Tag: retires

Jan 16, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) reacts during the first half in an AFC Wild Card playoff football game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

‘Truly grateful’ Ben Roethlisberger retires

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger officially retired from football Thursday.

In a two-plus minute video posted to Twitter with his wife, Ashley, and three kids, Roethlisberger put an end to a surefire Hall of Fame career that spanned 18 years, all in Pittsburgh.

“The time has come to clean out my locker, hang up my cleats and continue to be all I can be to my wife and children,” Roethlisberger said, reading from a prepared statement. “I retire from football, a truly grateful man.”

It could be a landmark season for prominent quarterback retirement decisions. Tom Brady, 44, is weighing walking away from the NFL and Buccaneers despite leading the league in passing yards. Aaron Rodgers, who completed his 17th season in Green Bay, is at a career crossroads and said retirement is on the table.

Roethlisberger, 39, leaves as a two-time Super Bowl champion and six-time Pro Bowl selection.

He completed 64.4 percent of his passes for 64,088 yards and 418 touchdowns in 249 career games, 247 of them starts for the Steelers. He led the Steelers to 41 fourth-quarter comebacks and 53 game-winning drives in his career.

He leaves with a record of 165-81-1. Roethlisberger was the 2004 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

–Field Level Media

Nov 1, 2020; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens defensive back Anthony Levine Sr. (41) reacts during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitchell Layton-USA TODAY Sports

Ravens special teams star Anthony Levine Sr. retires

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Baltimore Ravens special teams captain Anthony Levine Sr. retired from the NFL on Wednesday.

Levine, 34, entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie out of Tennessee State and spent time on the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad. The safety found his footing with Baltimore, recording 149 tackles, four sacks, two interceptions and four fumble recoveries in 146 career games (five starts) from 2012-21.

“Tough, smart, persistent and dependable, Anthony represents the very best of what it means to be a Raven. A relentless competitor and man of high character, Anthony poured every part of himself into the team,” coach John Harbaugh said.

“He worked tirelessly to become one of the NFL’s best special teams players, and he could always be relied upon to contribute at a high level on defense — no matter the role he was asked to play. Most importantly, Anthony is a terrific leader of men and someone who helped his teammates become the very best versions of themselves.”

Levine appeared to hint at the move earlier on Wednesday over social media.

“Good morning today is the day!” he wrote on Twitter.

–Field Level Media

Dec 20, 2020; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back LeSean McCoy (25) runs the ball against the Atlanta Falcons in the second half of a NFL game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

LeSean McCoy signs 1-day contract to retire with Eagles

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Two-time All-Pro running back LeSean McCoy is signing a one-day contract with Philadelphia and will retire as an Eagle on Friday.

McCoy, 33, and the team made the announcement Thursday.

“After 12 years in the NFL, I’ve decided to retire an Eagle because this is home to me. I still have that green inside my heart,” McCoy wrote in an article published on the team’s website.

“There are times when I’d see the Eagles on TV, and it just felt weird not wearing that uniform. … I’ve just always seen myself as an Eagle. It’s only right to come back home and retire an Eagle.”

McCoy earned Pro Bowl honors six times, four with the Eagles. He made All-Pro in 2011 and 2013, also with the Eagles. He led the NFL with 2,146 yards from scrimmage in ’13. He led the league with 20 rushing and receiving touchdowns in ’11.

McCoy is a two-time Super Bowl champ, having hooked on with Kansas City in 2019 and Tampa Bay last season.

He finishes with 11,102 rushing yards and 73 TDs in 170 games (141 starts) with the Eagles (2009-14), Buffalo Bills (2015-18), Chiefs and Bucs. He also had 518 career catches for 3,898 yards and 16 TDs.

McCoy was traded away to the Bills by then-Eagles coach Chip Kelly, who lasted one game short of three seasons in Philly.

“The only regret I’ve ever had was not spending my entire career as an Eagle,” McCoy wrote. “I grew up in Harrisburg, played my college football at Pittsburgh, and was drafted by the Eagles. I never thought it would have been like that, but it would have been so cool to finish my career only having played in this one state.”

The Eagles selected McCoy in the second round of the 2009 draft.

–Field Level Media

Feb 4, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive guard Stefen Wisniewski (61) reacts after defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Eagles won 41-33. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

G Stefen Wisniewski retires, to become pastor

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Two-time Super Bowl champion guard Stefen Wisniewski announced his retirement from the NFL after 10 seasons on Thursday.

The 32-year-old veteran of 139 NFL games announced in a video posted to Twitter that he plans to pursue a career in the ministry.

“I absolutely loved playing the game of football but after 10 years, my body, my mind and my heart are telling me it’s time to move on,” Wisniewski said, in part. “What am I going to do next? I’m going to be a pastor. The absolute best part of my life is my relationship with Jesus Christ and I can’t imagine a better full-time job than teaching people the Bible and sharing the love of Christ with others.”

Wisniewski won Super Bowl LII with the Philadelphia Eagles and Super Bowl LIV with the Kansas City Chiefs. His final game was the Chiefs’ 31-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV in February.

A second-round pick by Oakland in 2011 out of Penn State, Wisniewski made 106 starts with the Raiders (2011-14), Jacksonville Jaguars (2015), Eagles (2016-18), Chiefs (2019-20) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2020).

–Field Level Media

New York Giants running back Dion Lewis (33) rushes against the Washington Football Team at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, in East Rutherford.Nyg Vs Was

Report: RB Dion Lewis retiring after 102 games

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Running back Dion Lewis, a Super Bowl LI champion with the New England Patriots, is retiring after a decade in the NFL, ESPN reported Friday.

The 30-year-old free agent played for the New York Giants last year and reportedly has drawn interest from other teams as recently as last week.

The 5-foot-8 Lewis retires with 5,678 career all-purpose yards and 22 touchdowns in 102 games (27 starts) with the Philadelphia Eagles (2011-12), Patriots (2015-17), Tennessee Titans (2018-19) and Giants. He missed the 2013 season with the Cleveland Browns due to a broken leg. He signed with the Indianapolis Colts in 2014 but did not appear in a game that season.

Lewis played all 16 games for the Giants last season and posted 242 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns.

He rushed 567 times for 2,425 yards (4.3-yard average) and 13 touchdowns and caught 191 passes for 1,408 yards and eight scores. Lewis also returned 81 kickoffs for 1,845 yards and one TD.

Lewis had six carries for 27 yards and one catch for two yards in New England’s come-from-behind 34-28 overtime win against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI on Feb. 5, 2017.

Lewis was a fifth-round pick by the Eagles out of Pitt, where he was the Big East Rookie of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year in 2009.

–Field Level Media

Aug 23, 2018; Costa Mesa, CA, USA: New Orleans Saints defensive back Patrick Robinson (21) during joint practice against the Los Angeles Chargers at the Jack. R. Hammett Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Saints CB Patrick Robinson retiring after 11 seasons

Posted on | by Field Level Media

New Orleans Saints veteran Patrick Robinson is retiring after 11 seasons, NFL Network reported Tuesday, citing the cornerback’s agent.

Robinson, 33, was in line to be the team’s Week 1 starter opposite Marshon Lattimore. Robinson was in his second stint with the Saints after the team selected him No. 32 overall in the 2010 draft.

Robinson played in 12 games (four starts) with the Saints last season before being put on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

Robinson finishes with 16 career interceptions in 123 games (62 starts) for the Saints (2010-14, 2018-20), San Diego Chargers (2015), Indianapolis Colts (2016) and Philadelphia Eagles (2017).

–Field Level Media

Jul 28, 2021; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders guard Richie Incognito (64) puts a hit on tackle Sam Young (79) during a team practice at Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center in Henderson. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Sam Young becomes third Raider to retire this week

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Reserve offensive lineman Sam Young hung up his cleats Tuesday, becoming the third player on the Las Vegas Raiders to retire this week.

Young is 34.

He played in 11 games (seven starts) in 2020, his first season with the Raiders. For his career, he played in 103 games (28 starts) with six different teams. He began his career in Dallas after the Cowboys selected him in the sixth round of the 2010 draft out of Notre Dame

Young joins veteran running back Theo Riddick and third-year linebacker/special teams player James Onwualu to retire in the first week of training camp in Vegas.

–Field Level Media

Sep 9, 2018; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas (88) at Broncos Stadium at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Four-time Pro Bowl WR Demaryius Thomas retires

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Four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Demaryius Thomas announced his retirement on Monday.

Thomas, 33, did not play in the NFL last season. He caught 665 passes for 9,055 yards and 60 touchdowns in nine seasons with the Denver Broncos (2010-18) before finishing his career with the Houston Texans (2018) and New York Jets (2019).

“I’m Demaryius Thomas, and I’ve finally come to a decision to hang it up,” Thomas said in a video posted by the Broncos on social media. “I’m going to retire, and I’m going to retire a Denver Bronco.”

Denver drafted Thomas in the first round (22nd overall) in 2010 and traded him to the Texans on Oct. 30, 2018.

“(Thomas) belongs among the greatest players in Broncos history for what he’s meant to this organization on the field and out in the community,” said Broncos president John Elway in a statement. “We appreciate everything Demaryius did for us and congratulate him on his retirement from the NFL.”

He posted five straight 1,000-yard seasons with the Broncos from 2012-16 and helped them win a championship in Super Bowl 50. Thomas made the Pro Bowl in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016.

He ranks No. 2 in Denver history in receiving yards and touchdowns and is No. 3 in receptions.

Including his 23 catches for 275 yards and two touchdowns with Houston and his 36 grabs for 433 yards and one score with New York, Thomas retires with 724 receptions for 9,763 yards and 63 scores.

–Field Level Media

Tennessee Titans NFL cornerback Johnathan Joseph

Pro Bowl CB Johnathan Joseph retires after 15 seasons

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Two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Johnathan Joseph retired Thursday after 15 seasons and 211 games with four NFL teams.

“Today I retire from the NFL,” the 37-year-old free agent posted on Twitter. “In the summer of 2006, I signed my first NFL contract with the Cincinnati Bengals. Fifteen years later, I can say I accomplished my childhood goal of making it to the NFL. I will never forget as a kid telling my father I wanted to be in the NFL.”

The Bengals drafted Joseph in the first round (24th overall) in 2006. He played five seasons in Cincinnati before making two Pro Bowls (2011, 2012) during a nine-year tenure with the Houston Texans. He split last season with the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans.

Joseph’s career totals include 787 tackles, 32 interceptions (seven returned for touchdowns), eight forced fumbles (one returned for a score), six fumble recoveries and 200 passes defensed in 211 games (192 starts).

–Field Level Media

Dec 24, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse (15) celebrates his touchdown catch against the Arizona Cardinals during the third quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Former Seahawks WR Kearse announces retirement

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Wide receiver Jermaine Kearse announced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday.

Kearse is perhaps best remembered for hauling in a 35-yard touchdown reception in overtime to lift the Seattle Seahawks to a 28-22 victory over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game following the 2014 season. The 30-year-old Washington native also scored a touchdown in the Seahawks’ Super Bowl XLVIII win over the Denver Broncos.

“Seattle, as a hometown kid it was a complete honor to represent you guys out there on the field,” Kearse wrote on Instagram. “Thank you so much for your endless support throughout my football career. It was an honor to put on that Hawks uniform and I’m so grateful I was able to help bring our first Super Bowl home! Something We will never forget.”

The Seahawks wished Kearse well in his retirement in a comment on his Instagram post.

“Congrats on a great career @jkearse15. Enjoy retirement and know you will always be a Seahawks Legend! #GoHawks,” the team wrote.

Kearse signed with the Detroit Lions last season, however he fractured his left leg and injured his ankle in the preseason opener. He was then placed on season-ending injured reserve.

Kearse has appeared in 99 games with the Seahawks (2012-16) and New York Jets (2017-18), registering 255 receptions for 3,290 yards and 17 touchdowns. He began his career as an undrafted free agent out of Washington.

–Field Level Media