Veteran NFL Quarterback 'Quietly' Announces Retirement

By Brian Jones

A veteran NFL quarterback who came close to reaching a Super Bowl is calling it a career. While appearing on the Pardon My Take podcast, Blake Bortles announced his retirement but revealed he made the decision earlier in the year. 

"I didn't tell anybody I retired," he said on Tuesday, per NFL.com. "A couple of months ago, probably, just didn't tell anyone. So, I guess you guys are kind of the first to hear it publicly, maybe?" Bortles, 30, was selected No. 3 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2014. After a challenging rookie season, Bortles had his best season in 2015 when he threw for 4,428 yards and 35 touchdowns with an 88.2 passer rating. In 2017, Bortles led the Jaguars to the AFC Championship after the team posted a 10-6 record in the regular season. The 2017 season was the last time the Jaguars reached the playoffs and the first time since 2007. 

Bortles was with the team until the end of the 2018 season. He signed a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Rams in 2019 and played in three games. Bortles signed with the Denver Broncos in 2020, but the Rams resigned him in December of that year since he was on the Broncos' practice squad. In 2021, Bortles spent time with the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints but never played in a game. The last time Bortles played in an NFL game was in 2019 when he was with the Rams. He finishes his career with 17,649 passing yards, 103 touchdowns and 75 interceptions with a passer rating of 80.6.

"I have not touched a football since January," Bortles said. "I have officially retired." Bortles played college football at UCF and is a member of the school's Hall of Fame. In his final season with the Knights, Bortles threw for 3,581 yards and 35 touchdowns, leading him to be named AAC Offensive Player of the Year.

In his three seasons at UCF, Bortles threw for 7,598 yards and 56 touchdowns while rushing for 15 scores. "It's awesome," Bortles said during his Hall of Fame speech, per Sports Illustrated. "It's an incredible group of people who are in the UCF Hall of Fame, so to be honored in that way, it's the highest possible honor, and I'm grateful."

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