Cleveland Browns veteran linebacker Jordan Hicks decided to retire with training camp in full swing.
Hicks was entering his second season with the Browns but had not been with the team for the first few days of camp. He started 12 games last season, finishing third on the team in tackles (78). He added four tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, two sacks and four passes defended.
Hicks officially announced his retirement on Friday in a social media statement.
“After 23 years of playing football, I’m officially retiring from the NFL. Football has given me more than I could have ever imagined. Purpose, discipline, brotherhood, and a platform to impact others. But most importantly it showed me who I am outside the game,” Hicks said in the post. “I leave this chapter with deep gratitude for every lesson, challenge, and victory. I’m proud of what I accomplished on the field, but even more proud of the man I’ve become because of it.
“To my teammates, coaches, fans, and most importantly my family.. thank you for your unwavering support throughout this journey. I’m looking forward to this next season of life and all that it brings. I walk away with peace knowing I gave football all I had, and that the best is yet to come.”
Hicks ends his 10-year NFL career playing in 134 career games with 131 starts. He recorded 952 tackles, 51 tackles for loss, 38 quarterback hits, 16.5 sacks, 11 fumble recoveries, six forced fumbles and 53 passes defensed. Hicks also won a Super Bowl with the Eagles in 2018.
Browns Will Miss Jordan Hicks
Hicks wore the green dot as the playcaller on the defensive side of the ball. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Hicks’ veteran presence won’t be easy to replace.
“A player and a person that I have an amazing amount of respect for,” Stefanski said on Friday. “Jordan played really, really good football for us. Played at an extremely high level and he was even better off the field in what he was able to give to this football team. An amazing career and one that needs to be celebrated. We support him in his decision. We’ll miss him, but that is somebody that I have a ton of respect for.”
Devin Bush, Mohamoud Diabate and second-round pick Carson Schwesinger will be in the mix at linebacker.
“When you lose a player due to injury or retirement or whatever, there’s opportunities that come up for younger players and in this day and age, young players play early at these positions,” Stefanski said. “They may be counted on and that’s why we’re working so hard. That’s why we’re trying to be efficient with everything we do, maximize every rep and minute that we have with these young men to get them ready to play.”
Jerome Baker Provides Veteran Leadership for Browns at LB
Jerome Baker, who has 90 starts on his resume, will also likely see some time. The Browns signed Baker in March, bringing in some additional depth, which became extra important following the news that Pro Bowler Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah would miss the season with a neck injury.
Baker, 28, is embracing his role in what is a very young linebacker group.
“I’m here just to help the young guys,” Baker told the Browns official site. “I’m here just to be somebody that they can look up to and learn from, so that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
The Browns will get their first preseason test on Aug. 8 against the Carolina Panthers.
