Philadelphia Eagles running back Darren Sproles is already done for the remainder of the season with a torn right hip flexor muscle, which many expected to be the end of his career, and he confirmed just that on Saturday. The veteran announced that he would retire at the end of this season, calling it a career after 15 NFL seasons. The tailback said in a statement "I gave it everything I had on every play," but injuries haunted the end of his career.
Sproles will be one of the Eagles' captains ahead of their final home game of the 2019 season on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, which will be a battle for first place in the NFC East. Both teams enter that game at 7-7, but the focus will be on the running back, who will be on the sidelines for the remainder of the season supporting his team. The Eagles are expected to pay tribute to him before the game at Lincoln Financial Field.
Before getting hurt, Sproles ran for just 66 yards on 17 carries this season, which was his third in Philadelphia. He also spent three seasons with the New Orleans Saints, and six with the Chargers. The three-time Pro Bowler was a fourth-round draft pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, but is now fifth on the all-time all-purpose yards list with 19,696. His best season came in 2011 with the Saints, when he ran for 603 yards, while catching 86 passes for 710 yards, as he found the end zone 10 times. Those all topped his career marks, and he will finish that career hopefully rooting on his Eagles in the postseason, potentially with a home game in the first round.
Sproles will be one of the Eagles' captains ahead of their final home game of the 2019 season on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, which will be a battle for first place in the NFC East. Both teams enter that game at 7-7, but the focus will be on the running back, who will be on the sidelines for the remainder of the season supporting his team. The Eagles are expected to pay tribute to him before the game at Lincoln Financial Field.
Before getting hurt, Sproles ran for just 66 yards on 17 carries this season, which was his third in Philadelphia. He also spent three seasons with the New Orleans Saints, and six with the Chargers. The three-time Pro Bowler was a fourth-round draft pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, but is now fifth on the all-time all-purpose yards list with 19,696. His best season came in 2011 with the Saints, when he ran for 603 yards, while catching 86 passes for 710 yards, as he found the end zone 10 times. Those all topped his career marks, and he will finish that career hopefully rooting on his Eagles in the postseason, potentially with a home game in the first round.
