Former Denver Broncos defensive lineman Mike Purcell has retired from the NFL, his agent, Cameron Foster, told The Denver Gazette‘s Chris Tomasson.
Purcell, 33, played high school football in Highlands Ranch and he went to college at Wyoming before joining the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2013. After four years in San Francisco, Purcell bounced between the Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs.
Purcell then spent a season playing in the AAF with the Salt Lake Stallions in the spring of 2019. The Broncos signed Purcell after the AAF season wrapped up and he went on to spend five years in Denver.
Purcell totaled 166 tackles, 14 quarterback hits, four pass breakups, three fumble recoveries, 2.5 sacks and one safety in 65 games (37 starts) with the Broncos. He was not re-signed following the 2023 season and Purcell then returned to the Patriots.
After being cut by New England last summer, Purcell sat out the 2024 campaign. He’s now hanging up his cleats with 90 NFL games on his resume.
