TBC Breaking News: Randy Moss Retires

This just in off the wire: wide receiver Randy Moss (pictured at left) has decided to retire from professional football, according to the always reliable Adam Schefter (so if things turn out otherwise, you can go ahead and blame him). If this is actually the case, it marks the end of one of the most spectacular and drama-filled careers for a wide receiver in NFL history. Moss, 34, played 13 seasons in the NFL, caught 954 passes for 14,858 yards and 153 touchdowns. He holds the NFL single season touchdown reception record (23, set in 2007), and the NFL single-season touchdown reception record for a rookie (17, in 1998). And his personality and outspokenness were just as big as the numbers he put up, often to the detriment of his team. During the last game of the 2004 season, Moss walked off the field and into the locker room with two seconds remaining on the clock; he was widely criticized for quitting on his team, although he later stated that he felt as though the game was essentially over because he did not believe the Vikings would recover the onside kick. Then there was the infamous mooning incident at Lambeau Field in the 2004-2005 playoffs, for which he was fined $10,000 by the NFL. (In our view, the reaction by Joe Buck in the video clip was more of a disgrace than the actual incident itself.) Later that year, in an August 2005 interview with Bryant Gumbel, Moss admitted that he had smoked marijuana during his NFL career “every blue moon.” This comment drew widespread criticism from throughout the league, although Moss was not disciplined by the NFL. To say the least, Moss was one of the most entertaining receivers on and off the field throughout his NFL career. While it would not be at all surprising if he makes a comeback at some point during this season, for now, Randy Moss won’t be signing any more NFL contracts and will be instead paying his way through life with nothin’ but straight cash, homey.