Undrafted. Five-foot-eight. Hailing from Division II Chadron State. Danny Woodhead was the NFL's real-life version of Rudy.
Only he didn't simply make an NFL team. He made it in the NFL.
After a decade-long run in the league, the 33-year-old running back announced Friday night on his Instagram account that he is retiring.
"10 years! Wow, God had crazy plans for a small little kid from North Platte, NE!" the post read. "It's been a wild ride and feel so blessed He allowed me to do what I loved for so long. But now it's time to say goodbye to the game I love."
Woodhead spent last season with the Baltimore Ravens before they released him Tuesday. Most of us first got acquainted with him in the summer of 2010 during the New York Jets' appearance on Hard Knocks. Woodhead would make the team, only to be cut after Week 1. But his star turn on HBO didn't go unnoticed.
He was quickly acquired by the New England Patriots, where he became Bill Belichick's Swiss army knife, catching passes out of the backfield, returning kicks and starring on coverage units, all while averaging 5.6 yards per carry in his first season in Foxborough. Woodhead remained with the Patriots for two more years, scoring a touchdown in their second Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants.
Woodhead later played four seasons with the San Diego Chargers, though two were severely cut short by injuries. The other two saw him tally a combined 156 catches and score 17 touchdowns.
He signed a three-year contract with the Ravens last March but missed most of the 2017 season with a hamstring injury. Woodhead closes out his career with 5,694 all-purpose yards and 32 touchdowns.
Not bad for a guy who was waived multiple times before making his NFL debut.
