Here Is The Emotional Career Highlight Reel For The Patriots Rookie Who Retired Before First Official Practice

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My “Belichick’s got this!” declaration has officially devolved into a sheepish whisper to the cashier at my local Dunkin’.

• TE Matt LaCosse opt-out (expecting a child in November)
• WR Marqise Lee opt-out after signing with the Pats like 12 minutes ago (has a newborn at home)
• RB Brandon Bolden opt-out
• S Patrick Chung (expecting his second child)
• Team Captain and Pro Bowl LB Dont’a Hightower opt-out (mother has Type 2 diabetes)
• OT Marcus Cannon opt-out (diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma leading up to the 2011 NFL Draft, making him a “high risk player.”)

Aaaaand this just in:

The Patriots’ 22-year-old center, who just signed a four-year, $3.4 million deal with the team, has walked away before his first official NFL practice.

According to Andrew Callahan of The Boston Herald, the former All-American simply lost his desire to keep playing football after the Pats signed second-year center Tyler Gauthier earlier this week. Woodard is a bit undersized for an NFL center (6-foot-1, 290-pounds) and getting bumped down to third in the depth chart probably didn’t paint a rosy picture of his future.

Still, walking about from a few million bucks less than four months after making it to the big show is a decision my vapid and materialistic brain simply cannot fathom.

“It’s better to burn out than to fade away…” 

Tomorrow’s First Take debate: “Does Dustin Woodard deserve a spot in Canton??”