FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- This offseason, the Atlanta Falcons reopened the door to their 2020 team by hiring head coach Raheem Morris - but running back Todd Gurley won't be joining in the reunion.
Gurley, who starred collegiately at the University of Georgia from 2012-14 before becoming a top-10 pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 2015, enjoyed a strong professional career that includes three All-Pro nods and the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award in 2017.
After being released by the Rams following the 2019 season, Gurley signed a one-year contract with the Falcons for what ultimately proved to be his final professional campaign.
Gurley led Atlanta in rushing in 2020, taking 195 carries for 678 yards and nine touchdowns while adding 25 catches for 164 yards through the air.
But the Falcons struggled, as an 0-5 start led to the firing of head coach Dan Quinn and the promotion of Morris, then the defensive coordinator, to interim head coach. There were also strict, league-issued guidelines amidst concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic, which altered the season's atmosphere.
Atlanta finished the season 4-7 under Morris's guide and 4-12 overall - and Gurley, in a recent appearance on the 25/10 Show hosted by ex-NFL players LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson, didn't hold back on his feelings about the year.
"I kind of had to see what they were talking about for real, because I played at Georgia," Gurley said. "So, that one happened. And I was like, the season was sorry."
Gurley's 2020 season marked career lows in touches (220) and yards from scrimmage (842) while he faced questions surrounding the long-term health of his knee, which featured an "arthritic component" due to an ACL tear in college.
After completing his sixth professional campaign, Gurley reflected on his life state. He felt his resume had enough substance, and perhaps more importantly, he felt internally fulfilled.
"It was like, 'Alright bro, I live in L.A. I’m chilling. I’ve [done] everything,'" Gurley said. "Of course, I would love to have a ring and stuff like that. But I went to a Super Bowl, lost. I wasn’t really tripping. I don’t know, I feel like I did a lot of stuff that I never would’ve thought I would’ve ever did.
"And just having fun, playing football, living out a lot of people’s dreams - that type of vibe."
Gurley said he received an offer to play for the Baltimore Ravens, his childhood favorite time, during the 2021 season but took a broader perspective and decided he was content residing in Los Angeles.
The now-29-year-old Gurley hasn't played a snap since the 2020 campaign closed. He hasn't officially retired, but he's expressed no interest in returning.
And even if the right offer comes to end in a place than "sorry," he feels at peace with his playing career and current place in life.
"It really came down to, it didn’t really matter if I scored 10 more touchdowns or if I scored zero," Gurley said. "It wasn’t going to satisfy me no more, for real."
