Sony Michel, a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, will retire after five seasons in the NFL, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay announced Saturday.
Michel had been entering what would have been his second season with the Rams after playing for the team in 2021 and leaving for the Los Angeles Chargers for 2022. He had spoken of being “thankful for the opportunity” as recently as Friday, but will instead hang up his cleats.
McVay mentioned the Rams would look to add a fifth and possibly sixth running back to a room that is now composed of Cam Akers, Zach Evans, Ronnie Rivers and Kyren Williams.
The New England Patriots selected Michel 31st overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, following a decorated career at Georgia in which he formed a devastating one-two punch with Nick Chubb. Michel joined a crowded New England running back room but was productive in his first two seasons, posting 1,843 combined rushing yards with 13 touchdowns and 4.0 yards per rush, and winning a Super Bowl ring in 2019.
Injuries were a real concern for Michel coming out of the draft, though, and became an issue in 2020 when Michel missed seven games with a quadriceps injury.
The Patriots wound up trading Michel to the Rams for a fifth- and sixth-round pick in 2021. He had a rebound season with 841 rushing yards, four touchdowns and another Super Bowl ring, but bounced around the league after that.
It might be harsh to call Michel a bust, but his career also demonstrates how risky taking a running back in the first round can be given that Chubb, now a four-time Pro Bowler, went four picks later in the second round. A quarterback by the name of Lamar Jackson was taken one pick after Michel as well.
