Veteran defensive end Jeremy Mincey announced his retirement on Instagram, posting a picture of hung-up cleats along with a detailed message thanking his previous teams and supporters.
“I just want you all to know: family, fans, and supporters gave me the hope to make it this far, to inspire those who will come behind me,” said Mincey. “I played the game with love, passion and relentlessly (sic) to prove to people your heart will take you as far as you want it to go. Trust me. I had half the talent a lot of guys had in this league.What separated me from the others was my will for victory.”
Mincey had free agent offers on the table, but is instead opting to follow through with retirement, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. It’s not surprising that Mincey had generated interest, as even in his age-32 season he was productive, appearing in 14 games for the Cowboys (six starts) and grading as the No. 61 edge defender in the league, with exceptionally high marks against the run, according to Pro Football Focus. Dallas, however, was not open to a reunion with Mincey, whom PFR recently ranked as the 10th-best free agent defender.
Just a year ago, Mincey posted even better results, managing six sacks for the Cowboys while starting all 16 games. In eight NFL seasons, Mincey, a former sixth-round draft selection, appeared in 96 games and put up 26 sacks, eight fumble recoveries, and 158 tackles. The Florida alum spent time with the Patriots, Jaguars, and Broncos before signing with Dallas prior to the 2014 season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Happy trails Mincey. Should have retired as a Patriot. Borderline HOFer