What occurs if a player retires from their team?

When a player retires from their team, it often leads to the situation where the team demands repayment of any bonus proration. This is due to the structure of NFL contracts, which can include signing bonuses that are prorated over the life of the contract for salary cap purposes. If a player retires before the contract is fulfilled, the proration of those bonuses may need to be repaid to the team.

Teams invest in players expecting them to fulfill their contracts, and when a player opts to retire, this financial responsibility can shift back to the player, particularly in terms of bonuses that have not been fully earned by completing the contract period. This mechanism ensures that teams are not left at a disadvantage when a player decides to step away from the game voluntarily.

In contrast, options that suggest receiving a bonus payout or an extension on their contract do not align with the norms of NFL retirement scenarios, while retaining all bonuses earned does not typically occur if the player is retiring early in the contract's term.