In a development that’s both unexpected and deeply personal, former Boston Red Sox pitcher Daniel Bard has officially turned down a front-office offer to return to the team — not as a player or traditional coach, but in a newly created role dubbed “Defensive Backs Coach.”

The role, inspired by the language of football but tailored for baseball, was designed to focus specifically on the mental and mechanical aspects of fielding under pressure — from handling bunts to high-stress relay throws — with Bard seen as a uniquely qualified mentor due to his extraordinary journey through performance anxiety, reinvention, and redemption.

But as Bard revealed in an exclusive sit-down interview late Tuesday evening, he wasn’t ready.

“It was an honor. Honestly, I had to pause when the call came in,” Bard admitted. “Boston is where everything began for me. The thought of walking back into Fenway and being part of that dugout again gave me chills. But when I sat with it, I realized — I’m just not ready to wear the uniform again. At least not like that.”

Bard, 38, famously battled through one of the most harrowing mental challenges in modern baseball — the yips — and walked away from the game in 2017 after several years of struggle. His return to MLB in 2020 with the Colorado Rockies, after nearly seven years out of professional pitching, was hailed as one of the most remarkable comeback stories in league history.

‘The Red Sox, hoping to tap into Bard’s unique understanding of pressure, nerves, and resilience, reportedly offered him a hybrid role that would involve working with pitchers and infielders on the defensive side of the game. While the title was informal — “Defensive Backs Coach” — the intention was clear: bring Bard’s wisdom into the locker room and help shape the next generation.

But Bard, who retired from MLB just a year ago, says he’s still healing from the weight of what baseball once meant to him — both the highs and the crushing lows.

“I love the game,” he said, visibly emotional. “But love and trauma can coexist. When I think about helping young players, I think about doing it from the outside in. I’m still figuring out what baseball means to me in this next chapter.”

His honesty, as always, has resonated with fans who followed his journey closely — from his electric early days in Boston’s bullpen, to his infamous struggles, and finally his awe-inspiring return.

The Red Sox front office released a brief statement in response:

“Daniel Bard is and always will be part of the Red Sox family. We support his decision and hope to work together in a different capacity when the time is right.”

For now, Bard is focusing on mental health advocacy, youth mentorship, and spending time with his family — a quieter life after a career defined by volatility and courage.

Still, he left the door open.

“This isn’t goodbye. This is just ‘not yet.’ Someday, maybe I’ll be back at Fenway in a uniform. But when I do, I want to feel whole. Not haunted.”

And with that, the man once known for 100-mph fastballs and emotional vulnerability steps away again — not in retreat, but in quiet strength.

Boston will wait.