Last summer, as the Cleveland Browns were featured on HBO's "Hard Knocks," the world was introduced to Devon Cajuste.
As it turns out, his starring role will go down as one of the final highlights of his NFL career.
On Thursday, Cajuste announced his retirement from football. In an Instagram post, the 26-year-old revealed he'll now be focusing on his true passion -- the healing power of crystals -- and even attributed his reoccurring role on "Hard Knocks" as the experience that helped him find his way.
"I have been playing football for 15 years. My epiphany for ‘Why’ I was doing it came down to one moment that I discovered as of recently. I started the game because it made my Dad proud. I kept playing because some moments were fun, some times led to fame, attention, money, or that love by society. Approval.
In the end, I still had this hole," Cajuste wrote.
"Now many of you may think this “moment” is going to be apart of a game I played, the locker room, practice, meetings, or a coach, but in actuality, it was none of them. They all left me asking the same question, “Why, am I doing this?” I love the game, yet I was never in love with the game. I had started to find myself two years ago with spirituality, crystals, and healing. I found passion and with it, I discovered the ability to aid people in helping themselves. I didn’t just see temporary happiness. I saw Joy. Sustainability. I wanted everyone to have this experience because we all go through the same level of pain, just in different colors.
"All of this led to HardKnocks and the episode about energy and crystals. I didn’t realize until months later, that that was the moment. The impact it had was more than any football play had given to me. I realized that 15 years of highs and lows, and soul searching like everyone else, came down to 5 mins on a show. The Universe is amazing because it connects things you don’t think possible.
I am successful because my success, made me feel full.
I fully discovered my ‘Why.’"
Of course, it probably didn't help that after going undrafted out of Stanford in the 2016 NFL Draft, Cajuste failed to appear in a single regular season game -- or even make an active roster -- over the course of the past three years. After spending time on the offseason rosters of the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers in 2016, he signed a future/reserve contract with the Browns in 2018, catching 5 passes for 101 yards over the course of four preseason games.
Unfortunately for Cajuste, he was unable to crack a roster spot on a Cleveland team that already featured David Njoku, Seth DeValve and Darren Fells at tight end. Nevertheless, Cajuste managed to become a fan favorite with the Browns in an experience that helped lead him to his next phase in life.