After a 11-year career that saw him eclipse 10,000 career receiving yards, wide receiver A.J. Green is calling it a career.
Green signed a one-day contract with the Cincinnati Bengals Saturday and officially retired, ending his potential Hall of Fame career back where it all started.
Green was drafted fourth overall out of the University of Georgia in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Bengals and went on to record at least 1,000 receiving yards in seven straight seasons with the Bengals. During his time in Cincinnati, Green went to the Pro Bowl seven straight years to open his career and earned two second-team All-Pro accolades.
In nine seasons with the Bengals, Green hauled in 649 passes for 9,430 yards and 65 touchdowns. The former No. 4 overall pick spent the final two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, hauling in 78 passes for 1,084 yards and five touchdowns.
Throughout his career, Green was always a handful to deal with for the Steelers. Green played the Steelers 16 times and was targeted 163 times, hauling in 90 receptions for 1,218 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 13.53 yards per reception against the Black and Gold.
Taking on the Steelers in the Wild Card round in January 2016, Green nearly led the Bengals to a win over their AFC North rivals. He hauled in five passes for 71 yards and a touchdown, which was a 25-yarder late in the fourth quarter with 1:50 to go from backup quarterback A.J. McCarron.
Of course, the Steelers went on to win the game, thanks to penalties against Vontaze Burfict and Pacman Jones.
With him calling it a career, Green’s next stop could be Canton. According to Pro-Football Reference’s Hall of Fame monitor, Green sits at a 50.86 overall, which is behind the likes of Wes Welker, Davante Adams and DeSean Jackson. The next closest Hall of Fame receiver is Tommy McDonald at 55.45, who played with the Eagles, Cowboys, Rams and Falcons in the ’50s and ’60s.
