C.J. Mosley, Jets
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Former New York Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley warming up during mandatory minicamp.
C.J. Mosley announced his retirement from the NFL on Thursday, June 19.
However, before he submitted that paperwork, Mosley was in the process of making a football comeback this offseason.
“I’m told C.J. Mosley was hoping for a reunion in Baltimore to chase a championship. There was mutual interest there, but unfortunately, he couldn’t get cleared with his neck injury,” Rick Ritter of CBS Baltimore explained on social media.
I’m told C.J. Mosley was hoping for a reunion in Baltimore to chase a championship.
There was mutual interest there but unfortunately, he couldn’t get cleared with his neck injury @wjz @WJZ13sports @CBSSports
— Rick Ritter (@RickRitterWJZ) June 19, 2025
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This past season, Mosley missed 13 games while a member of the New York Jets due to injury. At the beginning of the year, the former Alabama product battled a toe issue. However, things got much more serious at the midway point of the season.
“[He] suffered a freakish neck injury in the Week 8 pregame warmups. It was noncontact; he simply turned his head during a drill and aggravated a previous injury. He didn’t play that day. As it turned out, his season was over with what he called a herniated disc in his neck,” ESPN’s Rich Cimini revealed.
Mosley Wanted to Keep His NFL Career Going, but Injuries Had Other Plans
During final exit interviews, Mosley told the Jets’ local media that he wasn’t thinking about retirement and wanted to continue his career.
A few months later, the Jets parted ways with the veteran linebacker, allowing him to hit unrestricted free agency.
This new report from Ritter confirms that Mosley had aspirations of continuing his football career with the Ravens.
Mosley, 33, began his career in Baltimore as the No. 17 overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft.
Mosley’s first five seasons were spent there. During that stretch, he earned four Pro Bowl nods and four second-team All-Pro nominations. He quickly became one of the best linebackers in all of football.
In 2019, Mosley hit the open market, and it became a bidding war between the Ravens and the Jets. New York won.
“It was going to take a Brinks truck to pry Mosley out of Baltimore, and the Jets brass backed up the wage wagon. Mosley’s $17 million per-year average blasts past other off-the-ball linebackers, including the 49ers’ Kwon Alexander’s $13.5 million per year average, which very briefly reset the market Monday,” Kevin Patra of the NFL Media Group said on March 11, 2019.
“Mosley’s deal sets a new mark for inside linebackers, and the $51 million guaranteed well outdistances the $34 million in total guarantees Panthers LB Luke Kuechly signed for in 2015. The Jets were expected to throw their salary cap capital weight around, and they did Tuesday, making Mosley an offer he couldn’t refuse,” Patra added.
Jets Have a Massive Leadership Void That Needs to Be Filled
Mosley’s impact on the field will certainly be missed, but the leadership portion might be missed even more.
The two starting linebackers for the Jets are both in their 20s. Quincy Williams has been a full-time starter for four seasons. Jamien Sherwood just crossed that off the bucket list for the first time in 2024.
From getting the other defensive players in the right position to helping their teammates when adversity inevitably strikes. The good news is that Mosley has served as an impromptu volunteer coach off the field, advising both Sherwood and Williams this offseason.