Former Florida Star Keanu Neal Makes Major Career Announcement

Eclipsing the 100 tackle mark in both his first two seasons was undoubtedly a highlight of Neal's short-lived career. Unfortunately, injuries got in the way the following two seasons, as Neal suffered a torn ACL in 2018 and sustained a torn Achilles in 2019.

Another bright spot of Neal's stint with the Falcons was his performance in the 2016 Super Bowl; as he had a game-high 13 tackles in the game, the Falcons infamously blew a 28-3 lead. 

The Falcons exercised the fifth-year option for Neal, forcing him to ultimately reunite with his former coach, Dan Quinn, on the Dallas Cowboys. Neal ended up changing his position to linebacker from safety. He played 14 games and had 77 tackles in what was an underperforming prove-it season for him.

Neal then got signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a one-year deal that moved him back to strong safety. He only started in eight of those 17 games, and his production started declining.

Lastly, Neal joined the Steelers in 2023 and was sidelined after eight starts. Neal ended his career with 523 combined tackles, eight forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and four interceptions in 89 games (69 starts). 

For somebody who had an injury-riddled career, Neal had the tenacity and perseverance to keep going, experimenting with various different teams, coaches, and even positions. His retirement at such an early age is a testament to the physical and mental toll that football takes on athletes.