Jason Peters otherwise known as “The Bodyguard” has retired from the NFL after two decades of protecting quarterbacks' blind side, the Seahawks announced Tuesday.
Peters has compiled an impressive resume across 21 NFL seasons: Nine-time pro bowler, two-time all-pro, Pro Football Hall of Fame All-2010s member, and Super Bowl 52 champion.
Peters went undrafted out of the University of Arkansas, where he played defensive lineman and tight end. Peters was a huge collegiate tight end, but was extremely athletic for his size. Weighing in at 336 pounds, Peters ran a 4.93 40-yard dash and broad jumped 10’7” in the combine. While those metrics were impressive for his size, it was too slow for him to continue to play tight end in the NFL. Realizing that, Peters worked out as an offensive tackle going into the 2004 NFL draft.
In 2004, the Buffalo Bills signed Peters as an undrafted free agent. He did not take too long to adapt to the position. Peters was a full-time starter by 2006 and reached his first pro bowl in 2007. In 2008, after his second consecutive pro bowl season Peters was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles were he would establish himself as one of the best tackles in football.
Peters spent 11 seasons in the City of Brotherly Love. He represented the Eagles in seven of his nine pro bowl appearances. He also earned first team all-pro honors twice, with his most impressive one coming in 2013 after rupturing his achilles twice in the previous season.
After his stint with the Eagles, Peters would play on three different teams in five seasons. In 2023, Peters signed with the Seattle Seahawks and was demoted to the practice squad in 2024, staying there throughout the duration of the season. On Tuesday, Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schineder announced that Peters would be retiring as an NFL player and joining the team’s front office as a veteran mentor.
The resume speaks for itself and his first job post-playing career shows how respected Peters is around the league. Peters has ended his career as one of the best on and off the field. Not too bad for an undrafted free agent.
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Elias Meredith (@EAM_55)
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