Two-Time Super Bowl Champion Linebacker Announces Retirement From NFL
Jamie Collins made a big impact as a member of the New England Patriots.
An NFL linebacker who won two Super Bowls in his career is moving on from the game. In an interview with ESPN, Jamie Collins, who spent the majority of his career with the New England Patriots, announced his retirement from the NFL after 10 seasons.
"It hasn't hit me yet, but I'm officially retired," Collins said. It was wonderful and something I never thought I'd be a part of. Made a lot of great relationships. Had a ton of fun. Now it's time to relax and be with my family." Collins, 33, was selected by the Patriots in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He was with the team for nearly four seasons and helped them win the Super Bowl during the 2014 season. Collins got another Super Bowl ring with the Patriots in 2016 but was not with the team for the entire season as he was traded to the Cleveland Browns on Halloween that year.
𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: #Patriots longtime star LB and 2x Super Bowl Champion Jamie Collins is officially retiring from the #NFL, per @MikeReiss
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) October 6, 2023
Collins had 708 tackles, 26.5 sacks, 12 interceptions and 19 forced fumbles in his decorated 12 year career. pic.twitter.com/bxQiTUV3dQ
Collins was with the Browns until the end of the 2018 season. He resigned with the Patriots on a one-year contract and finished the season with 104 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, four sacks, one interception and four passes defended. In 2020, Collins signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Detroit Lions and notched 101 tackles in 14 games.
During the 2021 season, Collins was released by the Lions but rejoined with the Patriots in October of that year. He was with the team last year but only played in three games as he also spent time on the practice squad. Collins finished his NFL career with 708 tackles, 26.5 sacks and 12 interceptions with one returned for a touchdown. His best season was in 2015 when he registered 89 tackles, eight tackles for loss 5,.5 sacks one interception, six passes defended and a league-leading five forced fumbles.
Collins is now looking to become a coach. "Hopefully y'all will see me back out there with a headset on," Collins said on the Locked On Patriots Podcast earlier this summer, per Sports Illustrated. "Never thought I'd be a coach, man … But being around Bill Belichick [and] Jerod Mayo … I've learned so much from those guys, I can definitely see myself coaching now."