Is Halapoulivaati Vaitai, star of the Detroit Lions retiring soon?
Veteran guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai of the Detroit Lions recently considered retiring but eventually decided against it.
When Vaitai became 30, she understood that because NFL teams are constantly looking for younger talent, this age is sometimes seen as the beginning of the end for many players. Vaitai was motivated to come back onto the pitch, nevertheless, by his passion for the sport and his teammates.
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Vaitai was initially selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. In 2020, he signed a hefty five-year, $50 million contract with the Lions.
Vaitai, unfortunately, suffered from a string of injuries after joining the Lions, with a back problem keeping him out of action for the whole 2022 season. He appeared in 80 games for both teams in his career, but since joining Detroit, he has missed 26 games that he could have participated in.
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According to SB Nation’s Pride of Detroit, Vaitai seized the opportunity to consider retirement as an “experiment” when he had a back ailment that would end his season during the preseason of the 2022 season.
Vaitai made the most of that time by spending it with his family, participating in things like playing catch with his kid, and going to his tee ball games. He also continued to explore his newly discovered interest in ranching by taking care of his ranch’s 20 cattle animals.
Vaitai also enjoyed the opportunity to spend more time with his wife. He truly loved this break from football, but in the end, his love for the game prevailed.
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Vaitai acknowledged that football is still the only thing he genuinely understands and that it has been his main focus throughout his life. But during his brief period of retirement, he had time to consider his life and career in the league, which gave him some important perspective.
When the Lions revised Vaitai’s contract in March, his salary for the 2023 season was reduced from $9.4 million to $3 million. The organization was able to free about $7 million in cap space thanks to this move.
Vaitai’s choice to stay with the Lions was driven by his strong bond with his teammates, especially star right tackle Penei Sewell, despite the substantial financial adjustments.
“I can’t leave Penei (Sewell). I can’t leave all my guys. I can’t leave them,” Vaitai said. “I love this team a lot. I’m going to help Dan (Campbell) win one.”
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Since selecting Sewell in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft for the team, Sewell and Vaitai have become close friends. Vaitai, who is about to begin his eighth season in the league, will probably start alongside Sewell at right guard.
Beyond his achievements on the pitch, Vaitai is valuable to the Lions. He acts as a mentor to fifth-round pick Colby Sorsdal because he is one of the team’s most seasoned players and has made the switch from tackle to guard.
Vaitai, who received advice from Jason Peters and Jason Kelce while playing for the Eagles in Philadelphia, takes his duty as a mentor seriously.
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Vaitai enters the new season with a desire to succeed and a chip on his shoulder. With the wealth of knowledge he has accumulated over the course of his career, he is aware that he needs to put up even more work to be competitive.
Vaitai took part in nearly half of the right guard exercises during OTAs despite continuing precautions due to his prior injury. Once training camp starts, the team intends to take those restrictions off of him to let him push himself even more.
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Vaitai wants to help the Lions fulfill the goals of new head coach Dan Campbell by continuing to play football.
Vaitai is ready to take on the difficulties that lie ahead because of his passion for the game, his connection to his teammates, and his desire to serve as a mentor to younger players.
