News

Ex-Colts DE Dwight Freeney Retiring With Team At Age 38 After 16 Seasons In NFL

Defensive end Dwight Freeney is stepping away from the NFL after a 16-year playing career, and will retire with the team he started with.

Dwight Freeney NFL Retirement

The Colts announced on Thursday that the 38-year-old star would retire with the team. Freeney last played for the Seattle Seahawks but was cut after just four games with the team on Nov. 21, 2017. He was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Lions just one day later. The defenseman will reportedly sign a one-day contract with the Colts before retiring.

SLIDESHOW: 30 Best Sports Instagrams!

Freeney, known for his speed and his spin moves, immediately had an impact on Indianapolis’ roster after the team drafted him 11th overall in 2002. He helped lead the Colts to a Super Bowl victory after the 2006 season. Freeney played with the Atlanta Falcons in 2016, and helped lead the to the national championship game, where they lost to the New England Patriots in overtime.

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of sports news in your in-box.
We find the sports news you need to know, so you don't have to.

“He was a great player in every phase of the game,” former Colts general manager Bill Polian, who drafted Freeney, told ESPN. “He was known as a great sacker, but he could play the pass and the run as well. Terrific run player. He gave you everything you had every week. And what made him even more special is that he did it while knowing teams were aiming to try to slow him down every week.”

Polian added that he hopes Freeney can someday be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Freeney also played with the then-San Diego Chargers and Arizona Cardinals. The seven-time Pro Bowler boasts 125.5 career sacks, which puts him in a tie with Terrell Suggs for 17th on the NFL’s all-time list, according to NFL stats.

SLIDESHOW: 10 Highest-Paid Athletes

The veteran posted this farewell statement on Twitter on Friday:

Per ESPN, the Colts will hold a press conference on Monday at 3pm EST.

Pablo Mena

Writer and assistant editor for usports.org. NY Giants and Rangers fan. Film and TV enthusiast (especially Harry Potter and The Office) and lover of foreign languages and cultures.

Recent Posts

Paul George Exits With Knee Injury As 76ers Fall To 2-12 In Loss To Grizzlies

With their big three finally back in action Wednesday, the Philadelphia 76ers suffered another setback…

8 hours ago

VIDEO: Nike Pays Tribute to Rafael Nadal With 30-Foot Projection In Front of Eiffel Tower

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tny--EWynOQ Nike paid tribute to Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal with a 10-meter-tall animated display…

1 day ago

VIDEO: Rafael Nadal Gets Emotional Tribute as He Retires From Tennis

https://youtu.be/dtJoJz9hC48 Tennis legend Rafael Nadal bid a heartfelt goodbye to his devoted Spanish fans as he brought…

1 day ago

VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Olympic Fencer Eli Dershwitz Explains The Art Of Fencing

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DQ9Rxhnuer4 U.S. Olympic fencer Eli Dershwitz shed light on the critical skills necessary in fencing…

2 days ago

Two Bears Offensive Linemen Return To Practice, Caleb Williams Desperate For Blocking

Two offensive linemen for the Chicago Bears returned to practice, a massive step in the…

3 days ago

VIDEO: UFC Heavyweight Champion Performs Viral Trump Dance In New York

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/s2g9t_33Myw President-elect Donald Trump received a warm welcome from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Jon…

4 days ago