Former Texans linebacker Whitney Mercilus announced his retirement from the NFL on Wednesday after an accomplished 10-season career.
Mercilus revealed the news in a heartfelt Instagram video that showed clips of him spending time with family and cooking on the grill.
“I’ve decided that I’m hanging up the cleats,” Mercilus said in the video. “I’m looking forward to the next chapter in my life … What really means a lot to me is spending more quality time with family.”
The 31-year-old Mercilus reiterated that he was happy with his decision and that his fans shouldn’t be sad to see him go.
A former first-round pick in the 2012 NFL draft, Mercilus spent the majority of his 10-year career with the Texans. He played in 134 games and made 102 starts in Houston, tallying 345 tackles, 57 sacks and 13 forced fumbles as a member of the AFC South franchise. His crowning achievement came when he earned second-team All-Pro honors for a 53-tackles, 7.5-sack performance during the 2016 season.
Last October, Mercilus was released by the Texans. He signed with the Packers two days later and played in four games during his brief stint in Green Bay.
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