Bills OG Incognito confirms sudden retirement

Buffalo Bills left guard Richie Incognito is retiring from the NFL.

The news of Incognito’s departure began to take shape when he posted via Twitter on Tuesday morning, “I’m done,” and tagged the NFL Players Association.

One hour later, Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News confirmed the goodbye was for keeps.

“I’m done, I’m done, that’s it,” Incognito told The Buffalo News. “It’s been a long career. My liver and kidneys are shutting down. Nothing I can’t restore with some balance, but the stress is killing me.

“I went to a doctor’s appointment the other day and they said, ‘Listen, the stress is killing you, what are you doing?’ And I said, ‘Listen, I’m just doing what I love and that’s playing football.’ So that’s why I’m done.

“It’s just about doing what’s right. I just want to be in the Hall of Fame.”

Incognito posted the brief message shortly after Sports Illustrated reported the 34-year-old was “strongly considering retirement.”

Since the offseason began, Incognito fired his agent via Twitter and agreed to a pay cut with a base salary of $3.65 million. SI reported Incognito was open to returning for the right price, but that plan does not appear to be under consideration.

“It pisses me the f off. The contract and all that pissed me the f off and all that, but (retiring) has nothing to do with that,” Incognito said, via the Buffalo News.

Whether his farewell Tuesday was a negotiating ploy or final and official decision (he told the Buffalo News “absolutely not” when asked if there’s a chance he would change his mind), the Bills must weigh the gravity of losing the entire left side of their offensive line — from center to tackle — since the end of the 2017 season.

The Bills traded left tackle Cordy Glenn to the Cincinnati Bengals, and center Eric Wood retired.

In 2016, Incognito signed a three-year, $15 million contract with the Bills. He restructured his deal but might now be having second thoughts about taking less money.

–Field Level Media