Ndamukong Suh announces NFL retirement, honors late father in emotional farewell

New York Times

a day ago

Ndamukong Suh formally announced his retirement from the NFL on Saturday, officially bringing an end to a dominant and often-controversial 13-year career.
While Suh hasn't played since Super Bowl LVII over two years ago, he chose Saturday for its deep personal meaning: The day marks the first anniversary of the death of his father, Michael.
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'July 12, 2024 was the hardest day of my life,' Suh wrote on X. ' It's the day I said goodbye to my father, the man who raised me, shaped me, challenged me, and believed in me before I believed in myself. He wasn't just a dad. He was my idol, my coach, and my anchor. He taught me what it meant to be disciplined, focused, and relentless in everything I do.'
July 12, 2024 was the hardest day of my life.
It's the day I said goodbye to my father, the man who raised me, shaped me, challenged me, and believed in me before I believed in myself.
He wasn't just a dad. He was my idol, my coach, and my anchor.He taught me what it meant to… pic.twitter.com/WkefQaDrsQ
— Ndamukong Suh (@NdamukongSuh) July 12, 2025
A Nebraska legend and the No. 2 pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, Suh made an immediate impact with the Detroit Lions, earning Defensive Rookie of the Year and first-team All-Pro honors in his debut season. In five years in Detroit, he recorded 36 sacks, earning four trips to the Pro Bowl and three All-Pro selections.
But Suh also earned a reputation as a controversial player. Known as one of the league's most physically imposing defenders, Suh's aggressive style earned him both accolades and multiple league penalties. He was fined three times as a rookie for his on-the-field treatment of opponents, then suspended in 2011 after pushing Green Bay Packers' guard Evan Dietrich-Smith's head into the ground three times and stomping on his arm.
He was fined four more times in 2012 and 2013, then suspended again in 2014 for stepping on Aaron Rodgers' calf, which was later reversed into another fine.
He later signed a record-breaking six-year, $114 million deal with the Miami Dolphins before playing for the Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles, reaching the Super Bowl with each of his final three teams. In 2020, he hoisted the Lombardi Trophy with the Bucs.
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Suh retires as a five-time Pro Bowler and ranks top 20 all time in the NFL in tackles for loss (130) as one of the most relentless interior defensive linemen of his era. He left his mark on every field he played on, always carrying the voice and values of his father, who shaped him.
Suh said his father gave him one final piece of advice before his death to 'let football go' and move on to the next chapter in life.
'That conversation stayed with me,' Suh said on X. 'So today, one year later, I'm honoring that wish. I'm officially retiring from the NFL. … I left it all on the field, and now I'm stepping away with peace and gratitude.'
In recent years, Suh has built a career outside of football as an entrepreneur and investor, and he currently hosts The Athletic podcast 'No Free Lunch.'