Earl knew, on that day, that his time in New Orleans would be difficult and most likely, short-lived. He prepared for the 1986 season with as much vigor and toughness as he did while preparing for a college season. He knew the new coaches were looking for a reason to cut him from the team. So he spent his summer with Tom Williams, a personal trainer that he had worked with years before. He reported to training camp weighing in at a lean 225 pounds.To everyone around him in New Orleans, Earl seemed focused and physically ready for another season of Saints football. Little did anyone know, Earl was aching on the inside, and on August 18, 1986, he realized that his body couldn't take any more pain. After a tough pre-season scrimmage against the Patriots, Earl showered and slowly walked back to the dormitory room he was staying in during training camp. He was so physically sore that he barely made it to his bed.

He lay in bed for hours praying for some relief. As he crawled out of bed and across the floor to the restrooms, he realized it was time to leave the NFL…on his own terms. He knew the Saints were trying to get rid of him anyway. So before Earl could give them the satisfaction of doing so and after he called his dearest friends and family members, Earl Campbell announced that he was retiring from the NFL. After a short press conference, Earl boarded a plane to Houston, sat back in his seat and reflected on his life. He had come so far. This son of a rosefield worker named B.C. and a housewife named Ann, this victim of so many prejudices and tragedies, this victor of so many battles…this boy had become a man in front of millions. This football great had become a legend.

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