Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen announced his retirement from the NFL on Friday, concluding a decade-long career. The decision comes after Jensen grappled with injuries in the latter part of his career, significantly limiting his availability on the field.
In a social media post, Jensen reflected on his football journey, stating, “With any chapter in the book of life, there is always an ending. The NFL chapter of my life is coming to a close.
As this chapter closes and I reflect on every aspect of my career, it makes me proud. In the hard times and good, there is always something special to learn. Retiring from the game you have loved from a very young age is always hard. I am excited for this next chapter and the new opportunities and challenges it will bring.”
Expressing gratitude, Jensen thanked the Ravens and the Buccaneers for taking a chance on him, a small-town Colorado kid, and also acknowledged the Buccaneers’ fanbase, known as the Krewe, for their unwavering support.
Selected in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL Draft from CSU Pueblo by the Baltimore Ravens, Jensen spent the initial five years of his professional career with the Ravens, starting in 25 of his 35 regular-season appearances.
In 2018, he made a significant move to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after signing a four-year, $42 million contract in free agency, becoming the highest-paid center in the NFL at the time. During his tenure with the Buccaneers, Jensen achieved Pro Bowl recognition in 2021 and played a pivotal role in the team’s Super Bowl LV victory.
However, in the summer of 2022, during training camp, Jensen faced a setback with a knee injury that led to his placement on injured reserve.
He made a comeback for the Buccaneers’ wild-card matchup against the Cowboys later that season, playing in 100% of the offensive snaps in that game, which ultimately marked his final appearance in the league. Unfortunately, Jensen aggravated the same injury in August of the following year, sidelining him for the entire season.
