Philly’s Nasir Adderley walked away from the NFL and millions of dollars at 25. He has no regrets.

Nasir Adderley laid out the Eagles kick returner and locked eyes with his family, who were roaring in the front row at Lincoln Financial Field. Adderley grew up in Mount Airy, fell in love with football at 5 years old, and dreamed of playing in the NFL. He was doing it in his hometown in November 2021 with his family in the stands.

“I was wearing a different jersey, but it was surreal to play in my hometown,” said Adderley, then with the Los Angeles Chargers. “It was truly an unforgettable moment for us to share together. We celebrated so much that I almost forgot to go line up on defense.”

Adderley entered the NFL as a second-round pick in 2019, worked his way into the Chargers’ starting lineup at safety, and regularly delivered plays like the one he made that Sunday in Philly. He made it.

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But Adderley was already beginning to question his place in the game. The dream he chased as a kid no longer seemed to fit.

Adderley became a father before the 2020 season and lamented the time he spent away from home. He never suffered a concussion and his injuries were not devastating, but he feared retiring one day with a broken-down body. Adderley still competed every week, but football no longer seemed like his calling.

Sixteen months after the game in Philly, it was over. Adderley retired at 25 years old, leaving the NFL on his own in March 2023 after four seasons. His rookie contract expired a day earlier, making him a free agent and putting him in position to score a new multimillion-dollar deal.

But Adderley did not entertain any offers. His decision, Adderley said, was not about money. So he didn’t even bother asking his agent how much he was leaving behind.

“People thought I was crazy for walking away so young into my career,” said Adderley, 27. “I still to this day think about how much more I had to give, but my purpose just wouldn’t allow it. I understand that things change. Priorities change, and I’m very proud of my decision. I have absolutely no regrets and I’m so fortunate to live the life that I live now.”

The Adderleys rented a room at Dave & Buster’s in Plymouth Meeting for the 2019 NFL draft, awaiting the call Nasir Adderley waited his life to answer. He saved his money every summer to buy the Madden video game, constantly watched NFL Network, and regularly called Herb Adderley — the Hall of Fame cornerback who is the cousin of Nasir Adderley’s grandfather — to pick his brain.

“Everyone knew how committed I was,” Adderley said. “It truly was tunnel vision and never a doubt of where I was going.”

So Adderley was emotional when the call came from the Chargers. They drafted him 60th overall, selecting the safety after four seasons at Delaware.

The draft process didn’t go as expected: Adderley played his senior year with an ankle injury, played through it at the Senior Bowl, was medically unable to compete at the NFL Scouting Combine, and injured a hamstring the day NFL scouts came to see him at Delaware.

But he made it, just like his grandfather predicted when Adderley was 5 years old.

Ria Adderley saw football years earlier as simply a way to occupy her son while the single mother worked long hours as a retail store manager. But Nelson Adderley, who played at Ohio State, knew his grandson was destined for big things.

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Nasir Adderley was a Pop Warner star for the Enon Eagles and did everything at Great Valley High in Malvern after his mother moved him to the suburbs as a teen.

Ria Adderley soon knew her father was right, even though she rarely got to see her son play.

“I was able to give them everything but my time,” Ria Adderley said. “I was always at work. School, sports, home, food, take a bath, read a book, and go to bed. Then start it all over again. I missed the majority of his games or I had to come in at the tail end and everyone would say, ‘Oh, you should’ve seen this.’ I used to be sad about this, but I had to do what I had to do so I could give them everything.”

Nasir Adderley saw how much his mother worked and how much she had to miss because of it. Suddenly, he was missing things. His daughter was born in January 2020, a month after his rookie season. The pandemic soon started, delaying the NFL’s offseason and allowing Adderley to be home longer than he would have been in normal circumstances. He left for training camp in August.

“That was a defining moment,” Adderley said. “During that time I went through a spiritual awakening and realized my purpose wasn’t just playing in the NFL. It was to be a present father. My daughter was very young but still visibly upset when I was gone. I never expected for it to hold a profound impact on her at such an early age, but it changed my perspective completely.

“Obviously, there are great fathers who play in the NFL, but the lifestyle of an entrepreneur was a much better route for me. That’s why I made that decision to have complete control over how I spend my time. That’s why I turned down the money. I know a lot of people were surprised. But it was on my mind ever since 2020 when I had my daughter.”

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Adderley never expected to fall short of the NFL, but he made sure he had a Plan B ever since the fifth grade.

“He’s always been so thorough,” his mother said.

He always wanted to be a personal trainer, someone who could help people better understand their bodies and feel healthier. He spent time with the training staff of whatever team he was on and researched his own injuries as if he was in medical school.

The hamstring injury that ruined his pro day at Delaware was the same ailment that sidelined Adderley for most of his rookie season. He knew there was something different about this injury. So he spent his time on injured reserve learning everything he could about hamstrings.

Finally, he discovered that there was a split in his hamstring tendon. He allowed it to heal before the 2020 season started and never felt discomfort in his hamstring again. Adderley was on to something.

“There are so many people who could benefit from my experience,” Adderley said. “So I wanted to create the time to cater to that.”

He first started a business in real estate after leaving football but knew he belonged in the health and wellness field.

“As soon as I realized my time being taken away from learning about health, I knew it was time to move on,” Adderley said. “In business, I found myself searching for the most lucrative opportunity instead of just committing to the industry that was calling my name since I was a little boy. I said, ‘That’s why I left the NFL.’ I’m not going to make my decisions based on money. I’m going to make my decisions based on purpose. I’ll chase that purpose and then financially, all the rewards and everything you need will be there for you. That’s my belief. I chase purpose.”

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So Adderley, who graduated from Delaware with a degree in health behavior science, became a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach. He trained clients at a fitness center for eight months while developing his own venture called Divine Rising. His health and wellness company allows him to connect with people virtually and guide them in optimizing their health.

“Since a young age I always took great pride in my choices in regard to my health,” said Adderley, who lives with his wife and two children. “My goal is to empower others to do the same and become a trusted resource in this space. I want to serve the people and be someone who brings real and sustainable results.”

He wrote an eBook about his path to the NFL and also offers mentorship programs to assist student athletes, kids with big dreams like he had growing up in Philly. It has become a passion for Adderley to share his own experiences.

“It’s just such a blessing because he’s so happy,” his mother said. “Not that he wasn’t happy in the NFL, but this is a different type of happy.”

Adderley started 44 of his final 46 games for the Chargers before walking away. He still watches football and has friends in the NFL. He kept his old jerseys to show his children and the middle finger on his right hand remains crooked, another reminder of his previous life.

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He’ll often backpedal during a workout just to see if his legs still move like they used to. He laughed last month while seeing how much money free agents were earning this offseason.

“It still blows my mind sometimes that I did it,” Adderley said. “Everyone knows how valuable a second contract is, but I reached a place mentally and spiritually that I was extremely comfortable and confident in my decision.”

Every moment with his family — the little things he would have missed if he was still playing — is Adderley’s reminder that he made the right call. Another NFL season starts in less than four months and Adderley will watch from home. He’s perfectly fine about it.

“Look, I got to live my dream,” Adderley said. “A lot of people aren’t able to say that and I’m grateful for that. But it just really wasn’t suiting me anymore. I’m very grateful for my experience. Every day I’m getting closer to being the best version of myself and it’s honestly so special to experience. My hope is that everyone explores the depths of their soul to choose a path that brings them this much joy.”