At just 25 years old, former Denver Broncos safety Caden Sterns is hanging up his cleats.
Sterns announced in an Instagram post on Thursday that he’s retiring from the NFL. He spent the first three years of his career in Denver and struggled to stay healthy. After being drafted by the Broncos in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL draft out of Texas, Sterns played in 15 games as a rookie, but he then missed 12 games in 2022 and all but one game in 2023.
Sterns suffered a torn patellar tendon in Week 1 of the 2023 season, and he struggled to get back on the field after that knee injury. Denver cut the safety in 2024 and he was initially picked up by the Carolina Panthers, but they waived him after he failed a physical. Sterns then went on a roller coaster ride with the Philadelphia Eagles, bouncing on and off the practice squad.
Now, after failing to break back into the NFL, Sterns posted this message on social media:
Goodbye Football.
Well… damn. Crazy to say it’s been over two years since I last stepped on a field. I spent that time trying to just be healthy & functional again — then fighting like hell to get back to the game I love. As I sit here writing this reminiscing, tears rolling down my face, I feel everything: pain, sadness, gratitude, peace. I didn’t become the player I thought I would be… but who am I to question God’s plan? Some chapters are meant to end rough — yet the story still goes on.
This isn’t a sorrow post. It’s one of joy. Pure joy. Because this game gave me everything. Purpose, brotherhood, identity, discipline — all of it. Football molded me, broke me, built me, as I got up everyday despite how I felt chasing the vision.
To every teammate, coach, fan, trainer, and friend — thank you. You made this journey special. To my family, for never letting me forget who I was outside the helmet — I love y’all.
I realized success was never about the numbers or the highlights — it was about the man I became through the struggle. It’s about holding faith when everything you planned goes sideways, and still showing up with gratitude. It’s about growth — the kind that only comes through pain and patience.
This chapter’s over, and I’m at peace with it. The same drive that once fueled the grind still burns — the target’s still the same, the scope’s just different.
So again, thank you, football. For allowing me to stand for something far bigger than myself. You’ll forever live within me — the lessons, the love, the memories.
With Much love, Caden S.
Sterns tweeted in January that he had comeback ambitions, and he worked out for the New York Giants in August, but he has now decided to walk away from the game. Sterns totaled 49 tackles, nine pass breakups, four interceptions and two sacks in 21 career games with the Broncos. The talent was there, but injuries derailed his career.
Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
Leave a Reply