DeSean Jackson addresses retirement rumors in Instagram message

He's not exactly pulling a Tom Brady, but DeSean Jackson isn't letting recent retirement rumors go unaddressed.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Miami Dolphins
Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Miami Dolphins / Ron Elkman/Sports Imagery/GettyImages
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Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver DeSean Jackson is doing a bit of a back-and-forth after he posted something to social media that sent everyone into a frenzy.

Thankfully, Jackson simply posted a cryptic message that some folks took to mean he was retiring from the NFL after 15 great seasons. Among the things that can be posted to social media and create a huge conversation, this is incredibly tame.

It sounds like none of it was true, though.

Jackson's original message made reference to his 15-year career, two of which he spent in Tampa Bay. After making waves the last few days, Jackson addressed the message and tried to set the record straight about what he really meant.

DeSean Jackson addresses retirement rumors on Instagram

In an expired Instagram story, Jackson addressed rumors that he was retiring after his original post -- which sounded like a guy bidding farewell to his career -- was interpreted that way.

“They reaching my last post! I just had to get some stuff off my chest! Y’all will know when the Boi retire!” Jackson wrote on Instagram.

This isn't exactly a Tom Brady situation, but it's also not the first time we've seen cryptic Instagram message picked up and then combatted. Bucs fans know this all too well from what happened with Devin White earlier this offseason.

White posted some cryptic Instagram messages that seemed like he was bidding farewell to Tampa Bay and effectively announcing he would no longer be a part of the team. When everyone picked that up and ran with the assumption, White addressed the messages not unlike how Jackson addressed rumors of his retirement.

As it turns out, there was something to White's messages as no less than a few months later he requested a trade. This all ended up being part of a larger game being played between White and the Bucs involving contract negotiations, an issue that remains open as training camp approaches.

To be fair to Jackson, his message was cryptic but he never leaned too far toward any indication of retirement in his original post. That being said, in the age of social media it's not hard for someone to mean one thing and have it taken an entirely different direction.

Jackson might be retired or he might not be. The main takeaway should be that every other story he posted on Instagram was of him enjoying drinks and food on his boat in Cabo, which means Jackson is enjoying life the way he deserves.

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