Super Bowl LVIII - San Francisco 49ers v Kansas City Chiefs Steph Chambers/GettyImages

From seventh-round pick to Super Bowl champ, Richie James calls it a career

Originally posted on Arrowhead Addict | By Matt Conner | Last updated Jul 19, 2025 12:28 PM ET

After spending the 2024 season waiting for opportunities, former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Richie James announced his official retirement from the game.

James was a one-year flyer for the Chiefs, but in his lone season in K.C., he was able to contribute to and earn a Super Bowl championship as part of the team's dynastic run in 2023.

Richie James has called it a career after entering the league in the 2018 NFL Draft.

The former late-round draft pick decided to reveal his decision on social media on Saturday, shortly before the Chiefs and other teams entered into training camp before the 2025 season.

It took time but i have come to realize i am Retired from the NFL. 7th round out of MTSU. I feel like i was just a ball player to last that long. Unfortunately my knee never healed properly. I was playing hurt since 22’. Oh well. I gave everything I got to the game of Football.
— Richie James (@Senseispunk) July 19, 2025

James enjoyed a breakout season with the New York Giants in 2022. It was a "seize the brass ring" moment for James as numerous other Giants wideouts were sidelined by injury, and James stepped up with reliable play that resulted in 57 catches, 569 receiving yards, and 4 touchdowns—all career marks for James.

The Chiefs decided to sign James the following spring in free agency to bolster the wideout room and to give Dave Toub another option in the return game. Unfortunately, James' health was an issue from the outset and landed on injured reserve for most of the first half of the season. Upon his return, he was still buried on the depth chart.

James finished his only season in Kansas City with 10 catches for 114 yards on offense. He also handled 9 kickoffs and 1 punt return.

To James' immense credit, he entered the NFL as a former seventh-round selection of the San Francisco 49ers out of Middle Tennessee State, at No. 240 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. For any seventh-round pick to make an active roster is an achievement, but James would go on to play in 66 total regular-season games for the Niners, Giants, and Chiefs.

This article first appeared on Arrowhead Addict and was syndicated with permission.

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