Why Veteran Players Are Suddenly Retiring After Signing With Eagles
Why Veteran Players Are Suddenly Retiring After Signing With Eagles
The Eagles had four players suddenly retired after signing with them Jeff Kerr|
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Philadelphia EaglesJoe Tyron-Shoyinka was one of the free agent signings by the Philadelphia Eagles in March. He won't play a down for the franchise.
After being a no-show this spring, the Eagles placed Tyron-Shoyinka on the reserve/retired list this week. Tyron-Shoyinka didn't even last three months with the team before deciding to call it a career.
Whether Tyron-Shoyinka would have made the Eagles or not was up for debate. He was battling for a roster spot in a crowded pass rusher room, and the Eagles countered with his absence by signing AJ Epenesa -- who was ahead of Tyron-Shoyinka based on talent and production.
Essentially, Tyron-Shoyinka's odds of making the roster were long -- but not impossible. At the end of the day, Tyron-Shoyinka became the latest veteran player to suddenly retire after signing with the Eagles.
This has been a trend of late. Tyron-Shoyinka is the fifth Eagles player in the last four years to abruptly retire after signing of getting traded to the Eagles -- and alot of these players are notable names.
Some of those players came back. Others never did, but it does ponder the question. What is it in the Eagles organization that makes players want to give up on the Eagles?
This isn't an indictment on the Eagles. Not in the least.
The players that walked away
Myles Jack (2023)
Jack retired two weeks after signing with the Eagles, and actually was with the first team at linebacker on the firts day he practiced with the team. Jack fell down the depth chart and retired abruptly to go to trade school. He un-retired and joined the Pittsburgh Steelers three months later.
DeVante Parker (2024)
Parker signed with the Eagles in March of 2024, but retired in May during OTAs -- citing to spend more time with his family and children. Parker was 31 years old and played nine seasons, and was expected to compete for the WR3 spot that offseason.
Za'Darius Smith (2025)
Smith signed with the Eagles after Week 1 of last season, having 1.5 sacks in five games. Then he decided to walk away from football in the middle of his 11th season, no reasons. The Eagles just released Smith from the reserve/retired list in case he wants to come back.
Smith wanted to chase a Super bowl with Philadelphia. When he retired, perhaps he felt that wasn't going to happen. Or he just had a change of heart.
Jaire Alexander (2025)
The Eagles traded for the 28-year-old Alexander on November 1, but he was placed on the reserve/retired list just 11 days later. Alexander admitted he retired because his knees were swelling up again, so he made the decision to retire without ever playing a game for the team.
Joe Tyron-Shoyinka (2026)
The Eagles signed Tyron-Shoyinka to a one-year deal in March, but he was not present for the open OTA practices to the media nor mandatory minicamp. Tyron-Shoyinka retired days later, with no reason given yet.
Why does this happen to the Eagles?
There are multiple reasons why the Eagles have seemed to have been the franchise where players had it with football. The sport is very demanding already, and the Eagles have a winning culture for a reason.
For a lot of the veterans, they have been through the grind and had the drive to make it in the league. Once veterans become fully vested and eligible to receive a lifetime pension benefit, things change. This happens after four accredited seasons in the league, which all these players that abruptly retired were eligible.
Alexander had an injury he couldn't recover from, which is more than understandable. Smith played in the NFL and long time and seemed to enjoy playing football, but perhaps he had a change of heart.
Jack was considering retirement before he signed with the Eagles. Parker made the decision early to walk away, much like Tyron-Shoyinka. Perhaps they just were ready to move on to the next stage of their life.
Maybe the Eagles culture is part of it, and the locker room is admittedly different from others based on talking to players that signed with Philadelphia from other teams. The Eagles aren't to blame, as so many factors go into a player deciding to walk away.
Football is a demanding game. If you aren't 100% invested in it, that is usually the sign it's time to step away from the game.
Players want to walk away on their terms. The majority of these players did.
Published Jun 18, 2026
JEFF KERRJeff Kerr covers the Philadelphia Eagles for On SI, part of the Sports Illustrated network and has covered the NFL for 10 years for CBS Sports. He's covered two Super Bowls, three conference championship games, and multiple playoff games in his career. Jeff also covers the Phillies for 97.3 ESPN FM in South Jersey and has been on the Phillies beat for multiple years. He also hosts multiple podcasts including an Eagles one for On SI.
Follow JeffKerrPHLBadenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
