Former Vikings RB Finally Retires

Dec 31, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Case Keenum (7) hands the ball off to running back Latavius Murray (25) during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports.

For a couple of seasons, Latavius Murray saved the Minnesota Vikings’ rushing offense.

A veteran NFL RB, Latavius Murray, who spent part of his NFL journey with the Vikings, is officially retiring after a long and respected career that featured 61 touchdowns.

Nearly a decade later — yes, he had that kind of longevity — the veteran tailback will hang it up.

Murray announced his retirement on Thursday, on the same day the 2025 NFL preseason will get underway.

The End of the Road for Latavius Murray

The former Viking enjoyed a long, long career.

Minnesota running back Latavius Murray (25) celebrates in the end zone after scoring a touchdown during second-quarter action against the Seattle Seahawks at U.S. Bank Stadium. Captured on August 24, 2018, the image reflects Murray’s reliable presence in Minnesota’s backfield. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.

RB Latavius Murray Calls It Quits

CBS Sports Cody Nagel wrote Thursday, “Veteran running back Latavius Murray announced his retirement Wednesday after 10 NFL seasons. Murray, 35, spent the 2023 season with the Buffalo Bills, appearing in 13 games as a backup to James Cook. He finished with 300 yards rushing and four touchdowns, primarily serving in short-yardage and pass-protection roles.”

“A sixth-round pick by the Raiders in 2013, Murray missed his rookie year due to injury but became a full-time starter by 2015, rushing for 1,066 yards and six touchdowns in his lone Pro Bowl season.”

Murray didn’t play last year, and the summer of 2025 is the end of the road.

Murray’s Legacy

Murray banked 6,552 rushing yards in 10 seasons, with 59 rushing touchdowns and a 4.2 yards per carry average from 2014 to 2023. All together, he logged 8,172 yards from scrimmage and two extra receiving touchdowns. For the most part, Murray was not a pass-catching threat out of the backfield, but teams knew that going in and fancied his battering ram and bowling ball modus operandi. In fact, Minnesota could use a player like him, as of late, as it has struggled to score short-yardage rushing touchdowns.

Here’s his full NFL resume with retirement now solidified:

Oakland Raiders (2013–2016)

Minnesota Vikings (2017–2018)

New Orleans Saints (2019–2020)

Baltimore Ravens (2021)

New Orleans Saints (2022)

Denver Broncos (2022)

Buffalo Bills (2023)

Murray ranks 83rd all time in rushing yards, sandwiched between Le’Veon Bell and Melvin Gordon.

With the Vikings

In Minnesota, Murray played 32 games with 17 starts and totaled 1,420 rushing yards, along with 14 touchdowns. He helped ease the pain of Adrian Peterson’s departure following the 2016 campaign and served as a breath of fresh air during the transition from Peterson to Dalvin Cook.

Minnesota Vikings running back Latavius Murray (25) celebrates after scoring a first-quarter touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals at U.S. Bank Stadium. Captured on October 14, 2018, the image highlights one of Murray’s key scoring plays in his productive 2018 campaign. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports.

Murray was ultra-important because the Vikings employed him during the Mike Zimmer era, who preferred to run the ball, play defense, and get out of dodge with a two-score victory.

Best Known for 2017 Fill-in Duty

The now-retired NFLer is best known in the Twin Cities for his 2017 heroism and subsequent spring to the NFC Championship.

The Vikings drafted Dalvin Cook in 2017, and he promptly tore his ACL a few games into his rookie season. Along with Jerick McKinnon — who will probably retire soon, too — Murray kept the rushing offense afloat while veteran quarterback Case Keenum distributed the rock to Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, and Kyle Rudolph.

Minnesota Vikings running back Latavius Murray (25) interacts with fans on social media following a win over the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium. Captured on December 31, 2017, the moment shows Murray’s connection with fans after a strong regular-season finish. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.

The Philadelphia Eagles stomped the Vikings in the 2017 NFC Championship, but Murray’s replacement efforts helped the club overachieve in the first place.

More on Murray

NFL writer Adam La Rose mentioned Murray’s resume on Thursday, “The UCF product landed a three-year, $15MM Vikings pact on the open market. Murray ended up spending a pair of seasons in Minnesota where he operated as part of a backfield tandem with Dalvin Cook. A similar setup was in place with New Orleans when Murray paired with Alvin Kamara for the 2019 and ’20 campaigns, during which he remained a consistent producer on the ground.”

“Murray caught on with the Ravens in 2021 shortly after being cut. As part of a Baltimore backfield ravaged by preseason injuries, he managed to handle a notable workload before finding himself on the move once again the following season. In 2022, Murray briefly returned to the Saints before signing from the practice squad to the Broncos’ active roster midway through the campaign.”

Buffalo Bills running back Latavius Murray (28) celebrates a rushing touchdown against the Denver Broncos in a regular-season matchup. The undated image captures Murray’s impact as a veteran contributor and red-zone threat in the later stages of his NFL career. © Jamie Germano/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK.

Murray does not have a case for the Hall of Fame, but he’ll be remembered fondly by multiple teams’ fan bases.

La Rose added, “That decision set up a starting role to close out the season and helped earn him a Bills pact for 2023. Logging a 32% snap share with Buffalo, Murray remained healthy but saw his yards per attempt average dip below 4.1 for the first time since 2017. That was a key factor in the Bills’ decision not to retain him, even though Murray was open to an extended stay with the team. After spending last season without a deal, today will mark the end of the line after 10 NFL seasons.”

“In all, Murray played 158 combined regular and postseason games over the course of his NFL tenure, totaling over 8,000 scrimmage yards and 61 touchdowns. He amassed more than $21MM in career earnings.”

Murray will turn 36 in January.