Derrick Morgan Retires from NFL After 9 Seasons with Tennessee Titans

Linebacker Derrick Morgan announced his retirement Monday after nine seasons with the Tennessee Titans.

"My purpose in life is bigger than the game," Morgan told ESPN's Turron Davenport. "What football taught me was the power of influence. My goal is to create better and more meaningful opportunities for marginalized communities to break the cycles of generational poverty and build greater wealth and economic mobility. I feel a deep responsibility to leverage my platform for this."

Morgan, 30, has gone unsigned after hitting unrestricted free agency this offseason. He spent all nine of his seasons in Tennessee after being a first-round pick in 2010, recording 305 tackles and 44.5 sacks with the franchise.

Morgan said he plans to focus his efforts more in off-field endeavors during retirement, including a "large project" in his hometown of Coatesville, Pennsylvania. In addition, Morgan plans to expand a business portfolio that includes real estate and startup ventures.

The Georgia Tech product never quite found the same NFL success as he had in college, where he was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and an All-American in 2009. He was nevertheless a consistent pass-rusher on the edge, recording at least six sacks in five seasons. The 2018 campaign ranked as his worst, with Morgan being limited to 25 tackles and 0.5 sacks while struggling with injuries.

Morgan was a starter for 106 of the 118 games he played during his NFL career.