Gerald McCoy signed with the Las Vegas Raiders this past offseason seeking a fresh start after a brutal 2020.
Last year saw him sign a three-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys, only to be released in August after rupturing his quad.
That left him without a team after what seemed like a great fit in Dallas.
Las Vegas provided him another chance in 2021 and McCoy was on the field in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens.
Unfortunately, he was removed from the game and news has now dropped that he will miss the remainder of the season.
#Raiders DT Gerald McCoy suffered a season-ending injury on Monday night, sources say. Another season cut short for the former multi-year Pro Bowler. The team announced it as a knee on MNF. Damion Square has replaced him on the roster.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 15, 2021
This is awful news for McCoy in what is another lost season for the former No. 3 overall pick.
A String Of Bad Luck
McCoy was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2010-2018.
He then joined the Carolina Panthers on a one-year deal in 2019 and played in all 16 games, recording five sacks.
So it looked like he was still fresh and that explains why the Cowboys inked him to a three-year deal worth over $18 million.
But when next offseason rolls around, McCoy will be 34 years old and will have missed back-to-back seasons with different injuries.
Can he find another opportunity?
Gerald McCoy shouting out the team after the win https://t.co/yHcnCUbrVu
— Your Boy Q (@YourboyQ254) September 14, 2021
That may be up to him.
The Raiders signed him to a one-year deal worth just over $1 million and that may be the financial range he finds himself in for the remainder of his playing days.
He could also negotiate performance-related escalators into any deal, allowing him to make more if he can remain on the field.
A Memorable And Successful Career
Regardless of whether he plays another down in the NFL, McCoy has had a successful career to this point.
He is already a legendary member of the Buccaneers organization as he went to six-straight Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro four times.
The team handed him over $51 million in guaranteed money in 2014 and while McCoy never put up historic numbers, he was a key part of the defense for many years.
So if he retired today, his legacy would hold up in the city of Tampa.
It is just a shame he was no longer on the team once Tom Brady showed up and led the franchise to a Super Bowl victory.
The hope is that McCoy can recover from this latest injury and give it a go in 2022, if that is indeed what he wants to do.
Going out on a high note is always better than having an injury end a career.
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