In his prime, Orlando Franklin was 6-foot-6, 315 pounds of an immovable object that guarded the likes of Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers.
How ironic that he should be pushed into a life-changing, career-ending move by the tiniest of humans.
Franklin announced his retirement two days after being released by the Washington Redskins, who likely added his replacement in the NFL Draft.
No longer the imposing force that he once was and facing some health problems, Franklin specifically cited the March 31st birth of his son as a pivotal moment in his life.
"Hey everyone, it's been a rough few days for me and more importantly a rough three weeks of me not being able to see my family every day once I got off work," he posted on his Instagram account. "Over the last few days, I've realized that FaceTiming my son is just not enough.
"I've always looked forward to being a father and right now I'm not at my best because I can not be a good father here in DC while my wife and son have to be in Denver. And for this reason, I have talked it over with God, my family, and my agent, and have decided to retire after seven years of playing in the NFL."
Franklin thanked his supporters and said that he wanted the news to come from him, and acknowledged his amazing ride in the NFL.
While he never played a down for the Redskins, he represented a footnote in the bizarre medical saga of 2017, when he was likely one injury away from being re-signed and pressed into immediate action.
Kudos to him for recognizing that it was time to turn the page.