The Houston Texans receiving core has been flipped upside down this offseason. With Nico Collins already established, the Texans are hoping that rookie receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel can make an impact with Tank Dell on the shelf for the foreseeable future.
While the current group of Texans playmakers has its questions, so do some of the receivers that used to occupy that room. One former Texan surprisingly announced his retirement on Saturday and made his first comments since making that decision on social media.
Former Texans WR Chris Conley Explains His Decision to Retire
Former Texans receiver Chris Conley announced his retirement on Saturday and he revealed that his next career step is to attend film school at his alma mater Georgia. While the decision was surprising to fans, Conley explained his choice on his Instagram account and his goals for the future.
“When I was a kid, I wrote down a set of goals. On that list was ‘Play 10 years in the NFL,’” Conley wrote. “Now that this goal has been accomplished, it’s time to set sights on something new.”
Conley broke in as a third-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2015 NFL Draft and caught 104 passes for 1,238 yards and six touchdowns in his first four seasons. Conley hit the free agent market and had a career year, catching 47 passes for 775 yards and five touchdowns with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019, but slumped to 40 catches, 471 yards and two touchdowns before signing with the Texans in 2021.
The two years with the Texans didn’t pan out as Conley caught 22 passes for 323 yards and two touchdowns. Conley was also released early in the 2022 season and spent the rest of that year with the Tennessee Titans before spending his final two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers.
With a decade that spanned with several teams, Conley expressed gratitude for the opportunity and those that helped him along the way.
“The past 10 years have been a dream,” Conley said. “Getting the opportunity to play in the league was an honor and whether it was catching touchdowns or blocking for them, I truly gave it my all. I can’t mention everyone who was instrumental in my growth as a man and player but if you played a part, I extend a heartfelt thank you. To my teammates, training staff, and coaches, thanks for the friendship and trust throughout the years. God makes no mistakes and I’m thankful he proved this to me throughout my career. He is more than enough. See you in the next dream.”
Conley finished his career with 226 receptions, 2,998 yards and 15 touchdowns. His announcement drew comments from plenty of his former teammates, including Kyle Juszczyk and George Kittle and he will look to make a similar impact as he begins his new career.