Former Patriots third-round pick Chase Winovich announced his retirement on Instagram, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. After a little more than four years in the NFL, Winovich has decided to hang up his cleats.
Winovich shined brightest in Ann Arbor, where he played four years for the Wolverines of Michigan. After starting out his college career unsure of whether he belonged on offense or defense, he found his place at defensive end, collecting 43 tackles for loss and 18.5 sacks over three seasons of extensive play. His disruptive abilities landed him in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft with a ticket to New England.
While not finding the same domination in the NFL, Winovich still gave strong contributions as a Patriot. While coming off the bench in his first year and earning nine starts in his second, Winovich totaled 11.0 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 22 quarterback hits in those two seasons. In 2021, though, Winovich found himself in the doghouse and, after a mostly ineffective season, was traded to Cleveland in exchange for Mack Wilson last year.
Winovich spent most of the season on injured reserve before getting to appear in six of the team’s last eight games, including two starts. After his rookie contract expired, he signed with the Texans, who released him before the roster cut deadline this preseason. He found himself on Miami’s practice squad and would appear in three games, playing mostly on special teams.
The reasoning behind Winovich’s decision is not immediately clear aside from his post mentioning that “the time has come for (him) to serve the universe in other ways.” He also seemed to leave the door open for a potential return, quoting his grandmother in saying, “It’s only bye for now.”
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