Ex-Eagles safety Chris Maragos also calls it quits
Wednesday 17 July 2019 07:06, UK
Veteran defensive end Robert Ayers announced his retirement on Tuesday, ending a nine-year NFL career.
Ayers, a 33-year-old who last played with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2017, announced the decision on Facebook, also posting a highlight video from his college and pro career.
A first-round pick (18th overall) by the Denver Broncos in 2009, Ayers managed just 12 sacks and 37 QB hits over five seasons in Denver, starting 27 of 72 games.
He then joined the New York Giants in 2014 and impressed with 14 sacks and 36 QB hits in 24 games over two seasons, including career highs of nine and 22 respectively, in 2015. With the Bucs, he had 6.5 sacks and 19 hits in 2016 before slipping to two and 16 respectively, in his final season.
Ayers finishes his career with 34.5 sacks in 120 career games (59 starts).
Free agent Chris Maragos, who was released by Philadelphia in February, also hung up his cleats after an eight-year career.
A key special-teamer, Maragos won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks in 2013, before joining the Eagles in 2014. He suffered a brutal knee injury during the Eagles' Lombardi-winning season in 2017, and wasn't able to make the field at all in 2018.
