Ex-Broncos, Cowboys LB DeMarcus Ware Retires After 12 Seasons

DeMarcus Ware is officially done with football.

DeMarcus Ware Retiring After 12 NFL Seasons

The free agent and former Denver Broncos and Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker announced on Monday he is retiring at the age of 34 after 12 seasons in the NFL.

“After a lot of thought and prayer, I’ve decided to accept the unknown and retire from my NFL career,” Ware wrote on Twitter. “Tempting opportunities still present themselves for me to play and I feel better than I have in years. However, long term health and quality of life outweigh the spark and passion to play that I once had.

“With that, I take this opportunity to thank all of the people in my life who had a hand in molding me into a great player and the God fearing man I am today. I thank the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos for opportunities to experience what greatness feels like.”

Ware came to the Broncos as part of the free-agency binge in 2014 that also saw cornerback Aqib Talib, wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, and safety T.J. Ward signed. Ware ends his career with 138.5 sacks, eighth-most in NFL history.

Among all players with a minimum of 100 games played, Ware’s 0.78 sacks per game rank third behind only Reggie White’s 0.85 and Lawrence Taylor’s 0.79.

Ware, who was drafted by the Cowboys as a first-round pick (No. 11) out of Troy in 2005, was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and four-time first-team All-Pro.

From 2006 to 2012, the linebacker led the league in average sacks with 14.7. Though his production decreased in his final years due to injuries, Ware helped lead Denver to the Super Bowl 50 title in 2016.

Ware was among the NFL players of his generation most respected by his teammates, coaches and opponents. He missed most of the 2016 offseason work with an infection in his back that required repeated IV antibiotics to treat. He also missed five games with a fracture forearm last season.

Linebacker Von Miller, the Super Bowl 50 MVP, said a big part of his rebound from his 2013 suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy to a perennial defensive player of the year candidate has “been because of DeMarcus. I have so many reasons to thank him.”

Ware needed one sack to tie newly minted Hall of Famer Jason Taylor and with four sacks he would have passed Michael Strahan and move into sixth place all-time.

SANTA CLARA, CA – FEBRUARY 07: DeMarcus Ware #94 of the Denver Broncos reacts while playing against the Carolina Panthers during Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium on February 7, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)