Former Michigan standout defensive end Chase Winovich announced his retirement from the NFL Tuesday after five seasons in the league.
“It has been a wild 21 years playing football!!! The time has come for me to serve the universe in other ways,” Winovich wrote on X. “… I consider myself beyond blessed and deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to play the game I love in front of so many and on some of the world’s biggest stages. To quote my friend Matthew Slater, ‘We all owe football something,’ and that I certainly do. And to quote my grandma, ‘It’s only bye for now.’
“Thank you to my family (s/o to my siblings and their spouses), friends, coaches, teammates, teachers, nutritionists, equipment managers, massage therapists, chefs, chiropractors, and anyone else that played a role during my time playing football. I couldn’t have done this without you!!! God Bless! The journey has only just begun.”
Chase Winovich calls it a career after five seasons in NFL
Winovich, 28, was originally selected in the third-round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. He spent three seasons with the Patriots, compiling 85 tackles (56 solo), 11.0 sacks, 23 quarterback hits and a forced fumble.
Winovich spent the 2022 season with the Cleveland Browns, suiting up in eight games and recording 20 tackles (14 solo) and a sack. He signed with the Miami Dolphins this past offseason, appearing in three games this season. The Dolphins released him last Tuesday.
Prior to coming to the NFL, Winovich put up big numbers with the Wolverines. In 41 games, he tallied 166 tackles (86 solo), 43.0 tackles for loss, 18.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2017 and ’18.
More must-reads: