Travis Swanson is calling it career. The offensive lineman announced on Instagram that he’s decided to retire, with the 28-year-old citing his desire to spend more time with family.
“I decided to retire from the game of football,” Swanson wrote. “Those words are hard to write. However, I have a sense of comfort knowing Emily and I are walking away from this game with offers that were on the table. This ultimately came down to a family decision between Emily and I.
“I have been an offensive lineman for 22 years of my life and will be for the remainder. In my years as a lineman, I have learned so many life lessons. It is extraordinary that this game has the power to take a kid from Kingwood, Texas to places all over the globe.”
The Arkansas product was a third-round pick by the Lions back in 2014, and he proceeded to play the first four seasons of his career in Detroit. He joined the Jets as a free agent last offseason, but he was cut prior to the start of the regular season. He quickly caught on with the Dolphins, and he proceeded to appear in 12 games (11 starts) as he filled in for injured lineman Daniel Kilgore.
With Kilgore returning from injury and the Dolphins adding free agents (Chris Reed, Michael Dunn) and rookies (Michael Deiter, Isaiah Prince) this offseason, it was clear that Swanson didn’t have much of a future in Miami.