When Ma'ake Kemoeatu cut his NFL career short in 2012, his reason was unconventional -- and deeply personal. The former Ravens defensive lineman had decided to donate a kidney to his brother, Chris.

Chris, an ex-Steeler himself, was forced to quit football in 2012 after discovering he needed a transplant. The former guard had suffered from kidney problems from a young age. Once Ma'ake realized his own kidney was a good match, the 35-year-old left the Ravens in order to provide his brother with a new organ.

"He couldn't play anymore, and I didn't want to be in a position where he couldn't play but I'd keep playing," Ma'ake said. "As soon as my brother's health was at risk I wanted to stop everything."

The Aug. 27 procedure was successful, according to Dr. Stephen Bartlett, a transplant surgeon at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Both brothers are currently recovering.

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