Three-time Pro Bowl safety Antoine Bethea retires
Safety Antoine Bethea, a three-time Pro Bowl selection (2007, 2009, 2014) and veteran of 14 seasons, confirmed via a Thursday Twitter post that he is retiring from the NFL.
Most recently, Bethea played with the New York Giants during the 2019 season but was informed in March that the team was not picking up his option for 2020. The 36-year-old did not participate in the current campaign held amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Indianapolis Colts took a flier on Bethea via a sixth-round draft pick in 2006, and he earned a Super Bowl ring with Indianapolis as a rookie. He made two Pro Bowl squads as a member of the Colts before he signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 2014.
Bethea earned his first NFC Pro Bowl nod that season, and he later joined the Arizona Cardinals in 2017.
In total, Bethea recorded 1,333 tackles, 25 interceptions with one taken to the house for a touchdown, and 9.5 sacks throughout his career.
The Cardinals and Giants both named Bethea a team captain for the closing seasons of his league tenure.
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