The 13-year NFL veteran announced his retirement with a social media post on Saturday morning.
The announcement comes one year after the death of Suh’s father, who the five-time Pro Bowler calls ‘my first coach, my greatest teacher, and the man who shaped not just my mindset, but my mission.’
‘Before he passed,’ Suh wrote in his post, ‘he gave me one final piece of advice, ‘It’s time to let football go. You’ve done everything you set out to do. Now it’s time for the next chapter.’
‘That conversation stayed with me. So today, one year later, I’m honoring that wish.’
Ndamukong Suh stats
Suh had a prolific career across his 13 years with five different teams: the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles.
The former All-Pro made a name for himself early in his career for his aggressive, physical play style that made him something of an antagonist to opposing teams. In 2012, The Sporting News polled 103 NFL players and found that Suh was the ‘dirtiest’ player in the league when he received 32 votes, 13 more than second-place finisher Richie Incognito.
Between 2010 and 2022, Suh tallied 600 tackles – 130 for a loss – 71.5 sacks, 38 pass deflections, five forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries, three fumble-return touchdowns, an interception and a safety.
Suh’s best years were his first five seasons in Detroit, where he earned four Pro Bowl nods, three first-team All-Pro honors and one second-team All-Pro nomination. He also won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award in a 2010 season that included 66 tackles, 10 sacks, a fumble returned for a touchdown and his lone career interception.
In 2020, Suh was voted to be part of the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team alongside fellow defensive tackles Aaron Donald, Fletcher Cox and Geno Atkins.
Ndamukong Suh launches podcast
In his retirement announcement, Suh went on to say his next step is sitting behind a microphone, sharing financial advice on his new podcast with The Athletic: ‘No Free Lunch.’
‘I want to share what I’ve learned; especially with athletes, entrepreneurs, and young people navigating life and money,’ he wrote. ‘(The podcast)’s about real conversations, real strategy, and real education. Because freedom doesn’t come from fame, it comes from knowledge and how you move.’
It’s an interesting career pivot, but not a huge surprise for Suh.
The 38-year-old grew up learning about investment from his parents, who owned and maintained ‘a small portfolio’ of real estate properties, according to Forbes. Suh has even become close friends with Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett, dating back to a meeting he requested with the Omaha native after his final season at Nebraska.
‘I typically talk to (Buffett) about once or twice a quarter,’ Suh told Forbes in 2021.
The first episode of Suh’s podcast came out on July 1 and featured former WNBA superstar Candace Parker.