Former Washington Commanders center Chase Roullier announced his retirement from football on Wednesday. Roullier spent six seasons with the Commanders after being selected in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Roullier’s career got off to a great start. He started seven games as a rookie. Then went on to start 58 games through his first four seasons. However, injuries limited him in 2021 and 2022.
In 2021, he fractured his fibula and got carted off the field during a Week 8 game against the Denver Broncos. Roullier returned in 2022 but suffered a season-ending MCL tear in Week 2.
The Commanders released Roullier in May — two seasons into his four-year, $40 million extension.
The 29-year-old Roullier announced his retirement in an Instagram post. He said he lived most of his life with football. While the decision to walk away was difficult, the toll of his two injuries pushed him to retirement.
“Two years ago, I would have never thought I’d be writing his right now,” Roullier wrote. “But in those two years, I have seen two major injuries, two invasive surgeries, two multi-month couch-ridden times, two rehabilitation marathons, two tall mental hurdles to climb, and two of everything else in between.”
Chase Roullier missed 24 games during the last two seasons. With no more guaranteed money remaining on the final two years of his contract, the Commanders moved on from Roullier. Washington signed former New York Giants center Nick Gates. Gates ironically fractured his fibula and tibia in 2021, playing against the Commanders.
Instead of continuing his NFL career elsewhere, Roullier said he gained clarity on his priorities during his recoveries.
“These two years have also given me a lot of time to reflect and gain clarity on my priorities in life,” Roullier continued. “This decision has not been an easy one but after lots of prayer and processing, I am confident that it is the right one.”
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