Patrick Peterson Talks NFL Retirement, 'I Still Can Play, But I Do Not Want To Play'

Patrick Peterson is officially calling it a career after 13 seasons in the NFL.

The cornerback went to Arizona on Monday to officially retire with the team that drafted him.

Peterson, who spent the 2023 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, was still looking to play for a team in 2024 but didn't get picked up. He said that he thinks he's still capable of playing cornerback in the NFL, but would rather enjoy all that comes with retirement.

“I still can play, but I do not want to play... This is a young man’s game now," he said (via Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper). "You see all these grays on my chin now. I’m not — quite frankly, at my position, I’m not accepted anymore. I can live with that because at the end of the day, I had a great 13-year career. There’s no regrets. Me and my wife, we talked about this ever since I wasn’t able to be picked up last year. I’m perfectly fine with my decision. I’m very, very happy where I’m at in life and my career. My cement is dry now.”

Peterson, the fifth overall pick in the 2011 draft, spent 10 years with the Cardinals, earning eight Pro Bowl nods and three First Team All-Pro selections. After his time in Arizona, he spent a pair of seasons with the Minnesota Vikings before his final season in 2023 with Pittsburgh.