Former Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Jurrell Casey has decided to retire after 10 seasons in the NFL, the team announced on Thursday.
Casey, who was originally a third-round pick of the Titans in 2011 and spent his first nine seasons with the team, will make it official during a press conference on Thursday at 1 p.m. CDT at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
“I love the Titans organization – that was never a doubt in my mind,” Casey said, via Ben Arthur of The Tennessean. “They drafted me, and they gave me an opportunity in life. You sometimes have bad feelings about things, but like I told (GM) Jon Robinson when I told him I wanted to retire a Titan, I told him I apologize for the comments I made, those were my feelings at the time, but not every feeling needs to be said to the public. I should have held on to it, knowing this is a business. It wasn’t personal, and they did me a favor at the end of the day by trading me and giving me a chance to keep playing and making money for my family.
“But the Titans, they gave me the blessing to be here. … I was upset at the time (when I was traded), but that doesn’t change the fact I love the Tennessee Titans and I will always love them. I will be a Titan forever.”
Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk had this to say about Casey’s retirement:
“This is a proud day for Jurrell, his family and the Titans family,” Strunk said. “There is no greater model for what a player can achieve both on the field and in the community than Jurrell. His five Pro Bowls and two Community Man of the Year awards are part of a tremendous legacy for others to follow. He has a passion for improving the lives of others that shines through in big ways with his work with multiple organizations in our community but also in the quieter, day-to-day interactions on a personal level. On the field, he was a force and helped establish a standard as we rebuilt a culture of success during his tenure, ultimately serving as a captain on the 2019 team that advanced to the AFC Championship Game. On behalf of our entire organization, I congratulate him on a fantastic career, and we will always consider him part of the Titans family. I look forward to seeing what is next for him because I know that no matter what is in store he will continue to make those around him better.”
Casey was traded by Tennessee to the Denver Broncos in 2020. He played in just three games before suffering a season-ending torn bicep injury. He was released by Denver during the 2021 offseason.
During his stint in Nashville, Casey not only emerged as one of the best players at his position in the NFL, but he also became a fan-favorite.
Over his nine seasons with the Titans, Casey made five Pro Bowls and tallied 51 sacks, the seventh-most in franchise history. He was a six-time defensive captain and two-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee.
Casey created several great memories, but the last one came during the 2019 Divisional Round Game versus the Baltimore Ravens, where he notched a strip sack on Lamar Jackson to help seal a win that shocked the world and sent the Titans to the AFC Championship Game.
The moment I knew the Titans were headed to the AFC Championship game. Thanks for the memories, Case. pic.twitter.com/FEfHLVsgnP
— Mike Herndon (@MikeMiracles) September 2, 2021
Casey will no doubt go down as one of the best defenders in Titans franchise history and should take his rightful place in the team’s Ring of Honor.
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