Michael Gallup, a veteran wide receiver with six seasons of NFL experience, has unexpectedly retired from football.
Gallup spent the last three years with the Dallas Cowboys before signing a one-year deal worth up to $3 million with the Las Vegas Raiders in April 2024. However, he has now decided to retire instead of competing for a role on the Raiders roster.
Gallup's decision came as a surprise to many, as he had participated in OTAs and minicamp with the Raiders this offseason. He was expected to compete for the team's No. 3 receiver spot behind Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers.
Throughout his career, Gallup amassed impressive statistics with the Cowboys, catching 266 passes for 3,744 yards and 21 touchdowns. His best season came in 2019 when he had a career-high 66 receptions for an impressive 1,107 yards and six scores.
However, Gallup's production declined in the following seasons. In his final year with the Cowboys, he managed just 418 yards and two touchdowns on 34 catches. The Cowboys ultimately released him to free up cap space before he signed with the Raiders.
Gallup's retirement leaves a void in the Raiders' receiving corps, as they now have limited depth behind their top two receivers, Adams and Meyers. The team also placed several other players on the physically unable to perform list ahead of training camp, including starting left tackle Kolton Miller and receiver Jalen Guyton.