When you look at the start of the season enjoyed by Renegades receiver Yo Murphy, you have to wonder: Why?

Why would the 33-year-old veteran have already decided that this would be his last year? Murphy has six catches for 164 yards and two touchdowns in the Renegades first two games and has been the club's big-play guy so far.

Working on the wide side of the field, his touchdown catches have been for 74 and 47 yards, the only TD receptions by an Ottawa receiver so far.

"I wanted to do everything I could to help this team and they've been giving me the opportunity to make big plays," he said. "The (opposition) defence dictates who is going to get the big ball. The young guys just haven't gotten loose yet. They will."

"He's a real benefit to this offence," said Renegades quarterback Kerry Joseph. "Having him on the wide side of the field, especially with all that room to work, he's been big for us."

A great start, no question. But Murphy said a great start isn't changing his mind about moving on.

At this point in his life, Murphy's vision extends beyond the bounds of the football field and his hands reach for something other than a football and that, in large part, is why he's feeling the need to make a big life change.

"The big thing is there are a lot of things I want to do in my life," said Murphy after the Renegades practised for a couple of hours yesterday in preparation for Friday night's meeting with the Edmonton Eskimos at Frank Clair Stadium.

"I don't want football to become a hindrance on some of those things. I'm not saying it is now. I still love it and I still have the passion to play. It's going to be hard (to leave it).

"It's not that I don't think I can still play ... there are a lot of young guys here and you want to pass the torch. You don't want to get kicked out."

At the top of Murphy's list of things to do is the Yo Murphy Foundation in Idaho, where he makes his off-season home.

"I get really excited about that," he said. "The mission statement is to improve the quality of life for children in my area. We do fundraising with a golf tournament (he returned home last weekend for it) and a celebrity basketball tournament.

"We've taken kids shopping over Christmas, we donated a car to a family, bought computers for and elementary school and helped families travel to a children's hospital for treatment."

Murphy might also dabble in real estate and would like to get involved in the management side of football.

But all that can wait for now.

Murphy, who played in NFL Europe and in the NFL (he returned the opening kickoff in Super Bowl XXXVI with the St. Louis Rams and later caught a key pass) is taking in each moment this season and is excited about what's happening with the Renegades and their 2-0 start.

"The big thing is you really know you can count on the guy next to you," he said. "So you play within yourself. Sometimes when you don't have all the weapons we do on offence and defence, you try to do too much. You get out of position and people take advantage of that."

Murphy knows he is going to miss this, even just being out on a field for two hours like yesterday. That's why he is savouring it all.

"I'm really excited about Friday night," he said. "I love playing. I get excited and I feel like I'm 21 or 22 and in my first year in the league. I get nervous still. I know this is where I should be right now.

"People tell you your whole life to play every play like it's your last and when you're this close to being done, it's easy to do it."

Renegades coach Joe Paopao said he understands Murphy's feelings.

"That's his call. Tomorrow is promised to nobody," he said. "It's his heart telling him. He'll face it and make that call."