One of the most feared defensive linemen of this generation has officially hung up his pads for the final time, as he announced his intentions to retire from the game of football to Detroit Lions fans just weeks before the start of training camp.
While it has been some time since he last suited up for the Lions, or any NFL team for that matter, the likely future Hall of Fame inductee shared his decision to officially retire on Saturday, as the date holds a special meaning to him.
July 12, 2024 was the hardest day of my life.
— Ndamukong Suh (@NdamukongSuh) July 12, 2025
It’s the day I said goodbye to my father, the man who raised me, shaped me, challenged me, and believed in me before I believed in myself.
He wasn’t just a dad. He was my idol, my coach, and my anchor.
He taught me what it meant to… pic.twitter.com/WkefQaDrsQ
Former Lions All-Pro Ndamukong Suh Announces Retirement Decision
The Lions drafted Ndamukong Suh with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft after a standout collegiate career with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. From the moment he arrived in Detroit, he was a force to be reckoned with on the defensive line as he made his presence felt in a variety of ways, as evidenced by the 36 sacks, 238 tackles, 66 tackles for a loss, and 98 quarterback hits during his five season with the franchise.
Saturday, Suh shared with the football world that he was done for good. As noted earlier, Suh has been out of the game for a while now, having last played in 2022 as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, but he chose July 12 as the day to announce his retirement for a specific reason, which he shared on social media.
“It’s the day I said goodbye to my father, the man who raised me, shaped me, challenged me, and believed in me before I believed in myself,” Suh wrote.
"He wasn’t just a dad. He was my idol, my coach, and my anchor. He taught me what it meant to be disciplined, focused, and relentless in everything I do. Every snap I took in football carried his fingerprint. Every time I lined up across from someone, I could hear his voice pushing me, reminding me that I wasn’t just representing myself. I was representing him, my family, my name. Before he passed, he gave me one final piece of advice, ‘It’s time to let football go. You’ve done everything you set out to do. Now it’s time for the next chapter.'"Ndamukong Suh
Losing a family member, let alone a parent, is always a difficult thing to deal with, and the loss of his father is something that sticks with Suh to this day. Using this day to reflect on his relationship with his father, while also touching on the impact he had on Suh's storied career, is the perfect way to honor the memory of his father and everything he still means to Suh.
He will always be a Lion in the eyes of Detroit fans and, hopefully, he can return to the Motor City one day soon to celebrate what was undoubtedly a Hall of Fame career.