Defensive end Romeo Okwara will step away from football after eight NFL seasons. He announced his retirement on Instagram, saying:
“After some introspection and meditation, I have decided to step away from the NFL. The game of football has been the largest part of my life for the greater (part) of 18 years, eight of which I have been fortunate enough to play at the professional level.”
Okwara signed as an undrafted free agent with the New York Giants in 2016. Two years later, the Detroit Lions claimed him off waivers. In 2019, the Lions drafted his younger brother, Julian Okwara. They have been teammates for four seasons.
Romeo Okwara’s best season occurred in 2020, when he had ten sacks. That total convinced the Lions to give the up-and-coming edge rusher a three-year, $39 million contract extension during the 2021 offseason.
Unfortunately, due to a ruptured Achilles, he played only nine games in 2021 and 2022. Worse yet, he agreed to a reduced pay to stay with the Lions. It’s a good tradeoff because he became part of the team that reached the NFC Championship Game.
The former Notre Dame standout became a free agent this offseason after the Lions refrained from offering him a contract. With Okwara retiring as a player, he will spend more time with his family and his passions, especially photography.
Romeo Okwara will retire with 165 tackles, 26 sacks, six pass deflections, six forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery in 96 career games (including playoffs). Meanwhile, Spotrac estimates his career earnings at $36.8 million.
-Lance Fernandez