Hall of Famer Michael Strahan had just won his first Super Bowl title with the New York Giants in 2007 when he decided to retire. After 15 grueling seasons in the trenches, the wear and tear had taken a massive physical toll. He later explained to actor Matt Damon why the NFL legend hung up his cleats during his prime.

“I remember Michael Strahan years ago came over to watch the Super Bowl. He was thinking about retiring. We’re the same age, and I was like, ‘Come on, man, we’re in our prime.’ He was like, ‘Look, it takes a lot to get ready. There’s a lot of work that goes into it.’ I kept pushing. Finally, he turns to me, and he goes, ‘Matt, I get in 35 car accidents a week.’ That’s a real consideration,” Damon told the Kelce brothers on the New Heights podcast in January.

When Strahan retired, he was the league’s active leader in sacks, and he did not even tell his coaches and teammates about it. He directly informed the front office about his decision to walk away from his 15-year NFL career.

One of the major reasons was the physical toll that the game had taken on his body. He played in just nine games in his rookie season due to a foot injury. Then, for the majority of his career, he was consistent, but missed nine games in 2004 due to a torn pectoral muscle and eight games in 2006 due to another foot injury.

“It’s easy to sit at home, enjoy watching you guys play, and be like, ‘Why don’t they play another season?’” Damon added on the show.

Moreover, Strahan was still under contract for the final year of his deal and was set to earn a $4 million salary in the 2008 season. But he had been thinking about retirement before the 2007 season even started. He missed most of training camp before joining the team in time to help win Super Bowl XLII against the New England Patriots.

So, when the former defensive end finished his career, he had 141.5 sacks, and even after almost two decades, that total stands at No. 6 on the all-time NFL career sacks record.

However, another reason Strahan wanted to call it quits was his ambition to join the TV industry. He had the skill to charm the audience, and since then has become an Emmy-winning and Peabody Award-winning journalist, building a second career as a broadcaster and morning-show host.