Former Packers Star Jaire Alexander Announces He’s Stepping Away From Football After Realizing He Can’t Play for Any Team Other Than Green Bay
Green Bay, WI – November 12, 2025
In an emotional and heartfelt announcement, former Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander has revealed that he is stepping away from the game, citing an inability to play for any team other than the Packers. The news has sent shockwaves through the football world, as Alexander’s decision to retire at just 28 years old marks the end of a promising career that could have spanned much longer.
Once the emotional cornerstone of Green Bay's defense, Alexander’s career took a rocky turn after leaving the Packers. After his time in Green Bay, where he became a two-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro cornerback, Alexander briefly joined the
A Difficult Transition
Sources close to Alexander report that his struggles with adjusting to new locker rooms and team dynamics were more significant than anyone expected. The Packers had been Alexander’s home since the beginning of his career, and it seems no other environment could match the emotional connection he felt in Green Bay.
Alexander's time with the Ravens and Eagles was marked by disappointment. He struggled to find rhythm within both teams’ defensive schemes, and his passion for the game gradually waned. According to close friends, Alexander privately admitted to teammates that his “mind wasn’t in it anymore” and that the locker rooms he encountered lacked the same camaraderie and energy he had in Green Bay.
“My Heart Isn’t in It”
Alexander’s decision to step away is driven less by his performance, which remains at an elite level, and more by the emotional toll of not feeling connected to the teams he played for. Speaking candidly with friends, Alexander said,
At just 28 years old, Alexander still had the ability to dominate as one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL. However, the emotional and mental fatigue of playing for teams he couldn’t connect with led him to make the difficult decision to walk away from football. It’s clear that Alexander’s heart will always belong to Green Bay, and it’s a reminder that the personal side of the game—relationships with teammates, coaches, and the city—matters just as much as the X’s and O’s.
A Deep Loss for Packers Fans
For Packers fans, Alexander’s departure is a painful reminder that not all stories in the NFL have happy endings. While some players are built for the business side of football—trades, contracts, and new beginnings—others, like Alexander, find themselves deeply attached to the teams that first believed in them. The bond between Alexander and Green Bay was palpable during his time in Wisconsin, and it’s clear that no other environment could replicate that connection.
Though Alexander’s career may have been cut short, his legacy in Green Bay will never be forgotten. For years to come, Packers fans will remember him as a fearless leader in the secondary, a player who could shut down the best receivers in the game and spark the energy of the entire defense. His decision to retire leaves a hole in the Packers’ defense, but more importantly, it leaves a reminder that sometimes, it’s not just about the game—it’s about where you belong.
As Alexander steps away from football, he will take time to focus on his mental and physical recovery. Whether his retirement is permanent remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: for Jaire Alexander,
Browns’ Grant Delpit Struggles with Lamar Jackson’s Playmaking: ‘It’s Annoying’
One of the problems for the Browns when it comes to playing against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens–and players who have been Cleveland for any significant time have dealt with this plenty of times–is that no matter how well the defense can have the initial stages of a play covered and sniffed out, Jackson’s mobility always leaves open the possibility of the play simply changing shape altogether. Fifth-year veteran safety Grant Delpit knows this well.
Delpit has been part of nine games against the Ravens, with a 4-5 record, including the 41-17 Week 2 matchup that started as a tight affair but turned into a big-play shellacking in the fourth quarter. Delpit has seen it time and again: The Browns, or any defense, can only hold back Jackson for so long.
Jackson suffered a knee injury last Sunday against the Vikings, and missed practice on Wednesday. But he said he would be ready to go in Week 11 in Cleveland.
Grant Delpit Will Need to Help on Zay Flowers
In the past, one of the saving graces of trying to defend the Ravens was, generally, that they did not put any great receivers on the field alongside Jackson. But what’s different about this offense–which has averaged 28.3 points as the Ravens have won three straight games with Jackson returning from an earlier hamstring injury–is the Browns now also have to worry about Zay Flowers.
Flowers has 50 catches in nine game, with 625 yards and a touchdown. He had seven catches for 75 yards in the Week 2 meeting with the Browns. Having to guard him while Jackson extends plays, Delpit said, is a bit much.
“It’s annoying, man,” he said. “It’s very annoying to be running everywhere across the field, and you’re expected to plaster him until it’s incomplete. They’re gonna make a play or two, Lamar is gonna do some crazy stuff that we all seen. We just gotta do our best to stay close.”
Browns Faced Mobile Quarterback Last Week, Too
The Browns do have some advantage coming into the game, having just faced an extremely mobile quarterback in Week 10, when they mostly shut down Justin Fields of the Jets. Jackson is better, though, and so are the Ravens in general.
“Obviously, we are familiar with Lamar,” Delpit said. “We’re familiar with the Ravens’ offense, and they’re familiar with us, so we’re playing with zone reads and some of the same techniques as last week. I think this game is just about perspective.
“Despite how things is going, despite how things are going outside the defense, just perspective, people know the Browns are gonna come with a great defense. That’s just upholding that standard and earning that respect every play.”
