Citing the “sacrifice” that playing professional football continues his life, nine-time Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey announced his retirement from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday.
Pouncey and his twin brother, Mike, made their joint announcement through Maurkice Pouncey’s longtime teammate and friend, Ramon Foster, on Foster’s verified Twitter page. Foster, a security guard, played alongside Pouncey with the Steelers for 10 seasons until he announced his retirement last March. Foster now co-hosts a radio show in his native Tennessee.
It is an honor for me that my brothers of another asked me to announce the next phase in their life. After more than a decade @MaurkicePouncey and Mike Pouncey PENSIONS of the @nfl . Below are their memos to thank those involved in their careers. #Steeler #chargers #Miami #NFL pic.twitter.com/v9IALOrZaX
– Ramon Foster (@RamonFoster) February 12, 2021
Pouncey was drafted in the first round in 2010 and was included in the Pro Bowl roster every season in which he played more than a quarter. Pouncey missed the entire 2015 season due to a broken leg and two ligaments in his right knee were torn during a game at the start of the 2013 season opener.
Pouncey was the First Team AP All Pro in 2011, 2012 and 2014. He was the Second Team All Pro in 2010 and 2018.
But since turning 30 in 2019, Pouncey has missed six games in the past two seasons, the first time aside from the two major injuries he’d missed due to injury since 2012. The Steelers finished last in the NFL last season in rushing yards, and their surprise blowout loss in their playoff opener against the Cleveland Browns was made easier by Pouncey hitting the ball well above Ben Roethlisberger’s head on the first game of the game .
After the game, Pouncey and Roethlisberger sat alone on the bench, well after nearly every other player from both teams retired to their locker rooms. Roethlisberger, in particular, had visibly tears in his eyes when he was with Pouncey, one of his best friends on the team.
“I love that man (Pouncey),” Roethlisberger said later. “He’s one of the best competitors and teammates I’ve ever had. It was so nice to share a soccer field with him. “
Pouncey and Roethlisberger once said they would retire together. In recent weeks, Steelers president Art Rooney II and Roethlisberger have both said publicly that they want Roethlisberger to return for an 18th season at the age of 39. But contract negotiations continue before that can happen.
Pouncey’s retirement will give the Steelers a $ 6.48 million “dead money” on their 2021 salary ceiling, according to overthecap.com. Had he played this season, Pouncey would have paid a salary of $ 8 million. The Steelers can now take that money off their 2021 limit, although they will likely supplement their domestic offensive line with free signings and / or draft picks.
Pouncey’s backup last season was JC Hassenauer, a former undeveloped player whose most of his professional experience in the now-defunct Alliance of American Football came in 2019. three instead of Pouncey.
Pouncey’s retirement means the Steelers could have as many as four new starters on their line of attack by 2021. Left guard Matt Feiler, left tackle Alejendro Villanueva and right tackle Zach Banner will be unrestricted free agents next month – although Banner is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in the season opener.
“I will always love the game of football (and) will always be the ultimate competitor in life,” read a post released through Foster. “I’m (just) not in love with the sacrifice that football brings into my life, my beautiful daughters Jayda, Marley (and) my family.”
Fla. Mike Pouncey, born a minute later than Maurkice in Lakeland, played alongside his brother at the University of Florida and was a first round pick of the Miami Dolphins in 2010. He played seven seasons for them and the 2018-19 seasons for the Los Angeles Chargers. But Mike played in just five games in 2019 due to a neck injury, and he didn’t play at all last season due to a hip injury.
In his retirement letter, Maurkice Pouncey promised to keep his work for the TeamPouncey Foundation. Pouncey is an advocate for underprivileged children and for police matters.
Pouncey and Roethlisberger were the only active players left on the Steelers who were on the roster the most recent time they made the Super Bowl in February 2011. However, Pouncey did not play in that loss to the Green Bay Packers due to an ankle injury. .
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Chris Adamski is a writer on the Tribune Review staff. You can contact Chris by email at [email protected] or via Twitter
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