Cowboys DT Stephen Paea To Retire At Age 29

Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Stephen Paea is retiring from the NFL at age 29.

Cowboys DT Stephen Paea to retire

The seventh-year veteran — who was born in New Zealand — was drafted by the Chicago Bears as a second-round pick out of Oregon State in 2011, and played three years in the Windy City before playing one season with the Washington Redskins and another with the Cleveland Browns before landing in Dallas this year.

The exact reason for Paea’s retirement remains unknown. He has been fighting a knee injury this season and did not play in the Cowboys’ defeat to Green Bay on Sunday.

He finishes his career with 14 sacks and 129 tackles in 83 games.

The 6-foot-1, 295-pound Paea gained fame before his pro career even started when he benched 225 pounds a record 49 times at the NFL Scouting Combine.

The Cowboys signed Paea to a one-year deal in March.

During his career at Oregon State from 2008 to 2010, Paea won the Morris Trophy as the best defensive lineman in the Pac-10 in 2009 and 2010 and was named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year in 2010.

The Cowboys (2-3, 3rd in NFC East) have a bye this week and then visit the San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 22. Dallas coach Jason Garrett recently said owner Jerry Jones is “very sensitive” to players’ issues that have inspired them to protest the national anthem.

CHICAGO, IL – NOVEMBER 10: Stephen Paea #92 of the Chicago Bears encourages the crowd to cheer during a game against the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field on November 10, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. The Lions defeated the Bears 21-19. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)