A veteran NFL defensive lineman will no longer play in the league. On Wednesday, Stephon Tuitt of the Pittsburgh Steelers announced his retirement from the NFL after eight seasons. The 29-year-old spent all eight seasons with the Steelers.
“With respect to the Steelers organization, my teammates, and coaches I would like to officially announce that I have come to the decision to retire from the NFL,” said Tuitt in the statement. “I am thankful to have had the opportunity to represent the city of Pittsburgh for the past eight seasons, and am blessed to leave this game with my health.
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“After the tragic loss of my brother Richard, and upon completing my degree from the University of Notre Dame, I know I am being called to move beyond the sport of football. I want to thank everyone for the love and support they have shown both on and off the field, and again want to thank The Rooney Family, Coach Tomlin, and the entire Pittsburgh organization. It was an honor and a privilege to play for this historic team. Go Steelers.”
Tuitt was selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Steelers after playing college football at Notre Dame. He only posted one sack in 16 games during his rookie season but improved in 2015 as he tallied 54 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and one interception. His best season was in 2020 when he notched 45 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and two forced fumbles. Tuitt didn’t play during the 2021 season as he was placed on injured reserve at the start of the year due to a knee injury.
“I want to thank Stephon for all he did for the Steelers during his eight-year career in Pittsburgh,” Steelers general manager Omar Khan said in a statement. “His success both on and off the field speaks volumes for who he is as a person and a player. Stephon has always handled himself with class and maturity as he continues to be a great husband, father, son and family man in his personal life. Now that he has informed us he is retiring from football, we are all thrilled to see what he becomes as a person and professional after graduating from Notre Dame this past month.” In his career, Tuitt played in 91 games with 79 starts and finished with 246 tackles, 93 quarterback hits, 48 tackles for loss, 34.5 sacks, 13 passes defended, six forced fumbles and an interception.
