‘In my head, I’m done,’ says Ex-bengals CB Waynes
Cornerback Trae Waynes played in just a handful of games over two injuryplagued seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Bengals released Waynes in March, saving about $10 million in cap space.
Now Waynes has told the Geary & Stein Sports show podcast that, while he's not announcing his retirement, he believes he's finished playing.
“It's open, but I'm not really exploring anything, to be honest with you,” Waynes said. “Multiple teams have actually called. Honestly, in my head, I'm done. I'm not officially doing it, just because I don't give a (expletive), but I'm retired. But it's not like I announced it or anything . ... It didn't feel like a Super Bowl to me because my time in Cincinnati has just been injuries.”
“For me, I played. I lived the dream. I did it. I made enough money to where I can take care of my family. Being able to walk away on my own terms is always something I wanted to do,” Waynes continued. “There's more to life than football. And I want to enjoy life outside of football without limping or walking in pain all the time and stuff like that. It's bittersweet, but I know at the end of the day, it's probably the right decision.”
Waynes missed the 2020 season with a torn pectoral muscle after signing a three-year, $42 million deal with the Bengals. Last year, he played in five regular-season games – with four starts – and four postseason games, but an ankle injury limited him to mostly special teams snaps.
In seven NFL seasons, including five for the Minnesota Vikings, Waynes played in 79 games with 57 starts. He had seven interceptions (none with Cincinnati), along with 43 passes defended, 259 tackles and one sack. He was the Vikings' first-round draft pick, No. 11 overall, in 2015.