By Blessing 
A beloved former Detroit Lions player is officially hanging up his cleats — and he’s doing so in a way that’s touching hearts across the NFL world.
Even after players leave the Lions, fans often keep track of their journeys, rooting for their success wherever they go. Now, one of the team’s most memorable defensive linemen, Ndamukong Suh, has announced his retirement from professional football — and his message is one of deep reflection and emotion.
This isn’t your standard retirement post. Suh poured his heart into this farewell, making it impossible not to feel the weight of his words. If you’ve ever cheered for him on a Sunday, this might hit close to home.
Suh shared the news on social media, timing his announcement with a deeply personal milestone — the one-year anniversary of his father’s passing. In doing so, he said goodbye not just to the game he’s played for so many years, but to a chapter of life shaped profoundly by the man who raised him.
“It’s the day I said goodbye to my father, the man who raised me, shaped me, challenged me, and believed in me before I believed in myself. He wasn’t just a dad. He was my idol, my coach, and my anchor,” Suh wrote.
He spoke about the values his father instilled in him — dedication, focus, relentlessness — and how those principles were with him every time he stepped onto the field.
“Every snap I took in football carried his fingerprint. Every time I lined up across from someone, I could hear his voice pushing me, reminding me that I wasn’t just representing myself. I was representing him, my family, my name,” Suh continued.
Before his father passed, he offered one final piece of advice that would stay with Suh long after the last whistle blew:
“Before he passed, 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, Suh said, lingered with him.
“So today, one year later, I’m honoring that wish. I’m officially retiring from the NFL,” he concluded.
Suh’s career began when the Detroit Lions drafted him second overall in 2010. He made an immediate impact, notching 10 sacks his rookie year, scoring a touchdown, and earning First-Team All-Pro honors. He was also named Defensive Rookie of the Year — a standout in a struggling era for the franchise.
Over the years, he played for several other NFL teams, most recently the Philadelphia Eagles, but many Lions fans never stopped following him. Though it’s been over a decade since he wore Honolulu blue, the respect for what he brought to Detroit remains strong.
Ndamukong Suh gave his all on and off the field, and as he turns the page to life after football, fans in Detroit — and beyond — are surely wishing him peace, purpose, and pride in a career well-lived.