Todd Gurley Q&A: Retirement, College vs. NFL, Video Game News

DALLAS — Todd Gurley is one of the most talented players ever to put on a University of Georgia football jersey.

In three years with the Bulldogs, Gurley rushed for 3,285 yards and 36 touchdowns, maintaining an impressive 6.4 yards per attempt throughout his career. His best statistical season came during his freshman campaign in 2012, when he rushed for 1,385 yards and 17 touchdowns.

The St. Louis Rams selected Gurley with the No. 10 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, a move that paid immediate dividends. Gurley rushed for 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year and second-team All-Pro honors. His career peaked in 2017, when he won the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year award and earned the first of back-to-back first-team All-Pro selections.

Gurley’s pro career was short-lived, as injuries limited his production over the next two seasons. His 2020 season with the Atlanta Falcons, in which he ran for 678 yards and nine touchdowns, proved to be his last in the NFL. Gurley had opportunities to continue his career, but ultimately opted to retire in 2022 at age 28.

Gurley spoke with Athlon Sports at SEC media days in Dallas recently while making the rounds promoting Bush’s Grillin’ Beans. He spoke about the differences between the college and pro game that made his UGA experience special and his decision to retire. He also reacted in real time to finding out that he is in the newly released EA Sports College Football 25.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Athlon Sports: How do you compare your college and NFL experiences? What makes college football stand out from the pros?

Todd Gurley: Just the fan base and the atmosphere. The tradition. I don’t know, man, that college football is something different. Day 1 of baby being born is like, a Georgia onesie or, you know, Ohio State onesie, whatever it is. It’s just different. Not only that, the stadiums are probably just a little bit bigger. You fit a lot more people. Playing between the hedges, that tradition as well, and rivalries as well, too. So it’s definitely different.

AS: Your Georgia career was toward the end of what seemed like the last era of college football, before NIL and the transfer portal. What are some of the aspects of college football today that you wish you could have experienced?

TG: I don’t know. Maybe not getting suspended for signing autographs ? [Laughing]. Probably that and not missing some games for my teammates. For the most part, honestly, I enjoyed it.

AS: You recently spoke with LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson about your decision to retire early . At what moment did you feel comfortable calling it a career as a player?

TG: I think probably during the fall of 2021. I think having that opportunity, went on a visit in Detroit, but the Ravens [visit] was like, really kind of more like my instinct. I grew up a Ravens fan, all my family’s there. Ed Reed’s my favorite player of all time. So I think having that opportunity to go there and not like — I should have been super stoked, right? Having to think about that was almost kind of just like, that’s your answer.

But then also, too, I think the time I was spending with my family, I think at that time, too, it was after a new CBA and you can be on practice after year three or something. So it was one of those things where it’s like, a team can pretty much tell you, “Oh, we bring you in, put you on practice squad, and then we activate you.” It’s just like, being able to put myself in that right situation, but then also seeing past situations of players who got cut. It was one of those things, like, yeah, I could have bet on myself. But then it was also weighing all the options, but then just appreciating everything that I was able to do, like playing, doing stuff that I really couldn’t imagine.

I enjoy being a fan, too. Being a fan and letting these young guys just take over, so it really kind of came down to that. And then obviously, messing with my knee and stuff like that. All right, do I want to damage it even more? And I mess around, go to a team and probably — and I don’t want to say it, but if I would have got hurt ...

But I think just within myself, having inner peace and just being grateful and just being a fan of the game helped me out. And being able to take care of my mind and my finance, too, which was a big decision. All that kind of stuff played a role.

AS: Georgia football’s here today [at SEC media days]. Who would be your pick for Georgia’s GOAT?

TG: Kirby Smart. Yeah, yeah, I’m going Kirby, man. Like, what he’s done. And the excitement he’s bought back these last couple of years has been crazy.

AS: You’re in the new college football video game as an Ultimate Team player .

TG: Oh yeah?

AS: Yeah, how does it feel to be in the game now after being an anonymous Georgia running back when the last game was released in 2013?

TG: I shouldn’t be in the game, I didn’t sign off anything. But, no, it’s always been an honor, too, though. Last year, I was in the Madden Ultimate Team. I’ve never really been much of a big gamer, but maybe I should have embraced that a little bit more when I was playing. It’s one of those excitements, like me growing up I used to love the March Madness and the college football [games].

It’s an experience for the newer generation, but then also, people may not know who Todd Gurley is, like, “Who is this guy? I don’t know who he was as a player but on this game he won me his fantasy league.” That’s how I became a fan of a lot of people.

AS: Tell us about your partnership with Bush’s.

TG: I’m here on behalf of Bush’s Grillin’ Beans, the official beans of the SEC. So me being a big griller, living in L.A. year round, being able to grill, and obviously using them as a source of protein, plant-based protein, I’m honored to be able to partner with them.

Talking with y’all, man, definitely got me excited about the upcoming season. I’m definitely going to get back to Georgia, maybe have a tailgate, whip out some of these Bush’s Grillin’ Beans and add a little bold flavor to everybody’s life.

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