Though Kyle Emanuel played just four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, he got the most out of those four years.
The 27-year-old linebacker announced his retirement from the game on Thursday. He was a free agent and had some interest from other teams, including the Detroit Lions and Oakland Raiders, but according to a statement he released, his future health was his main concern.
Emanuel took the hard route to get to the professional level. Growing up and going to high school in Schuyler, Nebraska, he received little attention on a national scale entering college.