Ricardo Allen has decided to retire from football.

The safety spent six seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and one with the Cincinnati Bengals.

"I've always wondered how it would feel giving up what most people would consider to be 'most of me', and that's being a professional athlete," Allen wrote on Instagram.

"But, the truth is, I'm blessed to be able to say that it's been good. It could have been better with two Super Bowl rings, but who's complaining? Not me. Dear, football career. I'm grateful for you, and I'm thankful for the opportunity you gave me to turn nothing but hard work into the foundation of a growing legacy. You've shown me it's not about how you start; it's about how you finish."

Arthur Blank says the Atlanta Falcons would "absolutely" like to have Calvin Ridley back next season.

Ridley missed 12 games last season so he could focus on his mental health.

The wide receiver, who had his fifth-year option picked up by the club in May, has not spoken publicly since leaving the team. 

"It's a difficult journey. It's not unique in America," Blank said. "It's not unique on sports teams or in community populations. There's a lot of trauma today. And so I think he's committed to resolving his issues and getting them behind him. Doesn't mean they're necessarily out of his head but they are behind him and he'll be able to function fully, not only on the field but off the field as well. So where that'll take him, I don't know.

"I know we've done everything we possibly could do to be there for him and we'll see how that unfolds in terms of him with our team or the future with us or somebody else in the NFL."