Romeo Okwara broke some news of his own on Tuesday night.
The veteran Detroit Lions defensive end took to Instagram 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 stated on social media.
“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 said in a statement. “Four of them are with my brother. I will always be grateful for the experiences, friendships, and camaraderie I’ve had with my teammates, coaches, and classmates. You guys
mean the world to me, and I will continue to support you for the rest of our lives!”
Okwara, 28, appeared in 16 games for the Lions this past season, registering nine tackles, five QB hits and a pair of sacks as a reliable part of the rotation. He was set to become a free agent.
He entered the league as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2016, signing with the New York Giants and spending his first two seasons there until being claimed off waivers by the Lions in 2018.
In 2018, he led the Lions in sacks with 7.5, the most by a player in his first season after being claimed off waivers in team history. He started 32 games during his 92-game career, totaling 158 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 25 sacks, and 58 quarterback hits.
His 23.0 career sacks are also the fourth most of any NFL player born in Nigeria.
“My heart is forever with you and the city of Detroit,” he said.
