to have a feel, to have a vision and wanting your body to do exactly what you tell it to do and just not responding the right way,” Canales added. “For sure, I was glad to be a part of this process with him because I’ve known him for so long. And I wish Rashaad the best.”
Penny finished his career with 1,951 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns.
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