New York Giants running back David Wilson officially announced on Wednesday that he is retiring from the game of football. We can’t imagine how difficult it must have been for a 23-year-old to stand in front of reporters and do that.
Wilson was a first-round pick in 2012. Despite some early fumbling issues last year, he had raw talent and speed and was a very promising young player. After battling back from a neck injury during the offseason, the former Virginia Tech star suffered a setback during training camp and was advised by doctors that he should no longer play football.
When a player is cut from a team, he has to accept that he simply isn’t good enough to play football at the highest level. From Wilson’s standpoint, it must be impossible to not feel sorry for yourself when so many other players have had better luck than you. When he choked up at around 4:00-mark of the video above, Wilson said he was crying “tears of joy” thinking of how many people supported him.
“These are toys of joy, man,” Wilson said. “Don’t for a second think that I’m pitying myself or sad, because I got to live my dream. I’ll set another dream and be great at that because I always try be great at whatever I do.”
The type of maturity and poise Wilson has shown over the past few days is incredibly admirable. We wish him all the best in whatever it is he decides to do with his life after football.
H/T For the Win
