4-time All-Pro NFL star to retire after 16 seasons. Will re-sign with Super Bowl-winning team
Former Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney has decided to call it a career after 16 years in the NFL.
Before he leaves for good, though, he’ll return to the team that drafted him — the same team that he won a Super Bowl with.
Freeney, 38, will formally announce his retirement on Monday at a news conference in Indiana, the team said.
He’ll sign a one-day contract with the Colts and then officially retire.
Freeney was drafted by the Colts with the 11th pick in the 2002 NFL draft.
He quickly became one of the top pass-rushers in the league, with at least 10 sacks in each of his first four seasons.
In 2007, Freeney became a Super Bowl champion, as the Colts defeated the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI.
Freeney played a total of 11 seasons with the Colts, racking up 258 tackles, including 107.5 sacks.
A seven-time Pro Bowler, he was named a First-Team All Pro three times and a Second-Team All-Pro once.
Following the 2012 season, Freeney signed with the San Diego Chargers.
He also had stints with the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawaks.
Freeney will finish his career with 125.5 career sacks, tied for 17th-most in NFL history.
He certainly had a standout career.
Now, only time will tell whether it was worthy of the Hall of Fame.
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