Center Jacob Hickman possibly could have made in the NFL had he given it a shot, but instead has chosen to give up the game of football. Give up a potential shot at a boatload of money? Well... no.

"People who haven’t played football at the major college or pro level can’t understand the toll it takes on the mind and body, Hickman said. The 6-foot-4, 290-pound Hickman already has developed arthritis. He played through a painful hip pointer last season. He’s had surgeries on a knee, ankle, hand and elbow.

"I’ve got 14 screws, two plates and a washer in me," he said."

Smart move on Hickman's part. NFL players are paid to basically destroy themselves. Sometimes it's just not worth the money. Hickman will be successful in life without NFL fame and fortune. And he'll be able to walk when he's forty.