Tavon Austin is a former NFL player who spent nine seasons in the league. He played for five different teams before retiring in August 2024. Famously known as “Pocket Rocket” because of his shorter stature, speed, and skill, Austin was a 22-year-old standout from West Virginia University when he joined the St. Louis Rams (now Los Angeles Rams) in 2013.
He was drafted into the NFL as the eighth overall pick. During his rookie season, he played in 13 games, accumulating 151 rushing yards with nine carries, 418 receiving yards, 68 return yards, and 51 combined return opportunities during kick and punt returns.
His impressive rookie season saw him named into the PFWA All-Rookie team in 2013. He was also named as a Pro Bowl alternate the following year. What’s more, during his second NFL season, Austin was ranked third in the league for punt return yards (391). However, his career peak was during his third year with the Rams.
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He achieved career highs in receptions (52), receiving yards (473), and receiving touchdowns (five) in 2015. Also, he matched the 1965 record of Gale Sayers of the Chicago Bears by scoring at least five receiving touchdowns, four rushing touchdowns, and a punt return touchdown in a single season.
After the 2017 NFL season, Austin left the Los Angeles Rams after fumbling and statistics issues and went on to have a journeyman career playing for the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers, and Buffalo Bills. 2021 was his last time in the league, playing 13 games for the Jaguars.
His plan was to go ahead with his career with the Buffalo Bills in 2022 but was released from their practice squad by October.
In August this year, he announced his retirement from the league in a post on Instagram.
“No matter how hard you work or how badly you want something, sometimes God has other plans,” he wrote. “I wasn’t sure if I was ready to give up football, and it has been one of the most challenging decisions I’ve ever made. But after an incredible ten years, I’m officially retiring from the NFL.”
“Football gave me more than a career,” Austin wrote in his retirement post. “It gave me some lifelong friendships and molded so much of my character. It taught me how vital choices are and how decision-making affects you. Football created in me a mindset of relentless pursuit and hard work ethic! Football didn’t always love me back, but it will always be my first love! I will forever cherish the time I spent in the NFL. It has indeed been a privilege.”
As per Sportskeeda, the former wide receiver made a sizable net worth from his career as an NFL player. He has a reported net worth of $20 million as of January 2024, with this figure being based on his past contract earnings, beginning with the four-year deal he signed with St. Louis ahead of his rookie season for $12.751 million which came along with a $7.653 million signing bonus. He also got a four-year $42 million extension to his initial deal in 2016 before he left the Rams and earnings were reduced.
He earned $3.5 million while playing for the Dallas Cowboys while brief stints with other teams were worth about $1 million each.
