Buffalo Bills’ guard Isaac Asiata announces retirement

In a surprise move, newly-signed Buffalo Bills guard Isaac Asiata announced his retirement from the NFL. Asiata was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Appearing in two games in two seasons for Miami, Asiata was released by the Dolphins this past June. With Buffalo looking to tweak their roster, Asiata was picked up by the Bills on July 22. He was on the team for eight days.

Asiata eloquently expressed his reasoning for leaving the game and if you’re reading this it’s strongly encouraged you read his entire statement. Asiata expressed that while it was short lived he “loved every minute of being a Buffalo Bill.” Asiata thanked the Bills and Dolphins for giving him opportunities to live his dream.

For Isaac Asiata, the decision to retire came after a period of soul-searching after his release from Miami. Asiata writes “I have lived the last two years of my NFL career waging war with myself mentally.” The statement details how doubt and anxiety consumed Asiata while he was with Miami, questioning if he would become “another guy who couldn’t cut it in the league.” The release by the Dolphins is described as a revelation of sorts as it presented him with the idea that he could choose to walk away.

With this epiphany, Asiata continues by expressing that he decided to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL one more time. Asiata expresses that this came with a promise to himself. “If I absolutely wasn’t in it 100% for the love of the game, or if those same anxietes [sic] and fears returned, I would leave.” After working on himself “mentally, spiritually, physically, and emotionally” Asiata declares that he was “blessed” with another opportunity by the Buffalo Bills.

Isaac Asiata concluded after a week in training camp that “[he] found that [his] heart was no longer 100% into this.” Keeping the promise to himself, Asiata states “those fears and anxieties were replaced with comfort, peace and understanding as I came to terms with where my life is now, and what the Lord has planned for me and my family.”

Best wishes to Isaac Asiata as he begins a new chapter.