Super Bowl Champion Wide Receiver Announces Retirement From NFL

Another Super Bowl champion is calling it a career. On Wednesday, wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders announced his retirement from the NFL after spending 12 seasons in the league. He spent the majority of his career with the Denver Broncos and helped the team win the Super Bowl in 2015. 

“For me, I feel like it’s the right time for me,” Sanders told DenverBroncos.com. “Twelve years. I’m walking away from the game healthy. I’ve had a great career. I played in a lot of great games. Three Super Bowls. Pro Bowls. I played for some great organizations. And so I just feel like it’s my time. Twelve is good for me. Now I can go and run routes with my son and play basketball with my son, hang out with my kids and enjoy my life.”  

Sanders, 35, was selected in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was with the Steelers for four seasons before signing a three-year, $15 million contract with the Broncos. In his first three seasons in Denver, Sanders tallied at least 1,000 yards and 70 receptions. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2014 and 2016. 

“I went back and watched the video of my interview, my press conference, when I was with the Broncos,” Sanders said. “And I said that this place in Denver, Colorado, with the Denver Broncos, was the place that I can hoist the Lombardi Trophy [with] my son, and this is wide receiver heaven. And when I got here, the heavens opened up the gate, and we started throwing the ball all over the field. I had the opportunity to go to the Pro Bowl. … It was just a great ride. The best years of my career, by far.”  

Midway through the 2019 season, Sanders was traded to the San Francisco 49ers. Following the 2019 season, the SMU alum signed a two-year contract with the New Orleans Saints but was released from the Saints in March 2021. Sanders signed with the Buffalo Bills one day after he was released by the Saints and played in 14 games during the 2021 season. In his career, Sanders caught 704 passes for 9,245 yards and 51 touchdowns.