On the one-year anniversary of his father’s passing, former Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh announced his retirement from football after a 13-year career.
In his heartfelt announcement, Suh shared one of the final pieces of advice that his dad gave him.
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“It’s time to let football go. You’ve done everything you set out to do. Now it’s time for the next chapter,” Suh recalled his father saying.
“That conversation stayed with me,” Suh posted in his statement on social media. “So today, one year later, I’m honoring that wish. I’m officially retiring from the NFL.”
With his Saturday announcement, Suh has done just that. The 38-year-old closes his NFL career with 600 tackles, 71.5 sacks, nine fumble recoveries—three returned for a touchdown—five forced fumbles and one interception.
Suh appeared in 199 games, starting all but the eight he played with the Eagles in his final season.
Suh played for the Dolphins during the 2015-17 seasons. The Nebraska alum tallied 181 tackles, 49 quarterback hits, 37 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, 13 passes defended, a pair of forced fumbles and one fumble recovery across those three seasons in Miami. Suh also totaled four tackles and one sack during the Dolphins’ playoff loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2016 NFL playoffs’ Wild Card round.
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Suh was a Pro Bowler in 2016 with the Dolphins.
“I left it all on the field, and now I’m stepping away with peace and gratitude,” Suh said. “Because I’ve been preparing for this moment for years. Football was my passion, but it was never my endgame.”
Suh has been out of football the past two seasons, but Saturday’s announcement makes his retirement official.
Suh exits the NFL as a Super Bowl champion in 2020 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and as a three-time first-team All-Pro.
This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Former Dolphins Pro Bowler Ndamukong Suh announces retirement