10 NFL Players Who Could Retire After the 2024 Season
This offseason, Jason Kelce, Fletcher Cox and Aaron Donald announced their retirements from the NFL. All three might eventually be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Kelce has been contemplating retirement for years, while Donald considered it after the Los Angeles Rams won Super Bowl 56, per NBC Sports' Rodney Harrison. Meanwhile, the 33-year-old Cox said, "I kind of felt like I would be lying to myself if I told myself that I could continue to do it at a high level. So I figured it was time to call it."
Sometimes, we can see these announcements coming as players age and their injuries pile up. So, who might hang up their cleats after the 2024 NFL season?
Here, we've highlighted 10 notable veterans (presented in alphabetical order) who might be headed into the final season of their NFL careers.
Duane Brown, OT, Free Agent
1 of 10
As a 2008 first-round pick out of Virginia Tech, Duane Brown played up to expectations. He became one of the league's top offensive tackles in a 2012 All-Pro season with the Houston Texans.
Brown put together three consecutive Pro Bowl seasons with the Texans, and he continued to play at a high level after the Texans sent him to the Seattle Seahawks before the 2017 trade deadline. During his last season with the Seahawks in 2021, Brown played in every game and earned another Pro Bowl nod.
The New York Jets signed Brown late in the 2022 offseason, but his body started to break down with injuries. A few weeks after signing with the Jets, Brown suffered a shoulder injury and missed the first four games of the 2022 campaign.
Brown played 12 games in 2022—all with a torn rotator cuff—but his shoulder issues lingered into the 2023 offseason. He then missed the majority of last season because of hip and back issues.
Brown is currently a free agent and could attempt to bounce back in his age-39 season, but his body might not allow him to suit up at the age of 40 in 2025.
Calais Campbell, DT, Free Agent
2 of 10
Since his second year in the NFL (2009), Calais Campbell has played in a primary starting role with four teams and rarely missed time because of injuries. Campbell earned All-Pro or Pro Bowl accolades with the Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens.
Although he's now 37 years old, Campbell can still get after the quarterback. Last season with the Atlanta Falcons, he recorded 6.5 sacks and 24 pressures in 17 starts. Winner of the 2019 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award and the 2023 Alan Page Award, Campbell brought leadership qualities at every stop in his career.
Based on his recent production and availability, Campbell could probably suit up for another two or three years, but he's played for three teams in the past five seasons. He's currently a free agent, so there's no guarantee that he'll even play in 2024.
If Campbell does sign another one-year deal, he might decide to hang up his cleats after this year to avoid moving around again.
Zach Ertz, TE, Washington Commanders
3 of 10
A few years ago, Zach Ertz was one of the league's top pass-catching tight ends.
Ertz recorded 75-plus catches and 816-plus receiving yards in each season between 2015 and 2019. He led the Philadelphia Eagles in both categories for four consecutive campaigns during that stretch.
Unfortunately, Ertz's career hit a bump in the road with an injury-riddled 2020 season. Weeks before the 2021 trade deadline, Philadelphia sent him to the Arizona Cardinals, which allowed tight end Dallas Goedert to emerge in the Eagles' passing game.
In Arizona, Ertz showed brief flashes of his Pro Bowl form, but the Cardinals trended in the wrong direction. His numbers took a nose dive last season because of Arizona's unstable quarterback situation with Kyler Murray recovering from a torn ACL.
After logging career lows in catches and receiving yards last season and a brief stint on the Detroit Lions practice squad in January, Ertz signed a one-year deal with the rebuilding Washington Commanders this offseason.
Over the last two years, Ertz has missed 17 games. Now a 50-50 player in terms of availability, he could be on his way out of the league after the 2024 campaign.
Joe Flacco, QB, Indianapolis Colts
4 of 10
Joe Flacco doesn't have a Hall of Fame resume, but he's an accomplished quarterback who can still sling the ball all over the field. Flacco helped lead the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl title in the 2012 campaign and was named the Super Bowl MVP that year.
After the Super Bowl run, the Ravens went into a stretch of mediocrity, and Flacco lost his job to Lamar Jackson. He served as a backup for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets in recent years, but he found the fountain of youth with the Cleveland Browns last season.
Flacco didn't begin the 2023 campaign on an NFL roster, but the Browns signed him after starter Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. Flacco proceeded to go 4-1 as a starter while throwing for 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions en route to a playoff appearance and the Comeback Player of the Year award.
In March, the Indianapolis Colts signed Flacco to a one-year deal. He'll serve as a backup for Anthony Richardson, who missed 13 games and underwent season-ending shoulder surgery last October.
Richardson's dual-threat ability makes him susceptible to big hits, which increases the risk of injury. Flacco could get another opportunity to fill in as a starter this season, but he will turn 40 in January.
Don't be surprised if Flacco walks away from the game at that milestone age.
Justin Houston, Edge, Free Agent
5 of 10
For several years with the Kansas City Chiefs, Justin Houston played alongside Tamba Hali to form one of the league's most dominant pass-rushing duos.
As an individual pass-rusher, Houston set himself apart, leading the league with 22 sacks in 2014. He had a strong finish to his tenure in Kansas City, recording 18.5 sacks in his last two years with the club in 2017 and 2018.
In 2019, Houston started a new career chapter with the Indianapolis Colts, signing a two-year deal. He played in every game for those two seasons, logging a combined 53 pressures, 19 sacks and 21 tackles for loss.
Houston joined elite company when he registered his 100th career sack with the Baltimore Ravens in 2021. The following year, he played in a reduced role with the Ravens but logged 9.5 sacks.
Houston's production tailed off last year with the Carolina Panthers, though. He logged only nine tackles, two tackles for loss, five pressures and a half-sack. Because of a hamstring injury, Houston made only seven appearances before the Panthers released him.
Back in January, Houston signed with the Miami Dolphins, but he didn't make any notable contributions.
In recent offseasons, Houston signed deals after the draft. Following a forgetful year, he may not have many suitors, which could influence him to soon retire from the league.
Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs
6 of 10
Unlike the other retirement candidates that we've highlighted here, Travis Kelce is still playing at a Pro Bowl level. In fact, Kelce surpassed Hall of Famer Jerry Rice for the most postseason receptions in NFL history during the Kansas City Chiefs' win over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game.
Kelce finished the 2023 season with 93 catches for 984 yards and five touchdowns. He probably would've eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards for an eighth consecutive campaign had the Chiefs not rested him in Week 18.
This past season, some people wondered if Kelce would retire after the 2023 campaign. However, he intends to play in 2024 as the Chiefs go for a three-peat.
If Kansas City succeeds in that mission, Kelce could retire at the top of his game with the only team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls.
At that point, Kelce would have nothing more to prove as a surefire Hall of Famer on a dynastic team.
Marcedes Lewis, TE, Free Agent
7 of 10
Marcedes Lewis is arguably the most underrated player on this list.
Lewis' career resume doesn't features multiple Pro Bowl or All-Pro seasons, prestigious awards or eye-popping numbers. He had only one Pro Bowl campaign (2010) in which he recorded career highs in catches (58), receiving yards (700) and touchdowns (10).
However, Lewis has been one of the league's best blocking tight ends for nearly a decade.
Lewis hasn't caught more than 25 passes in a season since 2012, but he continues to garner suitors on the open market. Although he's turning 40 in May, he can still do the dirty work as a quality run- and pass-blocker for a contending team.
Since 2018, Lewis hasn't played more than 45 percent of his team's offensive snaps in a season, which has likely extended his career. However, his snap-count percentage plummeted this past season, which suggests he's nearing the end of his career.
Jason Peters, OT, Free Agent
8 of 10
Jason Peters is an obvious candidate to retire after the upcoming season because he's the oldest player in the NFL at the age of 42.
Coming out of Arkansas, Peters went undrafted in 2004, but he became a Pro Bowl player within four seasons with the Buffalo Bills.
After a contract dispute with Peters, the Bills traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles, who signed him to an extension. He took his game to another level in Philly, earning first-team All-Pro nods in 2011 and 2013.
Following his 12-year tenure with the Eagles, Peters has bounced around the league over the past three seasons, suiting up with the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks. However, he primarily served as a backup at his last two stops.
At his age, Peters isn't going to sign anywhere as an unquestioned starter, although he can be a placeholder in a pinch. Still, the 20-year veteran could hang up his cleats in any given offseason.
Marcus Peters, CB, Free Agent
9 of 10
In his heyday, Marcus Peters earned his respect around the NFL as a ball hawk who could turn a takeaway into a pick-six on any given play. He had an Ed Reed-like impact on games.
Peters led the NFL with eight interceptions as a rookie, and he led the league in interception return yards in three out of his eight seasons. In five of his first six campaigns, he logged at least four interceptions.
Peters made game-changing plays with the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams and Baltimore Ravens, but he's lost a step since tearing his ACL during the 2021 offseason.
In 2022 and 2023 with the Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders, respectively, Peters allowed passer ratings above 100. He recorded only one interception in both seasons, too.
The Athletic's Vic Tafur reported that Peters' effort came into question with the Raiders last season, which may hurt his chance to resurface elsewhere. If he's unable to bounce back in 2024, the 31-year-old could announce an early retirement.
Patrick Peterson, CB, Free Agent
10 of 10
As a rookie with the Arizona Cardinals, Patrick Peterson played at an All-Pro level and went on to become one of the franchise's best overall players. He had eight Pro Bowl and three All-Pro campaigns with the Cardinals.
Over the last three years, Peterson has been a solid cover man with the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers, logging 31 pass breakups and eight interceptions in that stretch.
Interestingly, Peterson saw some looks at free safety with the Steelers last season. Perhaps he can extend his career with a move from cornerback to safety, similar to Hall of Famer Charles Woodson, who made the full-time transition in the latter part of his career.
Even in a decent showing with the Steelers in 2023, Peterson's coverage numbers dipped slightly. He allowed a passer rating over 91 for the first time since his final season with the Cardinals.
If Peterson's coverage continues to slip and he's unable to transition to safety in 2024, he might consider retirement rather than finishing his career on a down note.
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
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