DeAngelo Hall is probably done pestering quarterbacks. Probably.
The longtime Washington Redskins corner told reporters Monday morning he was retiring from the NFL. Hall is mulling a possible move into television or a front office position.
"I'm not playing. That's for damn sure. But yeah, all the other stuff is still on the table," he said, via the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Hours after Hall's comments were published, the Redskins said Monday evening on Twitter that the cornerback has not "officially decided to retire" yet.
Hall called into 106.7 The Fan to clarify his earlier comments, saying, "I don't think I meant to say it that way."
"Am I done playing football? I'm probably 95 percent sure I'm done playing football but I wanted to do it the right way," Hall said Monday night. "I wanted to give the Redskins organization the respect it deserved and obviously do it with them when the time was right. I wanted to wait until at least I signed my national deal with the network before I made that official announcement, and I wanted to do it at a press conference."
Hall added, among other things, that he was considering announcing his retirement on NFL Network last week, but didn't want to get in the way of Cowboys tight end Jason Witten's retirement announcement.
The cornerback also said that if the Los Angeles Rams, coached by former Redskins offensive coordinator Sean McVay, had successfully traded for Odell Beckham, he would've considered joining the Super Bowl-contending Rams. Instead, L.A. acquired Brandin Cooks, who Hall said was "not as dynamic" as OBJ. Hall is currently a free agent.
"I had some opportunities to go other places but they weren't in the roles I'd like to see myself in. It was more like leadership, locker room guy. It wasn't going to be a role where I felt like I could try to get that coveted 50 [career interceptions]," Hall explained. "Why waste another year playing football in that kind of role when I felt like I could be just as big a name or star or personality in the realm of TV or radio and so why not go ahead and start that? That's the dilemma I kind of wrestle with in my mind. Do I want to play another year where I'm just not quite there?
"Rather than try to just get some sloppy leftovers I might as well just hang it up."
A first-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 2004, Hall spent the past nine-and-a-half seasons with the Redskins. Hall was traded from the Falcons to the Raiders in March 2008. He lasted just eight games in Oakland before being cut. Hall signed in Washington three days later to a one-year contract. He quickly became a staple in the Redskins secondary, first as a corner, then making the transition to safety.
The 34-year-old ball-hawk compiled 811 career tackles, 132 passes defended, and 43 interceptions -- tied for 63rd in NFL history. Injuries curtailed the end of his career, as he played in 22 of a possible 64 games the past four seasons. He participated in just five tilts in 2017.
"I had a vision of a gold jacket, but the injuries the last couple years have been very hard on me," he said earlier Monday. "So that's kind of out of the question now. But who's to say I can't get in there some other way? That's kind of my focus. I still want a gold jacket, whether I can get one as an exec, a coach -- I'm going to get me a damn gold jacket, believe that."
In 2010, his second full season in Washington, Hall famously intercepted then-Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler four times, tying an NFL record. Cutler is also expected to retire this year. Without Smokin' Jay around to pick on, it's as good a time as any for Hall to transition into his next career. Perhaps Cutler and Hall could end up at the same TV network, so the corner can continue to pick off the QB -- this time verbally.
