Thousands of players around the NFL are ready for the offseason's next phase as organized team activities (OTAs) wrap up around the league. Up next are the annual mandatory minicamps, which give veteran players a good idea if their hopes of cracking a roster are realistic or nothing more than a pipe dream.
Interestingly enough, one former Houston Texans wide receiver has used the temporary pause in action to announce he's walking away from football to pursue a new career.
Former Texans WR Chris Conley Announces Retirement to Pursue Film Career
Former Texans wideout Chris Conley announced his retirement on Saturday morning, according to his agent Jonathan Perzley (h/t NFL insider Ian Rapoport). The former 2015 third-rounder's decision comes as he plans to spend his post-playing days as a film student at the University of Georgia.
Conley, 32, had spent 10 seasons in the NFL after being drafted 76th overall by the Kansas City Chiefs a decade ago. The Turkish-born receiver now gets to return to the school where he played four seasons as a Bulldog to chase the next chapter of his life.
Texans fans will remember Conley from the parts of two seasons he played in Houston (2021-22). He suited up in 18 games (10 starts) during that stretch, catching 22-of-39 targets (56.4%) for 323 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns. His tenure ended when he was released shortly after the 2022 season began.
Assuming he doesn't attempt a comeback down the line, Conley finishes his NFL career with 226 catches for 2,998 yards and 15 TDs in 132 games split between the Chiefs, Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers, and Tennessee Titans. He also made over $15.6 million in career earnings, per Spotrac, setting him up for a comfortable post-retirement life.
It'll be interesting to see where Conley's journey will take him as he embarks on a new path. Who knows? Maybe one day the former Texans WR will be showcasing his work at the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival.