Romeo Okwara shared some personal news on Tuesday night. The Detroit Lions defensive end took to his Instagram account to announce his retirement from the NFL after eight seasons.
“After some introspection and meditation I have decided to step away from the NFL, ” Okwara wrote on the social media platform.
“The game of football has been the largest part of my life for the greater of 18 years, 8 of which I have been fortunate enough to play at the professional level,” he added. “4 of those with my brother. The experiences, friendships, and camaraderie I have been lucky enough to share with my teammates, coaches, and peers is something I will forever be grateful for. Y’all mean the world to me and I will continue to cheer you on for the rest of our lives!”
Career Overview
Okwara, aged 28, made appearances in all 16 games for the Lions this past season. He contributed nine tackles, five quarterback hits, and two sacks as a dependable part of the team’s rotation. He was due to become a free agent.
In 2016, Okwara began his NFL journey as an undrafted rookie free agent with the New York Giants, spending his first two seasons there before the Lions claimed him off waivers in 2018.
In 2018, he led the Lions in sacks, setting a franchise record for most sacks in a player’s debut season. Okwara has started in 32 games of his 92-game career, registering 184 total tackles, 25 sacks, and 58 quarterback hits.
His 23.0 career sacks also place him as the fourth-highest among NFL players born in Nigeria.
“My heart is forever with you and the city of Detroit,” he added.
This report used information from ESPN.