Arizona Cardinals wide receiver AJ Green announced his retirement via his official social media pages on Monday. Green played 12 NFL seasons and will go down as one of the greatest receivers of his generation. Green may fall just short of receiving entrance into the Hall of Fame, but Green’s illustrious career should be celebrated nonetheless.

Green appeared in 158 NFL games. He recorded 727 receptions for 10,514 receiving yards and 70 touchdowns. Green is a seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro selection.

There are currently 29 wide receivers in the Hall of Fame. That number should increase later this week. The 2023 Hall of Fame class will officially be unveiled at NFL Honors on Feb. 9, just days before Super Bowl LVII. Torry Holt, Reggie Wayne, and Andre Johnson are among the finalists. So is Devin Hester, but he’s more recognized as a kick and punt returner.

Green ranks 44th all-time among all receivers in yards, 51st in receptions, and is tied for 49th in touchdowns. The numbers don’t quite qualify for Hall of Fame status.

Green’s resume could be boosted by postseason production and success, but that unfortunately isn’t the case. Green only appeared in five career playoff games, compiling a record of 0-5 in five wild card showings. The Bengals were annual one-and-done darlings. The Cardinals were rudderless under Kliff Kingsbury. It’s a shame we never got to witness Green play alongside Joe Burrow and the current iteration of the Bengals. If only.

Pro Football Reference has an excellent model called the Hall of Fame Monitor (HOFm). The HOFm is a metric designed to estimate a player’s chances of making the Pro Football Hall of Fame using individual statistics, Super Bowls, Pro Bowl appearances, and other keynote accomplishments. The average Hall of Fame receiver has a score of 100.0. The lowest score among receivers to gain entrance belongs to Bob Hayes (1565-75) with a 57.53. Green possesses a 50.86.

Green’s retirement guarantees an abundance of change within the Cardinals’ receiver room for the 2023 campaign. No. 1 receiver DeAndre Hopkins is expected to be traded this offseason. With Green officially out of Arizona’s plans next season, and Hopkins soon to follow him out the exit door, the Cardinals are left with Marquise Brown, Robbie Anderson, and Rondale Moore as their relevant receivers under contract. New general manager Monti Ossenfort will have to add some size and production to his evolving receiver room via the NFL draft and free agency.

Green’s retirement announcement should be met with praise and applause. I’ll personally never forget watching the big-bodied Green dominate opposing cornerbacks on the boundary. Watching Green string together five consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns from 2011-15 was a truly special experience. AJ Green burst onto the scene as a rookie pass-catcher in 2011 and carved out an elite career for himself. It’s just not quite a Hall of Fame-worthy career.