Aaron HagerList RulesVote up the retired NFL players based on their overall careers.
All the NFL players who retire in 2021 will leave a legacy that lives on. The average career length for NFL players is 3.3 years, according to the NFL Players Association. Many of the players who will appear on this list will have played much longer than the average. In this time, they have played through countless injuries and made an impact on the game. Look to this list regularly to see the best NFL players who retired in 2021, either because it was their time or because injuries cut a promising career short.
The first player to choose retirement in 2021 was Falcons quarterback Matt Schaub, who played with four different teams over the course of his sixteen-year career but made the biggest impact in Houston, where he led the league in passing and made it to two Pro Bowls.
Such short careers ensure prominent players retire from the NFL every year. Look to this list for a running record of football players retiring in 2021. Almost all of the 32 NFL teams say their goodbyes to a veteran or two each year. Vote up the recently retired NFL players who had the most impact on the game during their careers, and check back throughout the year to see who else retires. Then, go check out our list of all athletes who retired in 2021.
1
71147Drew Brees
QuarterbackTeam: New Orleans Saints (2006-2020), San Diego Chargers (2001-2005)
Announced retirement on March 14, 2021
Career Achievements:
Super Bowl champion (XLIV)
Super Bowl MVP (XLIV)
2× NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2008, 2011)
First-team All-Pro (2006)
4× Second-team All-Pro (2008, 2009, 2011, 2018)
13× Pro Bowl (2004, 2006, 2008–2014, 2016–2019)
7× NFL passing yards leader (2006, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014–2016)
4× NFL passing touchdowns leader (2008, 2009, 2011, 2012)
2× NFL passer rating leader (2009, 2018)
6× NFL completion percentage leader (2009–2011, 2017–2019)
NFL Records:
Most career passing yards
Most career pass completions
Highest single-season completion percentage (74.4%)
Most consecutive games with a touchdown pass
Most pass completions in a season
Most 5,000 passing yard seasons
Highest completion percentage in a game (96.7%)
Most touchdown passes in a game (tied)
First player to reach 80,000 career passing yards (286 games)2
48777Philip Rivers
QuarterbackTeam: Los Angeles Chargers (2004-2019); Indianapolis Colts (2020)
Announced retirement on January 20, 2021
Career Achievements:
8× Pro Bowler (2006, 2009–2011, 2013, 2016–2018)
NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2013)
NFL completion percentage leader (2013)
NFL passing yards leader (2010)
NFL passing touchdowns leader (2008)
NFL passer rating leader (2008)- 344471
Jason Witten
Tight endTeam: Dallas Cowboys (2003-2017, 2019), Las Vegas Raiders (2020)
Announced retirement on January 27, 2021
Career Achievements:
11× Pro Bowler (2004–2010, 2012–2014, 2017)
2× First-team All-Pro (2007, 2010)
2× Second-team All-Pro (2008, 2012)
Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2012)
Bart Starr Award (2013)
Most career NFL games by a Tight End (271 games)
Top 20 NFL All Time Career Receiving Yards (13,046)
Texas Sports Hall of Fame (2019) - 440264
Greg Olsen
Tight endTeam: Chicago Bears (2007-2010), Carolina Panthers (2011-2019), Seattle Seahawks (2020)
Announced retirement on January 24, 2021
Career Achievements:
3× Pro Bowler (2014–2016)
2× Second-team All-Pro (2015, 2016)
NFL All-Rookie Team (2007)
First Tight End with three consecutive 1,000 yard seasons. - 538767
Maurkice Pouncey
Guard, CenterTeam: Pittsburgh Steelers (2010-2020)
Announced retirement on February 12, 2021
Career Achievements:
3× First-team All-Pro (2011, 2012, 2014)
2× Second-team All-Pro (2010, 2018)
9× Pro Bowl (2010–2012, 2014, 2016–2020)
PFWA All-Rookie Team (2010)
NFL 2010s All-Decade Team - 619510
Adam Vinatieri
PlacekickerTeam: New England Patriots (1996–2005), Indianapolis Colts (2006–2019)
Announced retirement on May 26, 2021
Career Achievements:
4× Super Bowl champion (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLI)
3× Pro Bowl (2002, 2004, 2014)
3× First-team All-Pro (2002, 2004, 2014)
NFL's all-time leading scorer (2,673 points)
Most consecutive field goals made (44)
Most combined regular season and postseason games played (397)
Most career field goals made (599)
Most career field goals attempted (715)
- 736880
Julian Edelman
Wide receiverTeam: New England Patriots (2009-2020)
Announced retirement on April 12, 2021
Career Achievements:
3× Super Bowl champion (XLIX, LI, LIII)
Super Bowl MVP (LIII)
New England Patriots 2010s All-Decade Team
Super Bowl Record - Most Receptions in a 1st Half (7)
Super Bowl Record - Most Career Punt Returns (8) - 829570
Mike Pouncey
CenterTeam: Miami Dolphins (2011-2017), Los Angeles Chargers (2018-2020)
Announced retirement on February 12, 2021
Career Achievements:
4× Pro Bowl (2013–2015, 2018)
PFWA All-Rookie Team (2011) - 926264
Alex Smith
QuarterbackTeam: San Francisco 49ers (2005–2012) Kansas City Chiefs (2013–2017) Washington Football Team (2018–2020)
Announced retirement on April 19, 2021
Career Achievements:
NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2020)
3× Pro Bowl (2013, 2016, 2017)
NFL passer rating leader (2017)
#1 overall pick in 2005 NFL Draft - 1026492
Patrick Chung
SafetyTeam: New England Patriots (2009-2012, 2014-2020), Philadelphia Eagles (2013)
Announced retirement on March 18 , 2021
Career Achievements:
3× Super Bowl champion (XLIX, LI, LIII) - 1123778
Mike Iupati
GuardTeam: San Francisco 49ers (2010-2014), Seattle Seahawks (2015-2018), Arizona Cardinals (2019-2020)
Announced retirement on February 22, 2021
Career Achievements:
4× Pro Bowl (2012–2015)
First-team All-Pro (2012)
Second-team All-Pro (2015)
PFW All-Rookie Team (2010) - 1216748
Sean Lee
LinebackerTeam: Dallas Cowboys (2010-2020)
Announced retirement on April 26, 2021
Career Achievements:
2× Pro Bowl (2015, 2016)
First-team All-Pro (2016)
802 career tackles - 1321890
Antoine Bethea
SafetyTeam: Indianapolis Colts, (2006-2013), San Francisco 49ers (2014-2016), Arizona Cardinals (2017-2018), New York Giants (2019)
Announced retirement on January 7, 2021
Career Achievements:
Super Bowl champion (XLI)
3× Pro Bowler (2007, 2009, 2014) - 1421794
Anthony Sherman
FullbackTeam: Arizona Cardinals (2011-2012), Kansas City Chiefs (2013-2020)
Announced retirement on March 4, 2021
Career Achievements:
Super Bowl champion (LIV)
Pro Bowl (2018)
Second-team All-Pro (2014) - 1520897
Anthony Castonzo
Offensive TackleTeam: Indianapolis Colts (2011-2020)
Announced retirement on January 12, 2021
Career Achievements:
Pro Football Focus Second-team All-Pro (2019)
1 Career Touchdown - 1616477
Donald Penn
Offensive TackleTeam: Minnesota Vikings (2006), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2006-2013), Oakland Raiders (2014-2018), Washington Redskins (2019)
Announced retirement on March 15, 2021
Career Achievements:
3× Pro Bowl (2010, 2016, 2017)
Games started: 189
Receptions: 6
Receiving yards: 26
Receiving touchdowns: 4 - 1710445
T. J. Ward
SafetyTeam: Cleveland Browns (2010-2013), Denver Broncos (2014-2016), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2017), Arizona Cardinals (2020)
Announced retirement on April 21, 2021
Career Achievements:
Super Bowl champion (L)
2× Pro Bowl (2013, 2014)
Second-team All-Pro (2013)
- 186715
Demaryius Thomas
Wide receiverTeam: Denver Broncos (2010-2018), Houston Texans (2018), New England Patriots (2019), New York Jets (2019)
Announced retirement on June 28, 2021
Career Achievements:
Super Bowl champion (L)
5× Pro Bowl (2012–2016)
2× Second-team All-Pro (2013, 2014)
Broncos All Time Leader in Playoff Receptions (53)
Broncos All Time Leader in Regular Season Receiving Yards (1,619) - 198032
Tamba Hali
Defensive end, LinebackerTeam: Kansas City Chiefs (2006–2017)
Announced retirement on May 10, 2021
Career Achievements:
6× Pro Bowl (2010–2015)
2× Second-team All-Pro (2011, 2013)
PFWA All-Rookie Team (2006)
2nd in Chiefs team history in Sacks - 2012178
Jordan Reed
Tight endTeam: Washington Redskins (2013–2019), San Francisco 49ers (2020)
Announced retirement on April 20, 2021
Career Achievements:
Pro Bowl (2015)
PFWA All-Rookie Team (2013) - 214012
Ted Ginn, Jr.
Wide receiverTeam: Miami Dolphins (2007–2009), San Francisco 49ers (2010–2012), Carolina Panthers (2013), Arizona Cardinals (2014), Carolina Panthers (2015–2016)
Announced retirement on July 16, 2021
Career Achievements:
PFWA All-Rookie Team (2007)
NFL record - 2 kickoff return touchdowns of 100 yards or more in a single game
Career receptions: 412
Career receiving yards: 5,742
Career receiving TDs: 33
Career rushing yards: 486
Career rushing touchdowns: 2
Career return yards: 9,523
Career return TDs: 7 - 224424
Johnathan Joseph
CornerbackTeam: Cincinnati Bengals (2006–2010), Houston Texans (2011–2019), Tennessee Titans (2020), Arizona Cardinals (2020)
Announced retirement on June 10, 2021
Career Achievements:
2× Pro Bowl (2011, 2012)
2× Second-team All-Pro (2011, 2015) - 23150
Malcolm Butler
CornerbackTeam: New England Patriots (2014–2017), Tennessee Titans (2018–2020)
Announced retirement on August 31, 2021
Career Achievements:
2× Super Bowl champion (XLIX, LI)
Pro Bowl (2015)
Second-team All-Pro (2016)
New England Patriots 2010s All-Decade Team - 24172
Dion Lewis
Running backTeam: Philadelphia Eagles (2011–2012), Cleveland Browns (2013), Indianapolis Colts (2014), New England Patriots (2015–2017), Tennessee Titans (2018–2019)
Announced retirement on August 13, 2021
Career Achievements:
Super Bowl champion (LI)
Career rushing yards: 2,425
Career receptions: 191
Career receiving yards: 1,408
Career return yards: 1,845
Career touchdowns: 21 - 25107111
Morgan Burnett
SafetyTeam: Green Bay Packers (2010–2017), Pittsburgh Steelers (2018), Cleveland Browns (2019)
Announced retirement on March 29, 2021
Career Achievements:
Super Bowl champion (XLV)
770 Career Tackles
10 Career Interceptions
9.5 Career Sacks
