Former Patriots WR Announces Retirement

After 11 seasons in the NFL, veteran wide receiver Mohamed Sanu is hanging up his cleats.

The wideout — who spent the back-half of the 2019 season with the New England Patriots — took to social media to officially announce his retirement from professional football. He had been out of the league for over three years.

Sanu wrote on Instagram, "Retirement from the NFL isn't the end of my story — it's the start of a new chapter. After more than a decade in the league, living out the dream I set in my heart on as a kid, it's time to step away from the field and reflect on the journey."

The Patriots, who were in the middle of yet another Super Bowl hunt in 2019, decided to swing for the fences at the trade deadline. The team traded a second-round pick to the Atlanta Falcons for Sanu, who at that point had 33 receptions for 313 yards and a single touchdown that year. Most people considered the trade an overpay, but a needed one to help finish another championship run.

It didn't pay off, as Sanu (who did catch 10 balls and score against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9 of that season) struggled to pick up the offense and wasn't able to fully click with Tom Brady. He was limited to just 207 yards during his lone season with New England. Ahead of the next season, he was placed on the physically unable to perform list and was released the following September.

"To every coach who believed in me, every teammate who battled alongside me, every family member, friend, and love one who stood in my corner — thank you," Sanu continued. "And to every doubter and hater who fueled my fire — thank you too.

"Even though my NFL chapter is closing, my mission continues. Now it's about pouring my knowledge into the next generation, guiding the youth through coaching, and continuing to share the game in a whole new way with the Facts Over Stats podcast — where I break down football, tell stories from my career, and give fans a perspective straight from the players who lived it."